Merry Christmas!

The office secretary in my friend’s office brought a delicious Christmas cake today. It was as delicious it was big. It was a traditional rum soaked cake rich with resins and other dry fruits. We left our diet plans for a while and simply hogged.

As the aroma of the oven fresh cake wafted through the office, it brought back many happy memories of the Christmas of yore, those days when Christmas was not gloomy as it is now because Christmas means the end of vacation and time to go back to USA. In fact many times I have watched nostalgically my favorite Christmas themed movie, “I’ll be home for Christmas” alone in my apartment in the USA, Ironically returning from home on Christmas.

The Josephs were our neighbors when we were seven and eight year olds in Nagpur. They were an old couple as their children were married and serving in the forces and posted in Delhi and Chandigarh. So Christmas became as much our festival as we helped Mrs. Joseph in decorating the house with buntings and helping her with the batter for the cakes. We went all dressed up with them to the church and watch movie about Jesus.

In the evening there used to be games and show at the Airforce ground and a junior officer dressed as Santa used to distribute gifts to us children. This used to be followed by a grand party at the Josephs residence. I can close my eyes and still savour the keema samosas that she made.

When we shifted to Chandigarh, there were no Christians around and it lost the personal feeling that once we had. Later they became just another reason to get sloshed.

Hyderbad is remarkably egalitarian and the Hyderabadis enjoy every festival with equal fervor. From the mouth watering Haleems to the roast turkeys, the denizens of this charming city show no partiality to any one cuisine.

I remember the Christmas office party in London. I am a big connoisseur of Red wine but somehow the white wine is a strict no no. Now every party in the west begins with champagne and then graduates into whatever you like. Unfortunately my lovely colleague just heard the wine part and sloshed me with the bubbly . Not wanting to appear rude and chivalrous to the core, I dutifully kept emptying flute after flute!
I promised myself that I wont ever hence forth discuss my wine preferences with a half attentive blonde ever again.

Turkey isn’t much popular in India. But in the UK, stuffed turkey is the perfect Christmas lunch.

I shall never forget the kindhearted neighbor in Miami who delivered a platter of turkey and other savories before they left for their Christmas dinner. I didn’t have to worry about cooking for a week!

Christmas is the celebration of love and happiness. Lets spread the message of universal brotherhood and peace.