“The spirit of Christmas has always been in the little elements that adorn the festival. Be it the carols, food, or just the decorations, there’s an alluring charm to each facet that makes everyone look forward to December with the same eagerness year after year.

And in our family specifically, Christmas most definitely means Kerala, where the vibe is much more intense. There are many competitions hosted between the local churches, and even the natives go the extra mile with the festivities, making it enjoyable for the entire community. Sadly, however, 2020 with its restrictions ensured that celebrations were toned down to a bare minimum.

Nevertheless, it turned out to be a period of introspection where everyone had to find happiness with what was available. Here’s where my mom, who’s a passionate home cook, also came to my rescue. With a plateful of pastries ranging from macaroons to almost forty-odd cakes, she made sure to get not just me smiling but the entire apartment merrily gleeing to their stomach’s content.

Now, while growing up, I had a lingering excitement about receiving gifts and an unshakable belief over the idea of surprises. In that sense, I still remember jumping with joy when my late uncle gifted me a remote control car for my 9th Christmas. As a little boy, his thoughtful present most definitely made my day! From that ,however, my attention shifted to spending time with loved ones over gifts when I funnily discovered that it was in fact my parents, who were packing my presents and not Santa.

But no matter the age, Christmas still rakes in the same level of excitement! What I look forward to now, though, is spending quality time with a whole bunch of cousins who all come together from different corners of the world. Hopefully next year, the jingles ring in loud and fulfils my wishes!”

#merrychristmas #christmas2020 #christmastime #family #celebration #memories #hope #happiness #madras #humansofmadras