Ahead of X’mas, city bathes in festive spirit
Times of India: Goodies being prepared with much festive spirit, decorations on the holiday tree already shining bright and gifts bought in right earnest for the big day — preparations for Christmas have been keeping Puneites occupied for weeks now.
With just two more days to go, shopping malls are packed with last-minute shoppers till late at night. Ambar Gaikwad, who loves buying a variety of gifts for family and friends, said, “We have loads to shop as Christmas and new year are around the corner.”
A shop owner in Camp said that stores bring out the tinsel and greenery early in October as shops start selling items months prior to Christmas. “Customers make their purchases over the summer or sometime in mid-year to avoid stress and also to save money,” he explained.
While some start preparing much in advance, the real demand, especially for the all-important holiday tree, picks-up in the last few weeks. City’s plant nurseries have rows and rows of beautiful Christmas trees, though artificial ones are also available.
K Shah, owner of a plant nursery in Wanowrie, said, “Christmas trees measuring four to six feet in height are available in the Rs 1,000 to Rs 15,000 price range. Many families keep both artificial and real trees in their homes.”
Decoration items like bells, Santa Claus dolls, candles, stars, Nativity scenes, snow sticks and snowmen are also available for anything between Rs 10 to Rs 1,000, depending on the quality of the product.
And as the tree has now come to symbolise the festival itself, so have the many bakery products. Bakeries and confectionery shops have stocked Christmas goodies like plum cake, wine, rum, Christmas pudding, marzipan, choco fudge, boxes of chocolate and the all-important chocolate cake.
Though it may seems like the real spirit of Christmas has been hijacked by commercialisation, most citizens say that they like to spend their time with family and friends on that day. “I attend the midnight mass on Christmas Eve and go to the church in the morning on December 25. The morning mass is followed by a family get-together,” said Elisha D’Souza, a college student.
“We just exchange cards and sweets with family members and friends,” medical student Shraddha Londhe said with a smile, adding that home-made cookies and doughnuts are her hot favourites.
As Christmas approaches, churches and schools also organise carol-singing programmes. Many churches, like Christ church, Oldham Methodist church, New Life Fellowship, Kondhwa, St. Mary’s church and St. Matthew’s church organise carol singing in the church, while their teams also go out to sing in malls, public parks and houses of church members. Schools, like St. Helena’s, St. Clare’s School and Rosary also have special student choirs that spread the festive spirit.
Sandeep Gaikwad from Shiloh Church of Christ near Golibar Maidan, said, “Every year the youth from our church go carol-singing in a group of 20. They usually go at night to different parts of the city singing carols from house to house and spread festive cheer. They sing carols in English and Marathi.”
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