Christmas brings cheer to Vizagites

VISAKHAPATNAM: The bells are jingling all the way this Christmas. Stars and scenes of nativity are adorning several households in the city and celebrations are no longer confined to the Christian and Anglo-Indian families. In a city where one finds a temple, mosque and church, all atop one hill, symbolising communal harmony, the spirit of Yuletide too has permeated among all Vizagites, irrespective of their religious affiliation.And not surprisingly, you may at this time hear Frank Sinatra’s ‘Have yourself a merry little Christmas’ wafting from the drawing rooms of non-Christian households with the aroma of freshly-baked cakes filling the air.
Celebrating Christmas is not just about yummy plum cakes and pudding and beseeching Santa for goodies. From decorating houses with lit-up stars and Christmas trees, attending parties, exchanging greetings and visiting beautifully bedecked churches, Vizagites have merged well with their Christian friends and neighbours in welcoming the blessed season.
Engineering student and a non-Christian B Goutham and his family actively participates in X-mas festivities that include attending the church. “Since my dad studied in a convent school and my mother’s birthday falls on December 25, we make it a point to visit the church on Christmas day. It feels good to see my other non-Christian friends too celebrating the festival, decorating their homes with colourful electric lights, stars and Christmas trees, irrespective of their religion, signifying peace and harmony.”
Anup Daniel, a final year student in the Fine Arts department of Andhra University, says, “Just as we burst crackers and light lamps during the festival of lights, except observing the religious rituals, similarly, friends from other communities prepare cakes, come to our home to greet us and even come along to the churches to admire the decorations and soak in the merriment even though they may not attend midnight mass or the morning service. Sometimes, they too buy new clothes for Christmas parties.”
For Fatima Omar, centre head of the pre-primary wing of Oakridge International School, Christmas is all about spreading good cheer. “The festival ushers a sense of happiness and positivity. And for the little ones in my home, we hang red stockings all over and stuff them with gifts and goodies in answer to their ‘prayers’ to Santa Claus. At school too, one of the teachers dresses up as Santa Claus and entertains the kids. My son also brought a Christmas tree at home and has been decorating it,” she says.
Amandeep Singh, president of Sikh youth association, adds, “Gone are the days when festivals were celebrated only in the particular community. Now, even the elders in the family encourage us to partake in celebrations of all communities. Santa is a big hit with Sikh children who put forth their endless wish-list before him while many of my friends decorate their homes with lights and Christmas trees from Christmas to New Year. I would love to attend Christmas parties as well.”
The changing time and trend is well-phrased in the words of Melville Smythe, a coach with the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh, “In my grandma’s time, Christmas used to be celebrated only among the Christians and Anglo-Indians in Vizag. But now, friends from other communities spontaneously take part in the festivity that includes parties, checking out churches, decorating the house with stars and Christmas trees, feasting on cakes and other Christmas delicacies and of course greeting one another ‘Merry Christmas.’”