It is Christmas and the festivities hang heavy in the air like the morning fog. Wrapped in my cosy comforter I try to grab a few winks of sleep before I have to compel myself out of the bed. A hot cup of masala chai is enough to energise me and the constant humdrum of household chores comfort my ears. The winter doesn’t feel so cold anymore.
This year marks the end of the decade too, the first of the millennium. While a lot has changed in the past few years, some things remain the same. The dropping mercury and ensuing shivers are more than made up for. Assortment of cakes, chocolates and homemade wines — the winter just got more endearing.
Natasha Gupta, an MBA aspirant, says, “I love this part of the season as I enjoy sitting on my balcony with a glass of tea and gazing aimlessly at the trees surrounded by the dense fog. Everything around is so wonderful, that I don’t feel like moving from the couch. This year I have arranged for a Christmas tree to greet the season. I have these small parties in the evening, where we sit around the tree and chat. This time of the year means endless parties and get-togethers. Everyone’s favourite songs play at parties along with Christmas carols.”
Rituraj Sapkota, a freelancer, believes this is the best time to party like an animal. He says, “I love the way the way Hyderabadis party. I feel this is the only time of the year, when one can dance the night away, without feeling uncomfortable as half the year is hot and humid and one doesn’t feel quite comfortable while dancing. So it is the weather which helps me party in the real sense.”
The winter chill brings with it the warmth of sharing and giving, of bidding the old goodbye and welcoming the new. It brings with it the anticipation of the forthcoming spring. Hot samosas on the pavement to chocolate brownies and jalebis for breakfast — this season is for all those who love to eat and indulge in the delicacies of the palate.
Roopradha Dutta, a dentist, lists all her favourite winter hangouts in Kolkata, “Having fruit cakes at Flury’s and homemade mattar kachoris are some of the must-dos in winter.”
Richa Agarwal, an employee at a BPO who believes this is the best time of the year to binge on all the exotic cakes and chocolates, says, “I feel this is the best time of the year to go out with friends and have the special food items, which are not available the rest of the year. For instance, I love eating all sorts of cakes. But I never get the plum cake with dry fruits throughout the year. So, I wait for the Christmas season as these cakes are sold in abundance, and I feast on them with close friends, almost every single day of the season.”
This season is to remember the resolutions we kept and the new ones we make, of the failed diets and new highlights. Here's to the old wine in a new bottle — Merry Christmas!
With inputs from Rajarshi Mukherjee