Christmas isn’t just a festival, it’s an experience- "a one that we live and feel" in itself. The very fact that people come together and celebrate something bigger than themselves validates their unselfish love and respect for this merry occasion. We don’t celebrate Christmas just for the exchange of gifts, but we celebrate it because of the unconditional love and trust that we have in our beliefs.There are many reasons why Christmas is my favourite festival of the year. Foremost being that people forget about religion, culture or background while they glorify this joyous time. The carols that we sing, the moments that we share, the presents that we exchange, the stories that we tell- we do it together. ‘Christmas’ truly exemplifies unity in diversity. The weather at this time of the year is amazing too. Not to mention the delicious dishes, sweets, fruits and nuts, that people prepare for the event. Christmas day is a day of merrymaking and joy. Folks adorn their houses, offices, streets and churches beautifully with colourful lights, tinsel, ornaments and of course, the beloved tree.My Christmas starts off with a delivery. A box with the sender’s address tracing all the way to Goa, where my close family and friends live. Maybe it’s from them that I inculcated this love for Christmas. They promptly send me a rum cake every year on the 25th of December. This gets me reminiscing about how I enjoyed Christmas there before I shifted to Mumbai.Love and affection fill the air. I don’t see a single sorrowful face around. And even if I do at this time of the year (which is highly unlikely) I just know that it’s my job to turn that frown upside down. That’s what I cherish the most. The joy of giving.Sharing, loving, enjoying, celebrating, and above all, being thankful for everything. That is what Christmas means to me.Merry Christmas everybody!
-Varun Venugopal
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