I’m not going to lie, I bloody hate Christmas. I hate the forced jollity of it all, which is weird as generally I am quite jolly. I hate the expectations, the commercialisation of it, shops going mad in weeks before Christmas, the pressure to keep up with the Jones’, enforced and unnecessary expenditure, bloody decorations everywhere and Christmas songs belting out from every radio station and don’t get me started on TV advertising. There’s a reason I’ve spent most of my adult life without one. Yes, I am a real bah humbug.
As soon as I was able, I started perfecting the art of avoiding it. Six ski seasons saw me through six Christmases unscathed, now that’s not a sentence you can’t say after six mulled wines! Waking up on Christmas day morning, providing the ski bar celebrations hadn’t gone onto too late the night before. Oh who am I trying to kid? This was my misspent youth! The most fun on Christmas day was cooking for 12 unsuspecting chalet guests or escorting them down the slopes and still being drunk enough so that by the afternoon you couldn’t remember whether or not you’d turned up for work that morning. Momentary panic, a dash back to the chalet, and all seemed to be well. A cheeky couple of hours spent on the slopes with the ski bums, back into normal après ski and it was usually at least the day after boxing day when the parents managed to track me down, ask if I’d had a nice time and did I like my present. Presents!! I’d forgotten about those, they’d been stuffed under the bed at the start of the season, or if imbibable, consumed on the ski reps training course.
After a few too many years back in London where Christmas was on speed, India became my next avoidance tactic. I mean, they don’t celebrate it there right? Wrong. It may be only 2.3% of India’s population that is Christian, but 2.3% of 1.5 billion is, well, still quite a few people! Plus present regime excepted, it’s common for each religion to at least pay homage to a degree to other’s festivals and so, even in India, Christmas can’t be totally avoided. BUT, and here’s the thing, it is managed. It hasn’t yet become the 99% commercialised consumer experience that is has in the west and, in my experience, the celebrations start on Christmas Eve and are over by Boxing Day – what could be better?
Thus it was that after my first couple of years of living in India in blissful ignorance of what was happening with Christmas, because, it is easy to avoid in totality, I started to hear a bit about celebrations in other parts of the country. Then I began to get a little intrigued, after all, what harm could 36 hours of celebrations bring (do not ask that question to my younger ski bum self!). And so, in more generous Christmas spirit, I bring you a selection of destinations where Christmas is celebrated in India.
Goa: I’ve done this, spent a Christmas in Goa, I mean, it is known for it’s balmy weather, beaches and the party scene, so where else would you choose? Sadly I broke my legs a few weeks before hand and so partying was not on the cards and it ended up being a quiet one. The only bit of Christmas I actually saw was a group of wandering minstrels, dressed up as Father Christmas and playing Jingle Bells to any who’d care to listen, and a few who didn’t. It was one of the most incongruous things I’ve ever seen (apart from Christmas Kerala, see below). We continued on our journey, found a nice beach side shack and ordered a tuna salad and a bottle of Sula, then headed to Vivenda dos Palachos where we’d been invited for cocktails and carols. It remains high on my list of best ever Christmas days. HOWEVER! With its Portuguese influence, Goa is a top choice for those who don’t want to avoid Christmas. The churches are beautifully decorated, there’s more than a few fabulous carol services to choose from, and you can also enjoy beachside festivities, fireworks, and delicious seafood. It’s a win win.
Shillong, Meghalaya: It’s cool, it can even be frosty, it has picturesque landscapes, and has a
predominantly Christian population all of which make Shillong sort of familiar and yet charmingly different place to celebrate Christmas. On Christmas Eve, Police Bazaar is a riot of colour and lights and shopping and festivities though much of the food has Chinese influences apart from Christmas cake, which seems to have made it’s mark globally. The other thing, Shillong is renowned for its carol concerts and choirs. Head there if belting out some old familiar favourites (tuneful or otherwise) on Christmas Eve is your bag – with a slight twist, of course.
Puducherry: With its French influence, and charming Mediterranean ambiance and architecture, its sea front promenade and cheery south Indians, Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry) is always a chilled, ‘sort of familiar, but sort of not,’ destination to visit. But at Christmas, if that’s what you’re looking for, in its own stylish way, it comes into it’s own. The churches are beautifully adorned, services take place (more belting out of carols) and the old French Quarter has a lovely chilled yet charming festive ambiance.
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh: Ahh, the old British Hill station, of course they used to escape the heat of the summer on the plains to here but, if you fancy a snowy Christmas, then they tell me Shimla is the place to head to. The colonial architecture, snow-capped mountains, and festive markets allegedly create a magical atmosphere. I have to admit to not having tried this one, put off, as I have been by the fact that most people still think of Simla as a quaint former British hill station, whereas I’ve always found it its busy and hectic, more of a Manchester City on the mountain. BUT, if you know where to head, visit the markets and churches and then sneak off to somewhere a little out of town, where you still get the views and where is hopefully smart enough to have decent heating and duvets!
Mumbai: The city of Mumbai has a cosmopolitan, vibrant, bordering on marvellously manic atmosphere at any time of year, never mind during Christmas. However, there are areas that are better to visit at this time, else you’ll just be caught up in the party crowd – and who’d ever do that? So for some more carolling and reflection on the meaning of Christmas, head to St. Thomas Cathedral, Mount Mary Basilica, and St. Michael’s Church, which host special Christmas services and midnight masses (you’ll have to check on timings and stuff). For something a bit different, typically Juhu Beach rises to the occasion, turning into a lively carnival with street food stalls, live music, and local vendors offering festive goodies. And for Christmas lights, well, there can be nowhere better than Mumbai, Blackpool illuminations eat your heart out! The traditional areas of Bandra, to Dadar and Thane are lit up like, well, the proverbial Christmas tree, if Christmas tree’s took speed, and had their own nuclear power plant. They are a riot of colour and fun and fervour but to be fair, so is most of Mumbai.
Kolkata, sod it, Calcutta at Christmas. It works better from an alliterative perspective and looks nicer too. I’ve not done this one, but would love to, as long as I can handle the crowds. If there is one place in India to experience Christmas festivities in all their glory then Calcutta is it. It is a mad explosion of colour and food and décor and markets and parties not experienced anywhere else, I’d say, even at Diwali. It is said, that Calcutta’s Christmas celebrations are more grand than their Durga Puja celebrations, and that is something that has to be seen to be believed. Be prepared for crowds, not being able to follow your plan, giving in and going with the flow and I reckon you’ll just about be prepared to handle it. I’ve been told that it’s worth going into a little more detail here so:
For colour and illuminations, Park Street simply (though there’s nothing simple about it) dazzles with vivid lights and vibrant colours, delicious food and a place which literally pulsates with energy. It’s a quintessential Christmas activity recommended by all the locals, who, you will notice, don’t venture there themselves. Be prepared for lively chaos and hoards of people. It will be an experience.
For something a little more colonial and traditional, head out around the city’s churches in particular St. Paul’s Cathedral which has to be seen to be believed.
Christmas parties are in full swing across the city, from exclusive clubs like the Bengal Club to bars, restaurants, and resorts. Bow Barracks, once a military quarters, now thrives as a vibrant red brick housing colony, so it figures that festivities centre around it, being more akin to a Goan celebration, with open-air dance parties, it’s lively, festive and loud! They say there’s a party for every taste – I’m so not going there…..
And I’m going to wrap this up there. Safer. Go, it’s mental and surely is one of those things that has to be done once in a lifetime.
Cochin: Experience a serene Christmas amidst the backwaters and lush greenery of Kerala is what google said. However, it’s Cochin that really celebrates Christmas. Churches hold midnight masses with beautiful decorations and carols (though not many in English). There’s a wonderful atmosphere around the Old Fort area, the trees are all decorated and its just generally a really lovely vibe! Then there’s the he Cochin Carnival, a lively and colourful event held annually from December 25 to January 1. It kicks off with a grand procession through the streets of Fort Kochi, featuring elaborate floats, traditional art forms, and marching bands. It’s a fun thing to watch and be a part of. The only thing that freaks me out are the Santa masks with pale pink faces!
BUT! If you do want to avoid too much of Christmas in India, then where to go?
Somewhere, anywhere off beat in Rajasthan. The region abounds with the most fabulous off beat converted small forts, summer palaces and tented camps. Most of these are privately run and hosted making for a truly homely, unique and fabulous stay. These offer unique experiences, exceptional services and the opportunity to kick back and do as much or as little as you would like to do. Christmas is celebrated on Christmas day, in a wonderful, understated way.
If someone was holding a gun to my head and was going to make me pick one, well, after much bemoaning that it’s just not possible to choose one, I would have to choose Rohetgarh. There are a few reasons for this. It’s a property I’ve been using for over 20 years and one which has always been a highlight from a client perspective. They have a stunning stable of Marwari horses and the one thing I’ve always loved about Christmas is horse riding on Boxing Day which is a tradition of mine. Just to top it off, it’s where I took dad to spend Christmas on his first visit to India (aged 80) mainly so that I could ride on Boxing Day whilst he visited the Mehrangarh and then we ended up at the polo. Perfect.
MP, AKA Madhya Pradesh, the tiger capital of India. Let’s face it, what could be better for a bah humbug than to be deep in the jungles of central India, far far away from the madding crowds, mornings and evenings embracing the chill on safari whilst seeking out India’s natural heritage, wildlife and birdlife and with a bunch of like minded revellers aka wildlife fanatics? Evenings discussing the day’s safaris whilst sitting around a camp fire, Old Monk in Hand (that’s a local rum for those not in the know!) Bandhavgarh, Panna, Pench, Satpura, and of course, Kanha.
For any more information on any of the above contact:
Philippa@indianexperiences.com
Memsahib in India 