Carols, consoles & cowboys

Though home-made festivities are the flavour, there’s much happening 
elsewhere on Xmas and New Year’s Eve too

Mehak Uppal
Party Bell, Party Bell Party all the way, year end is coming and it’s time for some play!

 YAY! It’s that time of the year when the adage, ‘All work and no play,’ seems to ring a bell for all, from college-goers to corporates, young and old.

"We always look forward to Christmas and New Year celebrations in our office. Since it’s the festival season for our counterparts in the USA, the workload is also pretty low. Last year, we decorated our entire office with white and red ribbons and had some great fun. Besides, there are project parties to look forward to!" exclaims Swati Arora of Infosys, Chandigarh.

It’s not just plain parties, some offices put in an extra effort to organise informal functions and creative competitions, "Our head-office organises inter-branch contests. I hope Christmas also brings some interesting HR initiatives!" says Manuj Sharma, relationship manager, HDFC ERGO General Insurance-8, Chandigarh.

We also decided to find out what the local DJs and event managers have in store. DJ KK of Voodoo lends us a sneak peek, "We are getting ready to make the party-goers feel the heat. A theme party for Xmas is in store. Besides, I am coming up with some really cool remix of Xmas carols to be played at the stroke of midnight. Also, there will be special gifts to be won for the foot tappers"

Keeping the party scene alive is Saurabh Aggarwal, managing director, Invincible’z Entertainment. "We are roping in either DJ Tejas or DJ Spin Twin from Mumbai, especially for December 24 night. For New Year’s Eve, we are organising the most lavish bash at Piccadily Hotel. With the cowboy Mexican theme, the party people are sure to go wild."

Bhuvnesh Anand, manager operations, All Rise event management company, has some other plans, "We are going to rope in local rock bands and arrange special concerts. Chandigarh youngsters have the ears to appreciate this music."

However, DJ Ajay, Mission, has different plans. "I don’t want to go over the top and play the usual electro. This time, I want to keep it rhythmic and soothing."

Pratibha Chauhan
Hoping for a White Christmas, which has eluded the Queen of Hills for over a decade now, hoteliers in Shimla are making preparations for festivities, which see the highest number of tourists at this time of the year.

While Christmas parties are held in all the prominent hotels, the local Christian population makes it a point to attend the Church ceremonies and celebrate Christmas in the most traditional way with carols and all.

Notwithstanding the recession, most people associated with hospitality sector say families have now got into the habit of an annual holiday, which they are still adhering to. However, what they are seeking this time is a different. Heritage, wildlife and eco-tourism are selling like hot cakes.

Most of the hotels owned by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) as well as private ones are already getting a good response as booking have started picking up.

"With the temperatures being quite low and the weather conditions being ideal for snow, we are hoping and praying that at least this year we all wake up to see the town under a white mantle on Christmas," says Harnam Kukreja, president of the Shimla Hoteliers Association.

He says parties are being organised in all the hotels with DJs and even some prominent artistes being brought from outside. With Miss Shimla beauty pageant being one of the oldest and famous one, similar contests are an integral part of the Christmas and New Year parties at almost all prominent hotels. To add to the charm, efforts are on to rope in participants of some singing contest on television who have become popular household names.

The one week between Christmas and New Year sees each and every hotel in the town booked to capacity with some even being forced to sleep out in the open.

Christmas is a time for youngsters to celebrate at home, with family and friends
XMAS@SOPHY’S: Christmas is a time for youngsters
to celebrate at home, with family and friends

Nidhi Arora
Decorated churches, pealing of church bells and fireworks coupled with messages of love, joy and peace all around`85Precisely. ‘Party till you drop’ defines Christmas, says Sophia Christina, public relations executive, Genesis PR, Gurgaon.

Sophia, who stays in Panchkula, says this is the most-awaited festival for her friends, too, as they look forward to ‘Christmas at Sophy’s’ throughout the year i.e. December 24 night , when all her friends get together to spend some insane fun moments along with homemade food.

Says Sophia’s mother Rabeca Arun: "For all the foodies, I prepare a number of special dishes that reflect the zest of Christmas. Like sorpatel, this is one of the most traditional curries made with pork meat and liver, pork vindaloo, tangy and tasty; it is best relished with boiled plain or jeera rice. Besides, a dessert, bebinca, chocolate walnut fudge and chicken cafreal are inevitable, Rabeca smiles.

"We cannot afford to miss out the ‘Christmas at Sophy’s’ even though we work in Hyderabad; we make sure to be here for celebrating Christmas," say Sophia’s friends Shivali and Rozal.

"I strongly feel that religion is no bar when it comes to celebrating Christmas. I have always been enthusiastic about celebrating it every year despite the fact that I am not a Christian," adds Rozal.

Sophia’s sister Sarah Arnestina says since both sisters are away from home for work, celebrations are the most awaited. "It’s like celebrating as a unit; being with parents and meeting and enjoying with friends whom we haven’t met for long," Sarah says.

"Apart from fun and food, certain myths about the Christmas celebrations are well taken care of like while making the seating arrangement, we make sure that no guest will be seated with one’s back to the door, for the sign is supposed to bring bad luck,"says Mary Joseph (26), homemaker, who arranges the Christmas table for family and friends. Mushrooms are also kept on the table to give health and strength. A bowl of garlic is kept under the table for protection; a pot of honey is protection against evil. Interestingly, the host places fish scales under the plates for luck, she explains.

Mary makes it a point that all leave the table once everybody has finished the meal as skipping early is believed to bringing ill-fortune. The Christmas dinner consists of nine courses. However, no alcohol is consumed on Christmas eve, says the manager Lyon’s-17, Chandigarh.

Igloo-making is an ideal craft for Christmas for both kids and elders. Even if no snow is at hand, one can make an igloo with sugar cubes, says Abraham, who celebrates Christmas with family and friends every year. There’s nothing like spending a day in igloo making, it magnifies the joviality , he adds.

Nowadays, Christmas celebrations defy the notion that one cannot enjoy to the fullest at workplaces.

"We play ‘Secret Santa’ one week before Christmas, where in a specific theme is set for each day, like this year, we are keeping Red and Green for Monday, Something Sweet for Tuesday, Something Naughty for Wednesday etc.," says Sophia. Each person gets a chit of a colleague’s name and one becomes a ‘Secret Angel’ and keeps a gift on that person’s desk (as per the theme).When asked about the gifts under the ‘Something Naughty’ category, she tells with a twinkle in her eye: "I should not be mentioning these on a public forum at least!"

Mahim Singh, chief manager, DT Mall, Manimajra, says: ‘Preparations for Christmas are on in the mall. We will be organising around 30 events like magic shows, song on request, live songs etc from December 20 to 30."

Also, we are organising shopping activities for the first time, i.e. whoever shops takes part in the draw and every two hours, lucky prizes will be announced, he adds.





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