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What Puducherrians are up to on Christmas Day

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

Santa Cool?: Children pose with Santa Claus beside a Christmas tree in Puducherry.

PUDUCHERRY: Did you know that dolls placed in the Christmas crib in homes are passed down from one generation to the next? The dolls would be given to the youngsters in the family if they were unable to come home for Christmas and want to have a crib at their homes. Which leaves some homes with just the Christmas star and tree decorating the homes during the season… We spoke to a few Puducherrians and asked them how they celebrated the joyous occasion of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Setting up the crib is one of the major events at many homes, and children from the neighbourhood usually join together and help the elders create magic using paper, hay, decorations such as small stars and balls, and the dolls.

“From the day the crib is placed, till the Moonu Raja Pongal Pandigai we have to pray in front of it. I still remember how my father used to make a crib with big lumps of coal that could be found near AFT Mill. He would bring home the stuff and colour it with red earth. When it dries it would look so realistic, like a mountain. But, the problem with coal was that the edges would be too sharp and sometimes if handled carelessly one could end up with a bandaged hand,” says artist A.B. Ibert.

People and churches too take pride in their carefully set up cribs.

Sharing the joy of Christmas with the poor, orphans and elderly is what this family likes to do on Christmas day.

“After attending the early morning mass, and distributing sweets and cakes to friends and relatives, we visit orphanages and spend time there. Decorating the home is something that my sons, Abishek and Arun Benhail, love to do. They beautify the house with the tree, balloons, festoons, and old Christmas cards,” says government official G. Theva Needhi Dhas.

For homemaker Mary Parimala, the day before Christmas is a time to fast and make sweets and savouries. “At an appointed hour we place the ‘enna satti’ and make ‘palakaram’, and it is at that time that we start making the crib. Every year for distribution of sweets to friends and relatives, which is done on December 23 and 24, we buy new decorative lace cloth to cover the plate,” she says. Mutton biriyani and rich plum cakes are two things that are a must on Christmas day, says PR professional A. Robert Roche.

In the run-up to the festival, shopping is a must for everyone.

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