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The bash begins
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T.SARAVANAN and M.R.ARAVINDAN go round the city to capture the yuletide spirit this season.
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AT THE stroke of midnight, the Church bells chimed and verses from the Holy Bible filled the air. People greeted each other fondly. Like perhaps anywhere in the world, the city too was drowned in ecstacy. It was a moment of glory and festivity that heralded the birth of Jesus Christ.
The happy mood infiltrated into homes where people could not join the midnight mass. But nothing undermined the efforts for a great celebration. Like each year, this Christmas too, houses are glittering with the illuminated star welcoming all guests. Interiors look colourful with balloons and the decorated Christmas tree, beautiful cribs and other decoration rolls.
Each year's celebration also brings with it some innovative ideas only to add to the joy of partying. Gifts and accessories for the occasion take various shapes and hues in a bid to capture customers' attention.
Cutting model stars
Take for instance, this year's new `cutting model' variety of the star. To add to its sheen, it comes with extra features added to their feathers (or arms) like hearts, angels, figures of Santa Claus and Jesus Christ. The ubiquitous fir tree, a must for every Christmas celebration, too has undergone amazing moulds. The market is flooded with this six-feet tall Christmas trees, which can be neatly folded into a box. The tree is woven around four or five rings and the leaves are made of 'polyester film' paper. The city's contribution to Christmas decorative materials this time round is the soft-cloth Santa Claus doll.
Cakes and pies
But can anyone think of Christmas celebrations without cakes and pies? The big and small bakery units in the city are offering a veritable cake feast.
The Hotel Fortune Pandiyan has on bill an enticing list of pastries to woo the cake gourmets. Their Christmas hamper is equally enviable what with the traditional Christmas pudding, vine, flavoured muffins, dry fruit pie, flavoured cookies, home made chocolates all wrapped and ribboned in a traditional bamboo basket.
"We have also displayed a wedding cake, a crib and an illuminated Christmas tree in our lobby besides playingcarols on telephone holds," informs C.R. Rajasekar, the hotel's General Manager.
Executive Chef C. Srinivasan further lists out the cake varieties: "We have prepared chocolate trouffle cake, marzipan cake, almond paste cake, royal icing cake and Christmas special plum cake."
The cake mixing ceremony for the twin festivals of Christmas and New Year during the month was apparently organized a fortnight ago.
A random check at other cake shops revealed peoples' preference for the usual plum cake. Other bonbons treating the cake connoisseurs are Dundee, Marzipan and Coconut Macaroons. The attractive variety is the Marzipan, which comes in a small sweet basket, made of sugar, with tiny cakes designed like vegetables and fruits. This type, which is made of cashew, finds a good niche among the kids.
Added to this, the other specials of the season are the Cheese, Blue Berry Cheese and Blue Berry Muffins. "Cartoon figures like Noddy, Casper, Tweety and Pokemon in cakes are a big hit among the kids," says V. Balasundaram, owner of the British Bakery.
As a special off this year, the British Bakery has introduced cakes decorated with imported toys like rein deer, snow house, X-mas tree and figure of Santa Claus.
Card culture
Like the traditional X-mas tree and cake, greetings too acquire an important place in the celebrations. And those in trade are quick to adapt to changing needs and demands of their customers. The `kudil' card, which displays the crib, and the modern art card, both have their own features to attract any eye. The wordings of messages are particularly soothing.
N.R. Sivakumar, Madurai branch manager of Lovely Cards, says, "people here go for interesting text on the cards rather than colourful ones. However, we exercise care in incorporating both to satisfy all type of customers."
The celebrations do not end with the Christmas weekend. Rather, it gains momentum and reaches a crescendo in barely a week's time when the city plunges into the next round of merriment, ushering in the New Year.
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Madurai
Mangalore
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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