2015 Dec 8
Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la lalalalalala. Tis the season to be jolly, fa la lalalalalalalaaaaaaaaa. It’s the time of giving and receiving, the smell of Christmas is in air. A beautiful time of the year, a time of love and joy.
Have you ever thought of how important Christmas is in over and what we do that the rest of the world don’t this season? Despite the fact that the pearl of South East Asia is dominantly a Buddhist nation, with only 7% of its populations, all of us collectively, despite race, religion and ethnicity, celebrate Christmas so enthusiastically.
The commemoration of Christmas is said to have been introduced to Ceylon by the Portuguese who rules the nation under their colonial power from 1505-1650. This was followed by the conquering of our sands by the Dutch and British from 165-1796 and 1815-1948 consecutively. The first traditions and concept of the celebrations of the birth of the Christ is said to have been introduced to Lanka during this space of time.
The sound of the firecrackers at the dawn of the month is the first sign of the excitement for Christmas we see in people. The hotels and buildings are beautifully adorned with lights, ranging from fairy lights to ginormous light bulbs. This is the best time to go sightseeing our beautiful capital city. Hotels around our Colombo take specific attempts to customize their deco to suit their corporate colour themes and ideas. The roundabouts in Colombo are decorated beautifully by companies or retail outlets adding the beauty of Christmas and subtle marketing to the outdoor spaces. The few shopping malls we have here are beautifully adored with enormous Christmas trees and since the start of the month, everything around us from the cafes we walk into to the retail outlets we shop at, are starting to look a lot like Christmas.
Another reason why Christmas is a time of joy is because the kids get a month of holiday and the adults get at least two days off. What a relief isn’t it? Finally a day or two to peacefully spend some time with your family and friends around a beautifully lit up Christmas tree. The festivities aren’t only enjoyed by the Catholic households, Sri Lanka is extremely rich and diverse in culture and our ethnic groups are so interconnected so much so that now, even non-Catholic households make it a tradition to join the festive fun by setting up a Christmas tree and engaging in other activities that previously, only the Catholic households took part in.
The seasonal goodies are a must have at Christmas. As a Buddhist, I patiently wait Christmas morning for my next door aunty to bring us a plate of Christmas goodies. This, I must say, has now become a tradition in Sri Lanka, and a good one at that. The yummy Christmas cake is the star of the goodies that range from mince pies to other seasonal assortments. The festive meal on Christmas Day often includes the traditional Turkey. Beautifully cooked and braised, waiting on a table filled with an exceptionally delicious lunch, waiting to be served.
In addition to the small vendors we fins along the side of the streets, nearly exploding with rubber Santas and firecrackers or even shiny and shimmer Christmas deco, Christmas shopping can be considered the best time of the year. As a shopaholic, I wait impatiently for all the sales to pop up usually, during the first two weeks of the month. It is perfectly en pointe if I tell you that it is every girls dream to see all her favourite branded shops with the signs 50% or 75% off!
In addition to all of the traditional activities that Catholics take part in (like the midnight mass across the many Cathedrals, Churches and little Chapels all the Island), the non-traditional activities that families take part in are a lot of fun too! Looking forward to gifts from Santa is one of our best childhood memories whether Christian or not.
A season of love and joy. An amazing time of the year. There’s only a few days left for Christmas and we at Pulse, wish you and your family a very merry Christmas filled with love, laughter and joy! Let the countdown begin!
