JOIN USNo longer popular for celebrating Christmas?
Even though many nightclubs and restaurants organise grand parties on Christmas Eve, foreign visitors don't seem to be attracted with it anymore. Metrolife finds out where they are celebrating Christmas, before Santa comes calling.
The most sought after destinations on their Christmas wish list seem to be varied. Jennifer Wani from the US, who is visiting Delhi with her NRI husband and kids, has bought many decorations for her flat here, but is planning to celebrate Christmas in Kashmir.
“I love Christmas and I love to adorn my residence at this time. My husband and I recently got a small Christmas tree from a nursery in Jor Bagh, however, we will be flying to Kashmir to celebrate our Christmas there.”
Asked why Kashmir during Christmas? And she says, “We wanted a change from the drudgery of the cosmopolitan routine.”
Jeff Redding from Netherlands, previously working with the Lawyers' Collective in Delhi, and now visiting friends here says, “I am here for a few days, enjoying the food, friends and weather, but have Mumbai plans for Christmas.”
Queried on why Mumbai, he says, “I think Mumbai celebrates Christmas better.” Rogers of the UK, working with the branch of a UK bank here is going to Goa to celebrate Christmas. “I am going to be in Goa with my sister and her family during Christmas. I’ll relax on the beaches, attend winter carnivals and party hard.”
Delhi does not party any less at Christmas time. Christmas seasonal holidays in Delhi is all about shopping, enjoying and partying. Many markets here even put up a special Christmas carnival sale, but these visitors are certainly escaping!
Days before the actual festival, Santa Clauses can be seen roaming around and distributing gifts at a number of places. But then most foreign visitors are looking for a different kind of a spirituality.
John and Elpis Park of Korea are actually going to Varanasi to see Ganga during Christmas. Elpis explains, “My friends told me that there's no point visiting India if you don't see the Ganges. So I am going to Varanasi. Christmas is special to me, but Varanasi too is.” Delhi might not be that popular this season but that doesn’t stop the merriment.