It's jingle bells all the way!

Christmas spirit beckons Delhizens to come out and enjoy as the city dresses up to celebrate the festive season with gusto.

At the turn of the year, the city bathed in the dazzle of twinkling lights, gift-laden Christmas trees, and the mellifluous sounds of carols lilting through the air. Capital’s malls and fair venues, bedecked with Christmas decorations and fairy lights beckon the Delhizens to come out and enjoy as the city sets out to celebrate the festive season with full gusto. Indeed Delhi’s social and cultural calendar is choc-a-block with food festivals, Christmas fairs, musical gigs that will keep the people on their toes till the year calls it a day. Metrolife plays guide to the fun events as the City basks in Christmas fervour.

Over a thousand colour balls embellishing a 38 feet-all Christmas tree entice holdiaymakers and shoppers to the Christmas carnival at Select Citywalk. It took 250 long hours to put together this gigantic tree, say the organisers. Dressed in white, red and green (the colours of Christmas), The Candyland offers a mouth-watering experience to the visitors with a delectable spread of cakes, cookies, doughnuts and candy canes.  A Christmas market that is open from noon to 11 in the night offers a huge range of gifts and food items, fresh breads to apparels in the FF Balcony and more. For sure the Christmas shopper will be spoilt for choice!

But hey! Sense something amiss? Indeed, what’s Christmas without the lilting sounds of carols, hymns and prayers?  The Delhi Chamber Choir, Family Vision and other such groups will perform in the commercial centre from December 20 to 24, with the Philadelphia-based The Keystone State Boychoir performing the concluding act on
December 30.

If you can manage to extricate yourself from the excitement at Saket Mall to a city-based haat, then do check out the Kisan Haat at Andheria Modh, where the Delhi Tourism in partnership with Dastkar has organised a 10-day-long  Dastkar Fun Fest starting from December 20. A dynamic mix of entertainment focused on children with interactive workshops in traditional crafts and cultural performances await visitors. Traditional stilt performers, Kacchi Ghodi, Chhota Bheem and Santa Claus will all add to the joyful and vibrant atmosphere at this event. What caught our fancy is ‘Toys through Tales’, an interactive story-making session where children get to create 3D characters that evolve in the story. What fun!

At the ‘Christmas Cheer’ festival in DLF Promenade, the magic and wonder of Christmas unfurls with bright Xmas lights, a spectacular designer 20-feet-long tree and a corner dedicated to snow covered reindeers and Santa Claus. Adventure Island promises the best flea market in North Delhi from December 21-25 and DLF Place, Saket ushers in a ‘Festival of Toys’. With over 50,000 toys to choose from, your children are going to drive you crazy with their demands!

But what is Christmas without brotherhood, goodwill towards the less fortunate and, charity? Wrap up your old books, games, clothes and toys as Epicentre invokes your philanthropic streak to gift all these goodies to the street children. Supported by PALNA, a part of Delhi Council for Child Welfare, this event will be organised on December 21, 22, 24 and 25 evening. Treating you to the feast of Yuletide delicacies of roasted turkey, marshmallows paired with mulled wine, the Gurgaon-based centre will tickle
your taste buds with the Christmas Eve dinner buffet on December 24.

With a spectrum of Christmas festivals and carnivals in all corners of the city, Delhiites are surely going to have a very Merry Christmas losing themselves into the fun and frolic and the din of jingle bells!