Ringing in Christmas

Going to the Cooper's bakery early morning, one found the first Christmas tree. “One has to work even on Christmas ma'am,” the serving girl complained.

All the malls and hotels looked spruced up with winking fairy lights this Christmas. The whole city appears garlanded, wearing a festive look for the occasion.

Every year on this day, one can expect to be soothed by the notes of “Silent Night, Holy Night” floating through the lobby of Sonargaon Hotel. Father Christmas will appear later with his round belly and red cap with people jostling around him to be photographed. They too will don Christmas caps, whether they are wearing the festive gown or the sari to go with it. There are likely to be some yummy beef tacos to feast on earlier. The fridge at home usually has some lemon flavoured iced cakes as well as nut-filled chocolate cakes for guests that would come by in the evening. One would feel that the meal at night is from “Pillars of Wisdom” with the table laden with stuffed peacock and a sumptuous pig with an apple in its mouth.

There would be snow-capped trees of Christmas for the main decoration, with a reindeer flying atop Christmas tree tops. Also there are golden coloured balls, a snowman donning a red cap, muffler, and a red stick with a golden star. Beneath the tree are enormous green, red and mauve gift packages tied with ribbons. The golden balls go in hand with the blue ones. Father Christmas would soon be there flying in with his collection of reindeer and sleigh in black. Nestled in the corner is a small kiosk with an embroidered Muslin table cloth with brow and white motifs on the edge and a threadwork of a penguin and its young.  Predictably, people crowding about would be selling tickets for more merriment on New Year's Day. Couples and children will be dressed in their Christmas best, having their pictures taken by camera and mobile phones. At the poolside a party is arranged for the children for Christmas, their cries and laughter ringing in the air.