Christmas in India

Compared to other religious festivals, Christmas

is quite a small festival in India. Midnight mass is

a very important service for Christians in India,

especially Catholics. The whole family will walk

to the mass and this will be followed by a massive feast of di erent delicacies,

(mostly curries) and the giving and receiving of presents. Churches in India are

decorated with Poinsettia Ÿowers and candles for the Christmas Eve Midnight

Mass service.

Instead of having traditional Christmas Trees, a banana or mango tree is

decorated. Sometimes people use mango leaves to decorate their homes.

Christians in Mumbai often display a manger in a front window. Also families

go to great lengths to hang giant paper lanterns, in the shape of stars, between

the houses so that the stars Ÿoat above you as you walk down the road. Every

household also makes sure that they have a stock of home made sweets ready

for visitors.

In India, Father Christmas or Santa Claus delivers presents to children from a

horse and cart. He's known as 'Christmas Baba' in Hindi.