Christmas 2022: Mumbaikars bring in festivities with comfort food, music and family

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Fleur Gomes has come from Denmark to visit her family after three years for Christmas because it was something they weren't able to do in the last two years due to lockdowns. Gomes and her family have missed celebrating the festival with their family so much that they haven't relaxed at all and have in fact immersed themselves in preparations right from the word go. "We are helping out with some decorations in the street, putting up the star and crib. We will be spending the afternoon marinating some chicken or beef for some roast," says the Bhayandar resident.

Gomes is one of many Mumbaikars who have been overseas and meeting their families for the first time after the pandemic due to different kinds of lockdowns that were imposed around the world. Closer home, there have been others who had low-key celebrations last year but are leaving no stone unturned to have a good time this year with family and friends. Mid-day Online spoke to three Mumbaikars and Gomes is one of them, who are soaking in the celebrations.

She explains, "We missed the charm of celebrating it with our families and friends. We will go to church this year for Christmas, that's definitely different. We will also be keeping gifts under the Christmas tree for Secret Santa, as is our ritual every year." As far as ritual goes, the 31-year-old's family used to make macaroni soup to have after Midnight Mass to keep themselves warm in the winter but have skipped it on occasion as the temperatures have only risen over the years. However, this year, it may just be a part of their celebrations as the temperatures seem like they are dipping like they used to in the city and tonight may be no different. "We will definitely make the regular pork sorpotel and vindaloo, and then order some biryani from a caterer because we want to just spend time with the family instead of cooking," she adds.

Elsewhere in the city, Ranson Mendonca is as excited as can be for the Christmas season because it has always been about joy and positivity for him. A few days before Christmas, he has already started decorating the house while playing Christmas songs and carols including those by Michael Bublé. "The Christmas tree and the crib are the most important aspects of the festival because we love to see the tree decorated and lit and the crib placed well with our Saviour baby Jesus in the manger."

It is not only the setting up of the tree and crib that excites Mendonca but also the act of carefully selecting Christmas gifts for his little daughter and other children in the family that he loves doing. However, the 36-year-old says the preparations for the festival are incomplete without making Christmas sweets and secretly eating half of it before Christmas. "We also watch the Home Alone movie every year and after that we attend Midnight Mass. Meeting and greeting family and friends feels and brings the spirit of Christmas alive," he adds, sharing the sentiment of many people in the city this year.

In Bandra, Kirk Armstrong is also looking forward to spending Christmas with his family and friends. It is a stark difference from the last two years when the Covid-19 pandemic played spoilsport or as Armstrong likes to describe it, "the Grinch stole two years of a Christmas jolly time".

It is also why he is looking forward to playing Secret Santa, his annual celebration with his family and friends. This is apart from the fact that the family has a tradition of Christmas lunch being a potluck.

The city-based banker explains, "Each family member gets a dish and we enjoy it together. I will be making my favourite Butter Chicken, while my mother will be making Captain Curry, a red tangy gravy." The celebration like Gomes and Mendonca will be incomplete without a feast of pork vindaloo and pork roast along with mutton cutlets and buffalo wings to make it a delicious feast.

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