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With Christmas Eve kick starting year-end fun and cheer, we look at how Mumbaikars are welcoming the festival this year. Focusing on unmissable elements that sum up Christmas celebrations, celeb chefs reminisce good old days that inspired their cooking style. Moreover, city chefs share essential recipes that make up the traditional ‘Kuswar' sweet platter. Young musicians from Mumbai talk about unmissable festival records they grew up listening to and still take inspiration from. December was also a month of celebrity weddings; we look at why post-wedding pyjama parties made news recently. As we look forward to the year 2022, wellness trends of the past year are worth looking at to keep your fitness schedule on track in the coming year.

Celeb chefs' revisit childhood Christmas memories

The festive season is upon us and this Christmas could very well be closest to pre-pandemic celebrations as many will hopefully be able to meet family and friends. While most people soak in the festive cheer indoors, there are others who spend their time dining at the many restaurants in the city. As Christmas week begins and families kick off celebrations, chefs in the city will be busy cooking up a storm at their restaurants. We invited three of them - Paul Kinny, Juliano Rodrigues and Freny Fernandes - to take a minute to look back on Christmas memories and how homecooked feasts inspired their cooking style.

Read more: Merry memories: Celeb chefs revisit childhood Christmas feasts that made them

Of kulkuls, cake and guava cheese

It is that time of year when having a ‘full plate' is a good thing. A full plate called ‘kuswar', that is. Popular among the Goan, Mangalorean and East Indian communities, this platter is laden with sweets and savouries popularly eaten during Christmas. No Christmas is complete without ‘kuswar'. City home chefs share the essential treats of this selection.

Read more: Of kulkuls, cake and guava cheese: Why ‘Kuswar' is good old comfort on a plate

A recap of wellness trends in 2021

To say that the pandemic years have been eye-opening for all of us - especially in terms of health, wellness, and lifestyle - is an understatement. The global crisis made most of us realise how we've been neglecting our health in the past and the way that could impact our quality of life and longevity. In 2021, people's resolve towards wellness strengthened and, at the same time, they grew more conscious about sustainability. Experts outline how this shaped their approach to eating and exercise.

Read more: Yearender 2021: From home workouts to hemp, these wellness trends gained muscle in 2021

Pyjama parties and celeb weddings

Newly wed Bollywood celebrity couples in their comfy yet stylish pyjamas are taking over Instagram this shaadi season and one cannot help but wonder why slumber parties are becoming a thing at wedding gatherings. With pyjama parties gaining much attention as a part of celebrity nuptials this year, city-based event planners decode how and why these dressed-down get-togethers have become a destination wedding fixture.

Read more: Woke up like this: Why are cosy pyjamas stealing the show at celebrity weddings?

How did Mumbaikars celebrate Christmas this year?

As the city glows deeper with bright yet warm Christmas lights, the heightened festive spirit among Mumbaikars is noticeable. Many have been occupied with preparations for one of the most thrilling festivals of the year; not to forget the arrival of the New Year, which adds to the vigour. While many cherish being in the company of their loved ones for the festive season, those away from family have been feeling homesick as they look forward to spending Christmas Eve with roommates and colleagues.

Read more: Food, family and nostalgia: Here's how Mumbaikars are bringing in Christmas 2021

Unmissable Christmas tunes

For many of Mumbai's Catholics, Christmas has been all about food, drink and singing along to the playlist of Christmas carols. The annual ritual of listening to Jim Reeves, Boney M and more usually started as soon as the month of December arrived. For several city musicians, these were some of the most formative moments in their introduction to music, and played a role in nudging them to pursue the art. We invited three young musicians from Mumbai to tell us about the festival records they were raised on and took inspiration from.

Read more: Cue up Christmas 2021: What festive tunes did Mumbai musicians grow up listening to?