Christmas Sparks Day 06 Yay! We Hung the Star!

Since childhood, Christmas has been my most favourite time. The excited wait for December has always been the same then as it is now. As kids, we’d be sharing our Christmastime stories when we’d return from school. In those days, electricity had not yet reached our village, and everyone would go to church with flaming wooden torches. Once there, we children would run to the crib to look at the Baby Jesus and Mother Mary and Joseph and everything else. That was our grand celebration then — and even now.

When it came time for the Christmas crib competition’s winners to be announced, all of us would get very excited. That was how it was that year, when our priest read the results, and my dad won the first prize. And for a few years after, too, Appachan bagged the first prize. Our happiness knew no limits!
After that, we would run outside to the front and wait anxiously around the Christmas tree upon which hung gifts wrapped in coloured paper. There were gifts of various sizes — small gifts in big packets and big ones in small. It was such a fun time!

When all the festivities were over, everyone would group along with whoever had the most petrol in their vehicle, and return home! On the way, when the first prize winner would be congratulated, some friends would mutter with their heads lowered, ‘We’ll show you next time’! But we — we were puffed with pride!

Now, how things have changed! Yes, stars are hung on 1st of December itself — and photos are taken and posted on social media with the caption, ‘Yay! We hung the star!’ It is with this competitive spirit that our children too celebrate Christmas today…

Leena Shaju