Songs of the season

A Christmas song is a complex organism. At their best, our classic Yuletide anthems always seem to find that impossible balance between timelessness and nostalgia – tapping into a sort of greater, collective memory of a warm and fuzzy feeling. On the unfortunate flip side, though, Christmas has also inspired more silly, grating novelty songs than during the other 364 days of the year combined. And so we're left with the annual wintertime conundrum – can we continue listening to and loving a genre of music that consists largely of bubblegum, Biebers and ‘Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer’?

The answer, of course, always seems to be yes. And it's not just because you've forgiven Paul McCartney for ‘Wonderful Christmas Time.’ The truth is, no matter how many hokey Christmas songs send you racing for the shopping mall exits, there will always be those pristine, unmistakable, permanently enjoyable classics that keep you coming back and feeling the spirit all over again.

These are the 20 Christmas songs you just never seem to get sick of:

20. Little Drummer Boy / Peace on Earth

You won't generally turn the headphones down for any version of ‘The Little Drummer Boy,’ but it's that legendary Bing Crosby-David Bowie duet that sits in the pantheon of eternally listenable Christmas tunes.

19. Christmas Time is Here

Originally written and performed by the Vince Guaraldi Trio for 1965's A Charlie Brown Christmas, this melancholy melody falls on the listener like a light snow – a lovely, welcome distraction.

18. What Christmas Means to Me

There are plenty of great Motown Christmas classics that have been radio staples for decades, but it's hard to top this bouncy 1967 Stevie Wonder track. That's probably why it's been covered by everyone from Hanson to CeeLo Green.

17. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

Talk about staying power! The original Latin roots of this beautiful Christmas hymn may date as far back as the 8th century. The widely -known English version was co-translated in the 1850s by the Anglican priest John Mason Neale – equally famous for penning his own original carol, ‘Good King Wenceslas.’

16. Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight)

At a mere two minutes and six seconds, this energetic 1989 single by punk icons, the Ramones is a welcome antidote to those seemingly never-ending, ‘12 Days of Christmas’ types of holiday songs.

15. Please Come Home for Christmas

It's hard to turn the dial when a broken-hearted man is pleading his holiday heart out. First recorded by R&B singer Charles Brown in 1960, a cover by the Eagles climbed the charts almost 20 years later.

14. Carol of the Bells

It might be the most difficult Christmas song to sing along with, but that doesn't stop millions from trying, even if they're alone in their car and hopelessly lacking in harmonisers.

13. 2,000 Miles

A hit for the Pretenders in 1983, this dreamy ballad was written as an ode to the band's late guitarist, James Honeyman-Scott, but its lasting appeal seems to be for listeners spending the holidays far away from someone they care about.

 
12. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

No Christmas is complete without sold-out performances of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, and no portion of that ballet captures that magical innocence of the season quite like this one -- immortalised in roughly 8,000 TV commercials, and yet still easy on the ears!

11. Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto

Christmas music could use a little more funk, and James Brown was kind enough to provide it. When the Godfather of Soul addresses St Nick directly, we all win.

10. You're a Mean One, Mr Grinch

Stink! Stank! Stunk! One of the funniest and most-imitated songs of the season, the original version featured the voice of the great Thurl Ravenscroft – the same man who made Tony the Tiger say, “They're Grrrrrreat!”

9. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

‘Peace on the earth, goodwill to men’ is not a sentiment that's likely to outlast its welcome, no matter how many people you had to elbow your way around to get your kid the new Elmo doll.

 Set to melody Carol

Set to melody Noel

8. Christmas Wrapping

It might stand in stark contrast to the majestic tone of some other entries on this list, but this playful 1981 single by the Waitresses – a little-known New Wave band from Akron, Ohio – has stood the test of time largely thanks to singer Patty Donahue's relatable, down-to-earth telling of a girl looking for a holiday love.

7. We Three Kings

Just another in a long line of ‘holiday hits’ written by clergymen in the mid-19th century. Hundreds of beautiful renditions have been recorded over the years, but just try to listen to the Beach Boys' 1964 version without getting goosebumps.

6. Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Sure, at its core it's a silly kids’ song. But whether it's the boundless enthusiasm of a pint-sized Michael Jackson & the Jackson 5 or a jean-jacket-era Bruce Springsteen having fun with the E Street Band, this one never gets old.

5. I'll be Home for Christmas

While the original Bing Crosby recording captures the heartbreaking daydreams of a GI in World War II, this song remains the gold standard for the experience of Christmas in any wartime, whether it's a soldier in 1940s Germany or 2013 Afghanistan.

4. Fairytale of New York

One of the most beloved and oft-recorded Christmas songs of the past 30 years, ‘Fairytale of New York’ keeps its charm after 100 listens, thanks to the unbridled folk energy and unorthodox, rough-and-tumble characters created by the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.

3. O Holy Night

When it comes to the non-secular brand of Christmas standards, it seems like just about everyone is united in their undying admiration for ‘O Holy Night’ – a legitimately moving epic adapted from a French poem in 1855.

2. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

From the moment Judy Garland first warbled it in 1944's Meet Me in St Louis, we were hooked. No other Christmas song combines joyous lyrics and a sombre, wistful tone in quite the way this one does.

1. White Christmas

But of course, if you're going to name the one Christmas song that nobody ever has gotten sick of, it might as well be the number-one selling song of all-time. And yes, that's #1-selling song, ‘not’ #1-selling Christmas song." Written by Irving Berlin, ‘White Christmas’ has been covered by everyone from Bob Marley to Bette Midler, and Kenny Rogers to Taylor Swift. While it is hard to live up to the inimitable Bing Crosby, this harmonious rendition by the famous Australian Motown cover band Human Nature does justice to Bing, capturing the aching and beautiful sentiment of the song – and in doing so fully realises the combination of joy and memory that makes Christmas what it is.

This article appeared in The Huffington Post on December 19, 2015

Christmas in literature

A Christmas Carol

Even Charles Dickens’ embittered miser Ebenezer Scrooge couldn’t resist being generous and kind following the visits from the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.







 




How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

The Grinch who tried stealing Christmas realised that Christmas never came from a store; it meant much more. On that day the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes and Dr Seuss’ story ended with a happy note.







 




The Night Before Christmas

This famous Christmas poem by Clement C Moore begins with St Nick peeking out of his sleigh, pulled by eight tiny reindeer through the starry sky, coming to a rest on the roof of a house in a snowy New England village.







 




Letters From Father Christmas

Every December a letter, neatly enveloped, used to arrive for JRR Tolkien’s children from the North Pole. Have you received an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole yet?







 





The Nutcracker

Do not miss reading this magical story of the Nutcracker which comes to life on Christmas eve. Get ready to be enthralled and mesmerised!







 




The Little Match Girl

With the strike of a matchstick, the little girl experienced a world free from cold, starvation and pain. As the lights of the matchsticks embraced her, Hans Christian Andersen gifted every child a beautiful story.







 




The Gift of the Magi

A story reflecting on the life of Della and Jim inevitably lures the readers to believe that there is nothing greater than love. O Henry began his story with $1.87 and ended it with priceless smiles.

The Polar Express

Chris Van Allsburg takes the children on a joyful ride one Christmas Eve. Are you still waiting for the invitation to board the Polar Express, a train filled with children on their way to the North Pole?










Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

With the help of Rudolph’s red nose, Santa’s sleigh cuts through the dark and whizzes by as we stand there humming ‘Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose…’







 




Skipping Christmas

Imagining a year without Christmas is nearly impossible. But this couple tried escaping Christmas only to face enormous consequences. Sit back and enjoy reading this humorous tale by John Grisham.

Food that reminds us of Christmas

TURKEY ROAST

December means Christmas. Christmas means yummy turkey roast!

EGGNOG

Rum, brandy, or other alcohol mixed with beaten egg, milk, and sugar… Now that’s how we should keep ourselves warm during Christmas.

FRUIT CAKE

Christmas without fruit cake from Nahoum? You got to be kidding!

APPLE PIE

To be fair, we would love a slice of apple pie at any time of the year, but with the ‘jingle bells’ ringing at our doorsteps, we adore it a little more. And with a dollop of ice cream on it? Well, a little more!








MASHED POTATOES

A comfort food for many of us  and probably one of the simplest dishes in our lists. Improvise your mashed potato with all the seasoning and garnishing to pamper your taste buds this festive season.







CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Nothing says ‘Christmas is here’ more than delicious little treats shaped like a Christmas tree, Santa Claus or ice flakes. How cute are those!









CRANBERRY SAUCE

The world got its first taste of this delicious dish as early as 1912 and its popularity has only increased ever since. It is one of the must-haves in any Christmas food list.








VINDALOO

Closer home, there is no perfect time to have vindaloo; it’s for each and every season. But whenever someone says Christmas, this oh-so-hot-and-spicy curry is definitely going to cross your mind at least once.







CHRISTMAS PUDDING

It got modified time and again and traces its origin to the early 1400s. Originating in England, this dish is as rich in history as in calories. Let’s not keep a calorie count during Christmas though.

GINGERBREAD

This is the most adorable dish on our list. It is believed that Queen Elizabeth I came up with the idea of decorating cookies in this fashion. We say, thank you, Your Highness!








CAKE

When its Christmas, its ‘cake time.’ Any cake, absolutely any! When you walk past Flurys on the 25th this month, give in to the temptation to go in and have the biggest slice of their yummiest cake. You deserve it.







BIRYANI

Nope, not saying it’s a very Christmassy food but no festive season is complete without a mouthful of this guilty pleasure. Isn’t it?

Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata to be made a Saint

Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the Nobel laureate who dedicated her life to helping the poorest of the poor, will be made a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, the Vatican said on Friday.
Pope Francis has cleared the way for her sainthood by approving a decree recognizing a miracle attributed to her intercession with God.

Mother Teresa, who died in 1997 at the age of 87, was beatified in 2003 by the late Pope John Paul. Beatification, which requires one miracle, is the last step before sainthood.



The second miracle attributed to the intercession of Mother Teresa, which is required for canonisation, involved the inexplicable healing of a Brazilian man who was suffering from a multiple brain tumors, according to Catholic media reports.

Relatives prayed to Mother Teresa and he recovered, leaving doctors at a loss to explain how.




Known as the "saint of the gutters," the diminutive nun is expected to be canonized in early September. It was not clear if the ceremony would take place in Rome or if the pope would travel to India to preside over it.

Mother Teresa was born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu of Albanian parents in Macedonia in 1910 in what was then part of the Ottoman Empire.
She founded the Missionaries of Charity to help the poor on the streets of Calcutta and the religious order later spread throughout the world. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

This article appeared on The Huffington Post, Dec 18

Read more about Mother Teresa on the Official Website of The Nobel Prize.

10 CHRISTMAS DECORATION IDEAS

Christmas is knocking on our door and some of us have presentations to complete before we get our battered and hammered self home on Christmas Eve, and obviously, too tired to begin, we leave all hopes of having a home that brims with Christmas spirit.
Yes, what a miserable little life we are born into, isn't it? Oh, yes, yes, we understand; come, dolly, shed a tear! While you can sit and blame your evil boss and sulk all day long as to how tyrannical these people are, we'd rather ask you to go on a date with our super-simple, easy last minute Christmas deco rating ideas that'll effortlessly bring in the Christmas cheer. The choice is yours, these are some pretty awesome hacks and we are so not sulking this Christmas!

BAUBLES AND BELLS

All you need to add Christmas sparkle in your home is some baubles and bells from your nearest store, strewn around the house! Its Christmas time and quite certainly you will find Christmas tree decorations in those ubiquitous general stores that lace your pavement.
Pick a few in silver and gold, add a red ribbon and tie them to your mirrors, kitchen rack, coat hangers, or attach it with a magnet on the fridge. You can use a variety of ribbons (and create double bows too) or use a single colour to unify the display.

A FAUX MANZANITA BRANCH WITH HOLIDAY DECOR

Get home some bare branches, spray paint them silver or gold, glue plastic poinsettias and put it on display! Arrange branches in a large urn, a galvanised bucket, a jar or florist's foam. Run a ribbon through the branches or let it free fall on it. They won't be able to guess you did it all less than 2 hours.

INSTANT GLAMOUR

Need instant Christmas decorating solutions? Bring in old jars, tie some red twine around them and go rustic chic. Alternatively, pick up a cheap stocking and stuff it with newspaper. Add a brooch to the cuff, add a ribbon and a small Christmas ornament...Tada! Hang it over your door, on the curtain rod, from a nail or anywhere you please: it's really, really instant glamour.

RUNG THE BELLS
No time to buy a tree? Let an old ladder mimic the function of a Christmas tree in your art-deco room. Decorate the ladder as you would a Christmas tree and enjoy the reaction. Best part is, this can last all year round with little seasonal changes. Because I personally love the shabby-chic style, I'd give it a coat of powder blue or white before I sing the rung song. You can keep the exposed wood patina for a rustic appeal or colour it silver or gold.

CREATE A CHRISTMAS EPHEMERA
If you have a centre table or a coffee table, you can easily create a Christmas ephemera or a centerpiece to usher holiday cheer in. Bring out an old tray, bundle in candles, cards, some baubles and a small tree or simply bring in a rustic palette and carelessly place some Christmas ornaments. Add a candle or two. Alternatively, you can display holiday greetings and even pomanders: you'll never fail with a Christmas ephemera.

DRESS THE DOORKNOBS
Yes, trust us when we tell you, it looks great. Add a bit of holly to your doorknob for a fun holiday Christmas touch. Add a satin ribbon, tie a wee sleigh bell and you are done. If you do not have holly or don't want to buy one, just snap some leaves out of any tree and tie them to your door knob with a ribbon. It will look just as pretty.

THE PUNCHBOWL TRICK

You know what, let them have a drink and all will be fine. They'll forget about how your home looks anyway! But just in case you are not the `oh-they-will-forget-anyway' type; here's an awesome way to add some Christmas cheer to your home. Fill a large glass bowl with winepunch drink of your choice and tie a thick ribbon around it. Add a pine wreath for some fresh swag of holiday greenery.

CATCH THEM NEXPECTED

Tie ribbons or Christmas-themed ornaments in unexpected places to intensify the holiday feel. Back of chairs, vases, doorknobs, candlesticks, mirrors, curtain rods, fish bowl -yes, you can go on! Pick up cheap plastic candy canes from your local store, add a twine or two or go all out with Christmassy fabric hearts, like ours! Little touches are your saving grace this Christmas if you are a busy bee.

WRAP A PILLOW

Give an ordinary pillow a Christmas update with holiday-theme ribbons or silk scarves. Simply wrap it around the pillow as you would a package or a gift and secure it with a pin. You can hand-stitch a bow on top too and add Christmas bells to it! Look .

BRING YOUR WHITE CROCKERY TO YOUR MANTEL

Okay, this cheat is like awesome! I am sure you all have some white plates, glasses and bowls lying around in your home? Well, that's all you'll really need to create a winter wonderland centerpiece. Make a snowy table-scape on your dining table or centre table with all white crockery, some holiday-themed paper towels or napkins and a few Christmas ornaments. Just group them altogether, place baubles in bowls, some bells on top of the glasses and use holiday themed towels as a backdrop or on the plates. Buy a small tree (again, the ones you'd get for cheap) and add atop the plates.

This article appeared in the Calcutta Times supplement of The Times of India, Dec 17 2015

Our List of 8 Must-Watch Christmas Films

LIt's that time of year once again, when streets are decked with decorative lights, there is a chill in the air and you cannot get enough of Christmas jingles. Do we all not wish for a ‘white Christmas’ in Kolkata someday, so that we can cuddle up in front of the fireplace and spend quality time with family?

There really is a little something for everyone at Xmas, be it partying with friends, attending a get-together with family or spending the entire Holiday season watching movies at the click of a button.

This list celebrates the very best of these films that celebrate the spirit of Yuletide. Enjoy.

1. Elf (2003)

The Film: Will Ferrell played Buddy, a human raised as one of Santa's elves, whose amiable goofiness bristles against curmudgeonly real dad James Caan.

Most Christmassy Moment: Jovie (Zooey Deschanel) leads New York in a rendition of 'Santa Claus Is Coming To Town' to restore the Christmas Spirit needed to power Santa's sleigh.

2. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

The Film: Tim Burton-created, Henry Selick-directed stop-motion classic about a Halloween takeover of Christmas, which is usually the first Yuletide movie everybody watches in the run-up to 25 December.

Most Christmassy Moment: Jack Skellington discovers Christmas Town. "What's this?" as every festive cliché comes to life in joyous fashion.

  

3. Home Alone (1990)

The Film: The McCallister family Christmas holiday checklist: tickets - check. Presents - check. Children - oh, bugger. Don't worry, folks. Abandoned Kevin (Macauley Culkin) is too busy reinventing Christmas as a child's playground of bed jumping and burglar bashing.

Most Christmassy Moment: The Kenosha Kickers, led by jovial Gus Polinski (John Candy) offer Kevin's mom Kate (Catherine O'Hara) a lift home on Christmas Eve so she can be with her son on the big day.

  

4. The Polar Express (2004)

The Film: Step aboard the Polar Express – first stop, The Uncanny Valley... A grandiose CGI animation with Tom Hanks leading the voice cast. The Express is an enormous train embarking on a journey to the North Pole. While not quite the smash hit everyone expected, the film is now widely-considered a bit of a classic.

Most Christmassy Moment: The encounter with Santa, where the nameless Hero Boy is presented with a bell as “the first gift of Christmas”. Sure you wouldn't rather have a PS4, mate?

 5. Arthur Christmas (2011)

The Film: What happens if Santa misses a gift delivery? Don't worry, Santa's son Arthur (James McAvoy) is on hand to take the reins.

Most Christmassy Moment: A family squabble outside a girl's home about who will deliver a present is resolved when everybody remembers that it should be down to the person most eager to make the child happy, i.e. Arthur.

  

6. Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (1992)

The Film: Do we even need to tell you?

Most Christmassy Moment: Kevin McCallister (Macauley Culkin) is reunited with his mom under the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.

7. The Family Stone (2005)

The Film: Sarah Jessica Parker stars alongside Luke Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Claire Danes and Diane Keaton in this daft, likeable Christmas comedy about a dysfunctional family reuniting for the holidays. The inevitable hijinks ensue.

Most Christmassy Moment: Christmas Day – which sees the family end up at each others throats, before patching things up. Sure, it's predictable, but the film mines some good humour from its characters.

  

8. How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

The Film: Dr. Seuss' fable about a misanthropic creature (Jim Carrey) who plots to steal the Christmas gifts from the inhabitants of Whoville.

Most Christmassy Moment: The Grinch waits expectantly to hear the Whos crying at the loss of their presents, only to be flummoxed by a chorus of singing brought on by Christmas spirit.

Merry Christmas!!!

A Glimpse Into Kolkata’s Christmas

Calcutta may now be Kolkata, but the soul of the city is intact with its centuries-old culture, traditions and values. Once the capital of British India, it still reflects the glories of its past in the form of architecture, food and timeless neighbourhoods. Bow Barracks – the quaint and quiet lane in central Kolkata – is one such place that stands witness to the era gone by and is also a home to the Christian and Anglo-Indian communities residing in the city since decades. The locality has always been a point of interest for many authors and film-makers, and Anjan Dutt (film-maker and musician) is one such example. He not only directed Bow Barracks Forever, but has also been part of the music fiesta that happens at the venue. Musicians like Franacis Lepcha and Shayne Hyrapiet too have been a part of the musical evenings during Christmas weekends.

Bow Barracks may appear to be just another enclave but it has a renewed spirit during this time. The heritage quarters comprising of two blocks of red brick houses are adorned with lights, Christmas trees, silver bells and streamers, and the excitement amongst locals is evident in the zeal with which they carry out preparations. Christmas at Bow Barracks is not just a festival, it’s a grand celebration where people from different ethnicities and backgrounds come together to live out moments of happiness. Over the years, many residents have moved out and settled in different neighbourhoods and even countries, but they keep coming back to the Barracks for Christmas. And if someone is missing out on the action, they can be a part of the celebrations virtually, as now there is live streaming of the events undertaken by members of the Bow United Organisation.

Festivities and food go hand-in-hand, but here it’s not really about a commercial kitchen serving good food, rather it’s about aunts and grannies preparing simple and humble food served in stalls that are not to be judged but only to be loved. While the ladies of the house prepare their best cakes in varied flavours of plum, walnut, madeira and fruit, others work hard to woo food lovers with a wide selection of delicacies like vindaloo, akhni pilaf, beef salt meat, khuska rice with cocktail sausages, duck preparations and other traditional dishes along with home-made grape and ginger wine. The festivities begin from December 22 and go on till the second day of the New Year, but if food is your main reason for visiting. then you need to head  there on December 23 as the food stalls are on only for that particular day.

If you are not into old-school charm, then Park Street is the place where you can enjoy your Christmas weekends. The area is said to resemble celebrations from the iconic Oxford Street in London. The annual Kolkata Christmas Festival, where this year more than 40 food stalls representing various F&B brands would be offering their house specialties, is also held here with much gusto. Allen Park on Park Street becomes the destination for all music lovers as renowned city bands and musicians to perform live.

For those who love to enjoy their Christmas in a more spiritual way, there’s the midnight mass at St. Paul’s Cathedral, where you can also hum along with the Christmas carols. For street food, New Market has some amazing options. Nahaoum – the old favourite known for their fruit and plum cakes – is a must-visit for baked goodies, while the bazaar section of the market features hawkers selling turkey.

The restaurants too are rustling up Christmas specials for their patrons. Be it the F&B outlets at star properties or standalone options, each of them will be offering exquisite delicacies during Christmas apart from adorning their places in-sync with the Xmas theme.

Check out any of these neighbourhoods to feel the magic of this month in Kolkata, and do write back to us with your experiences.

-This article was initially published in timescity.

-Photographs by Raina Kshetry and from other public sources.

Kolkata’s Christmas festival – the best in India

Kolkata’s Christmas is synonymous with Park Street; Park Street and the general mood of festivity. The area is said to resemble celebrations from the iconic Oxford Street in London.

For the last few years, celebrations are being held on a much larger scale – carols, food, live bands, etc. for the last two weeks of December. Cultural shows, musical events and performance by noted personalities will be the highlights of the festival. These festivities are organised by West Bengal Tourism Department, in association with the Christian community.

This year’s Kolkata Christmas Festival, as the festivities have been christened, will see some new features. Lights will go beyond the conventional Park Street, stretching all the way from St Paul’s Cathedral to the Mullick Bazaar end of Park Street. A Christmas parade will be held on Sunday, December 20 on Park Street from 10 am to 12 pm by representatives from various schools. Only pedestrian movement will be allowed during these two hours.

The midnight mass at the grand St Paul’s cathedral is very popular. There is a huge demand to take part in the mass on Christmas Day every year.

One can’t leave out food. There’s turkey, which can be bought at New Market and Kalman’s, some of the best you’ll get anywhere. One can’t leave out mentioning Flury’s. The popular eatery, famous 

for its English breakfast, is especially popular during the period leading up to Christmas.

Christmas cakes are a big hit during Christmas, and everyone, just about everyone, buys them. This is something special too. Christmas in Kolkata is celebrated by all.

The best thing, perhaps, about Christmas celebrations in Kolkata is that it’s an all-community festival – everyone celebrates, irrespective of their religion. It’s a time of celebrations – outings, picnics, adda, food, eating-out… revelry in general. There is magic in the air!