A long year of waiting and Christmas is back again. It was time to share good food and lavish gifts with family and friends.
The spirit of Christmas and tales of Santa had gripped Pasumamula, a quiet village on the outskirts of the city.
There were no bright hanging lights from tall buildings or Christmas trees placed in the centres of huge malls.
But children of Zilla Parishad Pradhamika Pathshala were willing to share their dreams of what they wanted from Santa this Christmas.
Eight-year old Sri Teja, who shares his room with four sisters between the ages of ten and four, said, “I want one present that we could all share…and maybe a blanket for my baby sister.”
Eleven years old Rani had a question? “I live so far. Will Santa ever come here?”
Anything's fine
Meanwhile her brother Shankar's list seemed endless and finally he decided, “I'd like something for Christmas. Anything is fine," he said, because he “didn't get anything” last year.
Heena, who is 14 years old, is aspiring to be a doctor. She wanted Santa to give her pencils that she could take to the school, to draw her diagrams better. “Maybe someday I can take care of all the villagers' health problems,” she said.
It was evident that in this village, the “true spirit” of Christmas lives. Dr Seuss wrote in his book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, “Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?”
Christmas is not about gifts and toys. It is more about sharing, and this was exemplified by the heart-warming wish list of the schoolchildren of Pasumamula.
