There’s a spot of Christmas on Malayaperumal Street in George Town. Amid the hand-drawn carts and rows of jammed vehicles is a giant dancing Santa at the doorstep of Prince Decoration, waving to the thronging crowds ignoring him. Delicate ribbon tassels fly above his head, bright baubles fall at his feet, mistletoe wreaths surround him, and plastic stars shine bright all around. George Town has just had one of its routine raids, leaving trails of damaged merchandise and weeping hawkers behind; electricity has briefly left the locality too, but amidst all the madness of everyday living, Christmas has quietly snuck in moments of happiness here, and in similar little pockets across Chennai.
Barely a week into December, the city already dons the festive colours of celebration. And it’s the wholesale merchants of Christmas goodies that lead the way. Prince’s proprietor Thameen Ansari says his imports begin from August onwards and close in October, as open season begins early November. Dancing Santas, guitar-and-violin-playing Santas, hand-shaking Santas, 3D, inflatable, 360-degree-turning Santas... container-loads of such wildly-imaginative goods have arrived from Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Vietnam to line the walls of George Town stores before they’re shipped off again to retailers in Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
On the parallel Bunder Street, A. Gaffoor wades his way through a Chinese Christmas of glittery runners, streamers and wall hangings to emerge from under a twinkling LED-light pine tree at his store Amra Decorations that fortes in Christmas decor. Between shouting packaging instructions at his numerous helpers, as corporate, college, school, hotel and church clients hover around him, Gaffoor says this year has brought in a peak count of over 2,000 ornament varieties to his store.
It’s a far calmer Christmas at the retail outlets in Egmore, which spring up every year just for the season. Gentle carols waft over the airwaves at Ravees on Casa Major Road, where stuffed snowmen and bleating sheep that glow from within are in demand this year, for clients seem to fancy life-size Christmas creatures as outdoor installations, says manager S.B. Bakkia Selvaraj. At Evergreen on Ethiraj Salai, it’s the season’s fruits in plastic, reindeer heads, and Santa dolls that climb chimney ladders or dance Gangnam style that are flying off the shelves, says owner Marcia Ann.
While the city’s stationery and lifestyle stores too slowly dress themselves in greens and reds, churches across Chennai are also bringing out the bling. At St. Mary’s Co-Cathedral, Broadway, the faithful line up for cribs, hay and little statuettes of baby Jesus, Joseph and Mary.
As festive grandeur grows across town, the spirit of the season has already set in at church services last Sunday with the soft strains of the hymn O Come O Come Immanuel, marking the beginning of Advent. Christmas music now rings out in schools and colleges, as plays and carol programmes build up to the holidays ahead. ‘The Reason for the Season’, held in November end by the YWCA of Madras, was one of the city’s earliest carol services this year and showcased top choirs such as the Canticles, Cherubims and Chordiels. “The world over, Christmas is heralded far before December, and we wanted to inculcate that culture here too,” says Sharmila Moses, vice president. The month also brings with it promises of splendid singing, with the fiftieth year of Madras Musical Association’s ‘Carols by Candlelight’ programme at St. Christopher’s on the Saturday just before Christmas and the massive two-day carol celebration with 16 choirs at Madras Christian College’s annual Alumni Association Concert. Vice-President Dr. Ravi Santosham promises a 200-voice-strong choir at the concert’s close — “something Chennai hasn’t ever seen before!”.
Theatre groups have stepped into the act too. The curtains opened with Mellow Circle’s intergalactic play on Christmas 2,000 years ago, and the city now looks forward to the Little Theatre’s annual Christmas pantomime. This being the twentieth year of the classic production, art director Krishnakumar Balasubramanian says audiences can expect lots of “colour, humour, and magical twists and turns to the Cinderella story”.
And with all this food for the soul, what’s Christmas without some real food! All of November, chefs in hotels across the city dug their hands into rich blends of fruits, nuts, wine and rum at elaborate cake-mixing ceremonies. And as their labours bear fruit this month, the city also gears up with numerous Christmas food festivals. At the Leela Palace, it’s a carnival of gingerbread houses replete with chocolates, cookies, bread, biscuits and cake hampers, while at The Park, Chef Rajesh Radhakrishnan has whipped up some special Scottish dundee cake with black currants and raisins, as well as some German fruit stollen with dry fruit.
It’s an Italian Christmas over at Nikki’s cafe in Egmore, with a ‘Christmas table’ of torta di ricotta, (cheesecake with candied fruit), fruit mince pie, biscotti, torrone (nougats) and sfogliatelle pastry. “Though I manage to source all my ingredients locally, none of these delicacies are easily found anywhere else in Chennai,” says chef Nicky Mahboobani, “And they’re all classic Christmas eats. Perfect for the season!”
The season has descended in all its glory at Phoenix Market City mall. With a towering 40-foot tree, an impressive Santa Castle, a fireplace to pose with Santa at and even a Santa Mailbox for children to post letters in, the North Pole has arrived in Chennai. Amidst all the crazy shopping, decorating, gift-giving, carolling and dining, it’s easy to let slip the season’s soul, though. It’s a time for quiet reflection on the year flown past, and above all, to draw strength for the year ahead from a beautiful Christmas story of hope found even in the bleak manger of Bethlehem.
A Merry Christmas to you!
