Celebrated on the 25th December every year the festival of Christmas brings with it joys and good wishes for millions of people across the world. Little kids around the world wait anxiously for their beloved Santa Claus who is believed to come in a sleigh with a huge bag filled with candies and gifts for them. Though the celebrations may differ from one corner of the world to other but the high and happy spirit of the festivals is the same across the boundaries. wishing you all a Merry Christmas in advance! I bring to you the different colors and joys of Christmas from some different parts of the world.

INDIA - Euphoria of the festival is magical

Christmas in India is celebrated with full joy by different religions with slight modifications of their own. Special prayers are organized in the churches throughout the country. Decorations in full swing can be seen at public places like malls and coffee shops everywhere. Days before the 25th one can see the euphoria the festival creates around with lights, trees, Santa Claus statuses & other colorful decorative in the markets. One can hear the Christmas carols like the "jingle bells jingle bells jingle all the way" in and around the households and churches. 

Schools throughout the country organize special Christmas day plays & parties for students. Cakes, candies, sweets and specials dinners form a part of the happy celebrations. As Christmas is a National Holiday people indulge in family celebrations, buying new clothes, cakes, decorating their houses and trees & distributing gifts to children. The grandest Christmas celebrations can be seen in the colorful state of Goa with a huge number of tourists at the place during the festival. It enjoys the magnificent celebration that is a carnival and Missa de Galo which is a traditional midnight mass.

AMERICA - Its a Happy Holiday Time

For America Christmas is a big holiday time. During the festival one can find numerous Christmas trees on the streets decorated with uncountable colorful lights. The cold climate of the country allows the people to indulge in making snowmen outside their homes with their children. Almost all the houses in the country are beautifully decorated with lights, Christmas trees, Santa Claus, snowmen etc. People in America often follow the tradition of distributing gifts to their friends & family on the day. They invite each other for meal get together and have special food served to their guests that includes cakes, cranberry sauce, turkey, vegetables, salad, potatoes and other desserts. For some families it is important to visit the church on Christmas and take part in the various activities or services of the Church.

AUSTRIA - Children fear the arrival of some one! Find out whose?

While children in other countries wait happily for Santa Claus on Christmas it is an unusual day in Austria. It is believed that a goat-horned devil named Krampus Night visits the places in Austria to scare the children who misbehave. People in Austria dress up as the devil Krampus Night and carry sticks and wear ghost masks on Christmas Day.

RUSSIA - Christmas is celebrated on January 6th

While the rest of the world celebrates Christmas on 25th December Russia observes the festival on January 6 as the church in the country follows the old Julian calendar which brings in the difference of 13 days. The dinner on the day has a special porridge called “kutya” that is made up of wheat berries, honey and poppy seeds. The dish symbolizes hope, happiness, success and immortality. Throughout Russia people celebrate by carrying candles, torches or homemade colorful lanterns around the churches as was done long ago during the festival. They sing Christmas carols and hymns in the church and finally have a festive dinner at their homes in the evening.

AFRICA - Its all about Christmas Carols and festive meals

In Africa the Christmas celebrations start early in the morning when people form groups and walk across the streets singing melodious carols. People afterwards indulge on Christmas worship services to express their love for their beloved Jesus. At around 9 o’ clock they gather together to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ with each and every person bringing with him/her gifts to be contributed at the gathering. Houses are decorated with flowers and pine branches. Children often follow the custom of hanging up new stockings as a gift to their beloved Santa Claus. Christmas trees decorated beautifully with bells can be spotted everywhere. A traditional dinner is served in households in the evening with turkey, yellow rice with raisins, plum puddings, crackers etc.

CHINA - Children enjoy Christmas the most!

In China Christmas is welcomed by houses decorated with bright and colorful paper lanterns, lights and paper flowers. They decorate Christmas trees with lots of lights abs call them “Trees of Light”. Santa Claus is called “Dun Che Lao Ren” in Chinese and is a favorite among Chinese children. Many of the children keep muslin stockings outside their houses awaiting him curiously. The most happy during the festival are the children who get new clothes, new toys, enjoy firecrackers and have festive meals. The celebrations continue towards the starting of the New Year that is called the “Spring Festival”.

DENMARK - Its not Santa Claus who brings them gifts

Christmas in Denmark is celebrated with great excitement. People look forward to a special pudding that is made on the day with rice and contains a single almond secretly in it. Traditions say that whosoever gets the single hidden almond will be favored by luck throughout the coming year. As in other parts of the world children await Santa Claus on Christmas, Russian children wait for “Julemanden” who is said to bring with him a big bag full of gifts for children. They keep rice puddings for Julemanden outside their houses on the day.

GERMANY - It is where the Christmas tree originated from

December 6th is celebrated as St. Nicholas Day in Germany and from this very day the celebrations for Christmas start in the country. Children keep a shoe near the fireplace of their houses on the day on the 6th of December. It is believed that St. Nicholas comes in the night and visits every house filling the shoe with candies if the child is a well behaved one else he fills the shoe with twigs. Many of you would be surprised to know that the Christmas tree originated in Germany. Usually the mothers in a family decorate the Christmas tree with apples, nuts, cookies, candles, lights and gifts but they keep it as a surprise for their children till the evening of Christmas. The Christmas Eve dinner comprises of ‘reisbrei’, white sausage, macaroni and other delicacies.

GREECE - Has some unique customs

Greece has some unique customs related to Christmas. On the day children go from house to house to wish everyone a Merry Christmas singing Christmas carols along that are called “kalanda” in Greece. People often gift these kids with candies, sweets or dry fruits. Prior to the Christmas Eve people often observe fasting for forty days so the Christmas feast is anxiously awaited by them. Loaves of christopsomo that is Christ Bread forms an important part of the meal on the day. One may not find many decorated Christmas trees across Greece but the main symbol of the festivity in the country is a bowl made up of wood that has basil dipped in water. The basil and a holy cross is dipped in some holy water and is used to sprinkle the holy water in the house to keep the spirits at bay. Gifts are exchanged on January 1 that is celebrated as St. Basil’s Day.

Kummatti – A word that I heard for the first time in my childhood. “What is Kummatti?”, I asked myself. Is it some play or sport? Or is it a place name or house name or something else? I couldn’t get an answer till I saw a movie on Doordarshan during the inauguration of some art function at capital city. Kummaattikali is folk dance performed in Malabar districts and Thrissur during Onam season and its performers are known as Kummattis. Nowadays it’s most popular in Thrissur, the cultural capital of the state. Kerala is famous for its distinct art forms world wide like Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, Kaikottikali, Kalari payattu, Thumbuthullal, Krishnanaattam, Thullal, Kaduva kali, Thiruvathira kali etc and most of them are more or less related to its state festival, Onam. It’s a traditional art form widely practised now also, though in remote areas. Let me give a small note on Kummatti – something related to Onam celebrations.

Folk arts of Kerala are widely classified into two groups - ritualistic and non-ritualistic. Ritualistic may be purely devotional done to please deities of Hindu mythology while the other one just add some sort of fun. Kummatti belongs to devotional ritualistic art forms of Kerala.

Stories of its origin

It’s believed that Kummattikali originated 150 years ago in a Devi temple of Palakkad district. Its main deity is Bhadrakali and later spread to middle Kerala, particularly the cultural capital, Thrissur. Another story is related to Vadakkunnatha temple of Thrissur. It’s believed that Siva, the main deity instructed his Bhoothaganam to welcome their banished King Maveli with special dance. That’s why the dance form resembles tribal art form a lot, though it’s not a tribal one.

What’s Kummattikali?

Similar to Kaduvakali (Tiger play), Kummattis also use masks to hide their identity. That may be the reason why it’s most popular in Thrissur. Here colourful masks wonderfully painted and depicting faces of characters belonging to Hindu mythology are used. Normally faces of Krishna, Ganapathi, Vishnu, Narada, Siva, Garuda, Narasimha and characters of Ramayana like Rama, Sita, and Hanuman are used. Sometimes, faces of hunters, kathakali and demons of epics like Kirathan, Darakan etc are also selected. Usually toothless faces are preferred most. Then their body will be fully covered with kummatti grass of pleasant smell and some leaves also added to get a bushy appearance of kummattis. Hence this art form is given the name ‘Kummattikali’. Some performers even wear skirts made of plaited kummaatti pullu also known as parpidaka grass– the grass used for its decoration. Even their hands will be fully covered with ‘Kummatti pullu’. The performers of Kummattikali move from house to house performing their folk dance and collecting money or small gifts like rice, jaggery as well as entertaining all people. Its themes are taken from Ramayana and it indicates communal harmony as people belonging to all communities irrespective of castes and religions take part in this folk dance, disguising themselves as Kummattis to entertain both kids and adults.

Significance of Kummatti

Kummatti has a great importance in Onam festival. They are going to home by home to know about his subjects just before Maveli’s visit on Thiruvonam. They are just coming to know if each home of Kerala is happy or not and are believed to be the representatives of subjects. They are often indicated as indicators of Deva – Asura wars of Hindu mythology.

How is it performed?

As I told earlier, performers go from house to house, performing for a little while and then move forward. Their dance is related to Thamma – the symbolic representation of an old woman walking with stick. It’s also believed that she is the mother of all human beings and other living things on earth. Her mask is toothless and gets attention most. Thamma is also known as thalla, meaning old woman. Rhythms are given by Onavillu, an instrument particularly used for dances as a part of Onam celebrations in Kerala.  ‘Villu’ means bow and since this musical instrument with strings is bow shaped, it’s known as Onavillu. Wood of aracanut known as ‘Kamuku’ is normally used to make ‘Villu’ while its strings are made from very small bamboo sticks. When its strings are vibrated, performers start dancing according to its tunes and songs sung. It’s a dance-drama item telling stories of characters related to Hindu mythology and it has a lot of kid followers everywhere. It can said to be a street dance just for fun and entertainment, yet carrying messages of unity ad integrity and something related to festival season which both kids and adults love to perform. Though themes of this art form give first preference to Ramayana, Dharakavadam by Kali, Kirathavadam by Bhima and hunting stories related to Lord Siva are the next choices. Any how, it represents the victory of good over evil. Yes, kummattikali is performed both at houses and streets and no formal training is required.  Even spectators can join the group adding more spices. If it’s played in homes, thalla will lead the performers. Also, this lady without teeth and brinjal ear rings makes everyone laugh. She is the main comic character around which whole Kummattikali revolves. Yet, ladies won't perform this art form. All are males, even the main entertainer of the group, 'Thalla'.

Masks are expensive too

Main attraction of this parade is its colourful mask which really reflects Kerala’s theater art tradition and something closely associated with Hindu mythology. It’s believed that initially, aracanut leaves and plantain stem were used to make masks before 150 years since its origin. Very often, seasonal agricultural products were also used.  But later, from early 1940’s people began to make masks of Hanuman and old lady to be used for this celebration. It is made from a single wood piece. Jack fruit tree and hog plum are preferred most. Nowadays it cost around 2 lakh rupees and it’s often made by a group of people as whole and they are prepared months before the festival. 

In the cultural capital of Kerala

Every year, more than 25 groups perform in the main town of both Thekkumuri (South) and Vadakkumuri (North) sides. Similar to tiger play, Kummatti groups also belong to different desams – Chembukavu, Kizhakkumpatukara, Chelakkotukara, Mukkatukara, Nallankara are some of them. Also, it will be innauguarted in each desams by some personality,
as a part of festival celebrations, in the witness of a large group of people. It’s conducted on Thiruvonam day evening. They even include spicy stories of Maveli’s re-arrival to Kerala.

Kummatti exhibitions of desams

I have already told, on the Thiruvonam evening, Kummattikali is held in the main town Thrissur. Before this function, different teams conduct exhibitions of their items known as Kummatti Pradarshanam. It’s nice to see Kerala’s traditional items displayed in an order and arranged manner. Before Thrissur Pooram and Tiger Play also, Thrissur desams arrange such exhibitions, truly dedicated to Kerala culture and its variety.

Kummattis at colleges too

Onam celebrations are a part of campus life and when they are organized so, along with pookkalam and vadamvali, kummattikali is also widely appreciated nowadays. It’s just a fun to add more colours to the event, to make everyone laugh and enjoy the festival mood.

Kummattis at temples

In Pudusseri region of Palakkad, where it’s believed to be originated, Kummaatti is a ritualistic offering in Badrakaali temple as a part of their annual celebrations of Malayalam month Makaram. Here, it’s preceeded by Tholkummatti, done by a group of children by making designs over their face using lime and rice. On the seventh day is the real Kummattikali. In Devi temple of Chittoor also, Kummatti is an indespensable item. In Urakam temple of Thrissur it’s conducted as Kummatti Maholsavam, just before Onam and again, it belongs to different desams participating in the celebrations.

To attract tourists

Art, culture and traditions of Kerala are loved by millions of people all over the world. That’s why tourists are coming to this state to take part in its celebrations. So, such functions are arranged to attract tourists to God’s own country, giving more preference to cultural art forms of Kerala.

Let me conclude

To take part in this art form, no formal training needed, nor it’s required that he should be a Hindu. But if his mind is filled with celebrations and love for this wonderful festival he can willingly take part in any art form to keep such rituals alive in hundreds of years to come.  

New Year accordion to Georgian calendar is one of the most popular celebrations all over the world with joy and traditional ways. We celebrate the New Year Eve with traditional lights of earthen lamps with oil, decorating our houses with flowers and electrical lighting and Rangloi as well. The best part of the occasion is the spirit of the day that brings freshness into the life. This is all about closing an old chapter and entering into a new one. We enjoy these moments with friends and family members by giving gifts as our goodwill gesture and go out with them to eat out and enjoy the occasion. However, there are some bad practices, which have taken their places need to be sorted out to make this occasion more meaningful.

New Year is more fun 

New Year celebrated differently from other festivals in many countries, although both events considered the big celebrations in every country where people celebrate these but there always is a big difference how these two big events celebrated and observed by the locals. Christmas is more likely a family, relatives and friends’ event while New Year considered personal and first-degree family celebration. New Year event entangles few beliefs and ancient traditions that make it different from all other celebrations.

Ancient tradition and beliefs behind New Year’s celebration

Here comes the occasion to settle the issues with friends in case you are having misunderstandings with anyone among your friends, relatives or family members. Make sure to settle the matter before the end of December 31 or else it so believed that on the coming New Year you will encounter lot more troubles or may gain more enemies. Also, settle old debts before the year finishes making sure that New Year would be far better for you.

New Year’s resolutions

Think wise and think twice before chanting your New Year’s resolutions. Once you made a promise on New Year Day and you broke it, the old folks say that you will never achieve any thing good during the whole year. Making a resolution is one of the easiest things but keeping it is not as easy. What I feel that this has also become a fashion and people take pride telling others that they have taken to this or that to keep but most of them end up forgetting their resolutions the next morning. 

Save your cash to last for whole year

If you plan to spend tons of your monies on the first day, itself on New Year Day there is no harm, go ahead and do it but there is a certain risk involved. You would be spending lot more during the whole year and would not be able to save enough for the plans you were working on. To make it worse, according to old sayings, you may even become poorer for the whole next year. This ancient belief stands true in practice by many people therefore; most commercial establishments keep closed on first day of the year to help you save some money. 

Do not save energy, light the house with fire

No, do not take it literally thinking about burning your houses but make the whole house shine with glittering lights. The common belief says that, lighting the whole house and its surroundings would invite positive energy. Therefore, on New Year eve most people make it a point to keep their houses glittering with lights. This belief is truer for electrical appliances companies because these companies always find themselves in big profit getting and all the positive energy and luck after New Year day. 

Twelve round shaped fruits and wear polka dots

Filipinos mostly go for twelve different round shaped fruits. Fruits are symbol of blessings and round shape denotes the shape of money- round. This is one of the ancient New Year traditions, which Filipinos never forget to follow. These round fruits usually set in the middle of the table surrounded by other foods on New Year’s Eve. Wear something with polka dots design on the eve of New Year and fill your pocket and wallet with coins and bills. Scatter coins in front of your door to welcome blessings from different quarters but you must tell the little kids not to pick up the coins until the second day of the year. However wearing clothes in bad taste is not demand of the day. 

Are you fired up- want to gain some height

People keep jumping for no reasons whatsoever, what I gather from their action may suggest that they find it helpful in gaining height or too fired up. On the strike of twelve o’clock before December 31 ends, jump as high as you can to increase your height. However, kids nowadays do not believe this tradition anymore. They do jump but at not while the right occasion comes. They usually find the wrong reasons for jumping around. 

Drive your neighbors crazy

Usually a few hours before we enter into the New Year, people start to play with firecrackers and make big noise. Although making noise best known to drive evil forces away or negative energy off, the more noise made, the farther you drive the evil and negative elements. However, in ancient times, old folks used bamboo canyons to create loud sounds until firecrackers became the new trend. Now due to accidents caused by these harmful firecrackers people resorted to other methods of creating sounds to avoid accidents due to fire while using firecrackers. 

The next best option found is kitchenware, which is far more useful as stainless or aluminum wares make big noise at no cost whatsoever. Some people use their stereo or sound system at maximum volume while others honk their car horns. I suggest you to be ready with your ear protected to avoid damage due to big noise that is part of the New Year celebrations. However, you do not have to worry as no one from the neighborhood is going to stop you from making crazy sounds because they all are already involved with the same practice. 

New Year’s Eve 

Midnight meals or big celebrations are way of life for younger generation these days. The midnight meal that goes with heavy drinking is another ‘in trend’ issue that needs our attention due the effects and impressions it leaves behind. Most people end up heavily drunk and unable to drive back home and have to sought help of others or get involved in drunken driving to bad consequences ultimately. Therefore, we must see to it that the purpose of the New Year celebration to spread love and good wishes among the family and friends done in the right spirit according to the occasion.

I wish you a very prosperous Happy New Year in advance.   

Diwali the day Ram came back victorious   

Diwali is one of the most famous and important of Indian festivals that give you a clear message about fight against darkness. “Tamso ma jyotir gamaya” that says it all ‘march towards lights from darkness’ or ‘take me where the knowledge belongs’. The tiny lamps giving a tough fight to darkness of night on moonless night on Diwali night is the symbol of Indian culture to the world. Diwali is not limited to India only but celebrated in most parts of the world.

This day has many reasons for celebrations and one of the important reasons is that Raja Ram came back victorious to Ayodhya after killing demon king of Lanka the Ravana and crowned by sage Vasistha on this day. The people of Ayodhya had every reason to celebrations this very day. They lit every corner of the kingdom to express their happiness. The tradition goes on ever since with more people joining every year.

Lakshmi and other gods freed from the grip of demon Bali

Vishnu rescued Lakshmi and other gods from the evil grip of demon king Bali at the request of gods as Bali wanted to rule over the universe. Vishnu in disguise of a dwarf took the whole universe in three steps and allowing Bali to come to earth just once every year. Lakshmi in turn helped gods regaining all their wealth and glory became eligible to worship on the day of Diwali as goddess of wealth. Indra the king of gods praised Lakshmi as the one who gave wealth, wisdom, the all conquering and helping in getting all kind of spiritual help. Lakshmi is the only goddess worshiped every day everywhere without Lakshmi, the money there is nothing in this world. 

Lakshmi is symbol of money, wisdom, knowledge and the one with money achieves seven main comforts of life therefore we can count on Lakshmi for the whole pleasure of life. Lakshmi commands total respect of not only the human beings but also gods including Indra and Vishnu as well because they too are dependent on her for their comforts and pleasures. Therefore, the goddess of wealth Lakshmi holds the key place in Diwali celebrations and rightly so as without her blessings even Diwali is not possible. Where there is Lakshmi, there is no darkness.

The importance of Lakshmi- the money 

Vedvyas the writer of Mahabharat has quoted ‘Purusha Dhanan Vadha’ that means that man is as good as dead without money. Man is never complete without money because if his wishes not fulfilled he never gets the moksha ‘the release’ from the worldly desires. As per the saying, that Lakshmi walks through the homes of people during the night of Diwali to see the needs, ways people worshiped her, and when he finds some one worshipped her well she blesses him with her entry into that particular house to stay there forever. Therefore, people keep their ready for her visit with extra cleanliness.  

Diwali has significance that the dark night of Diwali marks the way for ancestors who come to visit their relatives therefore the skylight the kandeels kept lighted to show them the way. The business community changes their ledger from the Diwali day, the Indian government approves this, and such accounts considered legal starting from Diwali in place of routine April to March as the official financial year for taxation purposes.

Preparations for worshipping goddess Lakshmi 

Generally the preparations begin from days before with overall cleaning, painting and giving new looks to the entire house and disposing the useless items well before the main functions, which begin three days before with Dhanteras. People generally go out for shopping especially utensils, gifts and ornaments are the main items along with material for functions, firecrackers and tiny earthen lamps for lighting. Although, the earthen lamps no more in practice since replaced by electrical bulbs and candles.

Lakshmi Pooja is a family function with much joy and devotion, every member of the house becomes involved in the evening for the Pooja ceremony. Every one wears new clothes and prepares for the function at predetermined time as per the schedule fixed every year according to Pundits. The main function starts with worshipping the gods Ganesha and Lakshmi with all the system as per different households take place and lighting the tiny lamps and candles along with firecrackers goes on simultaneously. People keep distributing the sweets among the neighbors in the meantime.

Most people exchange gifts in the noontime but some people in some particular areas find it more appropriate to distribute sweets after the Pooja as Prasad, meanwhile the fire works goes on, as that is one of the most attractive parts of the festival for children and young people. I would like to add at this particular point that I have not purchased any firecrackers for last decade or so at the request of my daughter. We donate that money among the orphaned children going to orphanage since the big earthquake hit back in 2001. Now my daughter is away from us but we still do go to orphanage every year on Diwali day to make a few children smile with our small contribution.

Although the main Pooja is related to, Ganesha and Lakshmi but most people make sure that all gods whom they worship are included in the Pooja night to keep all of them happy. The business communities start their ledgers this night and include them in Pooja ceremony. The firecracker session goes on until late night while some people go out to watch the lighting of the city and visit their friends to wish them a happy Diwali. 

A word of caution

Diwali is associated with fire in a big way, firecrackers worth Rupees thousands of millions are used this night alone not counting the use of firecrackers beginning days or weeks before. The major problem that firecrackers bring is the pollution and illness related to breathing. The weeks following Diwali the number of patients suffering from such diseases increase drastically; therefore, the use of firecrackers should be limited to save the environment. The other problem that becomes a major problem for life and property is the incidents of major fire due to careless use of firecrackers.