Discover the Magic: Top 7 Fun Facts About Celebrating Christmas in India

1. Multilingual Christmas Carols

What do you get when you cross India's linguistic abundance with the festive spirit of Christmas? A merry-go-round of melodious multilingual carols, that's what: India boasts a vibrant variety of Christmas songs, ranging from unique English tunes to melodious Tamil and Marathi, released annually to celebrate the season and exemplify the nation's rich cultural diversity, with artists from Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, and Malayalam, and even Pakistan, lending their voices to this tuneful tradition.
Source => ravisiyer.blogspot.com

2. Tropical Christmas Trees

In a fruitful twist to the holiday season, India refuses to go bananas over Pine trees and opts for a more *tropical* touch instead: Indian Christmas celebrations typically involve adorning banana and mango trees with leaves and branches, plus the use of clay lamps and nativity scenes made with clay figures. With around 25 million Christians in the country, Father Christmas – called "Christmas Baba" – swaps his sleigh for a trusty horse and cart, bringing joy and gifts to children all around.
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Did you know that in Mexico, a seven-pointed star piñata helps conquer the seven deadly sins during Christmas? Discover how this festive tradition signifies the triumph over vices and showers everyone with candy and toys!

=> Fun Facts about Christmas-In-Mexico

3. Festive Indian Feasts

Who needs milk and cookies when you've got smoked pork and fermented bamboo? That's what India's on about when it comes to Christmas cuisine: In various regions, traditional dishes are enjoyed like Nagaland's smoked pork with axone, Kerala's Appam and Stew, and the famous Allahabadi Cake in Allahabad that boasts mouth-watering ingredients like ghee, spices, marmalades, & rum-soaked fruits and nuts, truly displaying the diverse culture in Indian feasts.
Source => recipes.timesofindia.com

4. Secret Ganesha Gift Exchange

In a festive season not too far away, with the Jingle Bells playing in the background, Indian families switch it up by playing a "divine" game of exchanging gifts and riddles: In India, it's not uncommon for Christmas celebrations to include a game called "Secret Ganesha," where participants exchange thoughtful presents while quizzing each other on stories and symbolism of the Hindu deity, blending Western and Indian traditions in a truly unique way.
Source => hindustantimes.com

5. Starry Indian Lanterns

In a land known for spicy curry, Bollywood dance numbers, and the Taj Mahal, Christmas gets a twinkling twist, as Indian families find themselves starstruck: They celebrate by handcrafting star-shaped lanterns that symbolize God's light, using scissors, markers, crayons, and other supplies to piece together and hang these illuminated decorations, making for a joyful, festive bonding experience among loved ones.
Source => worldvision.org

6. Diwali Meets Christmas

Santa's had a spicy curry makeover and traded in his reindeer for elephants: in India, gift-giving during Diwali celebrations mirrors the Christmas tradition of exchanging presents among family, friends, and colleagues as a symbol of affection and appreciation.
Source => nbcnews.com

7. Fusion Fruitcakes

In a tale of bittersweet symphony and English cravings, an expat's fruitcake-less plight in the Indian subcontinent paved the way for a festive fusion: Christmas cakes in India have been a beloved tradition since 1883 when a British planter in Thalassery sought solace in a local baker to create a rich plum cake similar to the one he left behind in England. This Christmastime confection has since evolved to feature regional delights such as the Allahabadi cake with petha and murabba, and the Goan Baath cake made from coconut and semolina, all with an added touch of spirited Indian innovation.
Source => goya.in