This Christmas bring on the joy

As the city gears up for one of its favourite festivals this weekend, the spirit of Christmas seems all over. From decorating homes according to different themes to putting up interesting Christmas trees, everyone’s excited.

Shilpa Reddy, a fashion designer from the city, says, “Though Christmas is not our festival at home, I love it. When I was living in Canada, I enjoyed the celebrations there and I started the tradition back at home. We sing carols, put up the Christmas tree and decorate our house for the past 14 years. This year, I’ve got the tallest tree in the city and have put up lovely lights. I collect different Christmas decorations from the places I visit. Every year, the decorations are different. This time, I’ve also put up my son’s photos on frames and used it for decorating the tree. I also play Christmas carols, movies and sitcoms all the season.”

Entrepreneur Sabina Xavier says, “This year advent (the beginning of the Christmas season) came in early and we were excited to get a chance to bring out our tree and decorations right from the first week of December. In a matter of hours, our home was transformed, reflecting the very special Christmas spirit. Putting up our tree and hanging the ornaments is a time for our family and friends to experience the joy of the season too. Our closest friends and their family join us and it’s a special evening with carols, wine, good food and of course baking — so our home too smells of Christmas. While the tree is being decorated, the red star goes outside the door and the lights go up all around. My favourite decoration is the tree filled with ornaments and my lovely red Poinsettias that go all over our home. I also love the Christmas stockings we hang up. Like magic, it’s Christmas again. Santa caps are a must for these days…The children absolutely love it!”

Where to buy:

• Himalaya Book World.
• Shraddha Extension in Secunderabad and Banjara Hills has a lot of Christmas decorations like stars, trees and more. “There are thousands of people rushing to buy trees and decorations. Since we’ve stopped importing products from China, we’re getting from places like Kolkata,” says the spokesperson from the shop.
• Santa Stores in Panjagutta.

Tips to decorate your home:

• Decorating the tree in white, is the new trend.
• You can use photo frames of your family and hang it on the tree.
• You can use the plant Poinsettia to decorate your tree.
• Use christmas lights. Playing carols in the background will lift the festive spirits.