Ringing in christmas!

As the cold winds settle in, and the smell of cakes and other goodies waft through the air, it is yet again time to ring in the Christmas cheer. Christmas always reminds us to be thankful for what we have and what we can provide for the less fortunate. Minash Gabriel, a city-based celebrity fitness trainer, decided to share Christmas cheer with over 500 orphans and under-privileged children from the city. The Gabriel family hosted a grand party for these children at Shenoy grounds, complete with music, games, food and merry-making.

The idea of this party was inspired by Minash’s late grandmother, who hosted this kind of party for over 20 years. “My grandmother hosted the party, usually on a much smaller scale, for the longest time until five years back. Then her health did not permit and she had to stop. Unfortunately she passed away two years back, and so we wanted to redo this event in her memory.”

Minash took to the internet with a #ButtChallenge to raise awareness about the event through fitness tips about butt exercises. “Two of my clients donated to the cause and made this entire affair happen.”

The party kicked off with a zumba routine that got the kids dancing to their favourite tracks. Once they ran out of breath, Tollywood actor Sundeep Kishan made his filmy entry, causing a ripple of excitement and cheering!

Santa springs a surprise
Christmas is all about gifting and the organisers played perfect Santas! Minash explains the fun process, “We told the children that a lucky draw would be held, and each kid was given a chit of paper with a number on it. They were asked not to open the chits till they were told to. So when the lucky draw number was announced, the kids were overjoyed when they realised every one had got the same number, which meant gifts for everyone!”

At the close of the event, Santa waddled across the stage and asked if the children had been naughty or nice, and the enthusiastic crowd screamed back that they had been the nicest! After Santa had distributed the second round of gifts, the last surprise was revealed. Right outside Shenoy Grounds, the famous Masquati Ice-cream had set out ice-cream trucks, especially for the kids — 500 of them gleaming with joy and licking ice-creams, it was the perfect Chistmassy sight to behold.