As the big days comes
closers, family houses across the state continue to fill up with members flying
in for the holidays. People who enjoyed a quite lifestyle following a fixed
routine of work and home are now scurrying around getting the rooms cleaned, bed
linen and curtains washed and spare pillows and mattresses out of storage
because the FAMILY is coming down for Christmas! Yes, it’s that time of the
year when you get to hang out with siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles,
cousins and sundry... people you are normally only in touch with through social
networking.
This whole jamboree
is actually build-up to the grand Christmas lunch where the multitude will say
the Grace together before tearing into a grand feast. Traditionally, cooking
for the day usually starts on Christmas Eve when everything needed for the
feast is stocked up. It’s usually the women of the house who take over the
kitchen though it’s not uncommon for the men to also lend a hand while the
children make a delightful nuisance of themselves by running throughout the
house, especially the places teeming with busybody adults. This may sound like
chaos, but this is the experience the family comes together for. While jobs are
allotted and then carried out, the family jabbers together, exchanging stories
and experiences that happened over the year.
Says Oscar Noronha
from Panjim, “The Christmas lunch is very dear to our heart. We are five
brothers and we meet every year for Christmas lunch at our ancestral home in
Panjim; our Christmas dinners are at our respective in-laws houses. This allows
us to spend quality time with both sides of the family. My father wanted us to
meet every month but it is not practical so we meet every Christmas and Easter.”
Oscar is the eldest, followed by Ilido, Ivo, Savio and Orlando.
“Ivo is in London but
he is virtually present for the Christmas lunch as he calls and speaks to every
member of the family. The Christmas lunch has every sister-in-law preparing one
dish. Earlier, my mother used to love cooking but now we allow her to sit back
and enjoy the meal,” adds Oscar.
The sisters-in-law
start deciding on the menu in advance and also allotting tasks, right from making
the appetisers and main course to the desserts. “The lunch is always 3-4 course
meal and while the women are busy getting things ready in the kitchen, we guys
sit with our drinks. While there’s always something new on the menu each year,
the Bacalau is an all-time favourite,” he adds.
Nalini Souza from
Campal shares the same experience. Her husband, Dr Bosuett Alfonso’s entire family
comes down to Goa and her home is filled with family members bringing the house
to life. “We order a duck and it is cooked beautifully by all of us. We prepare
different dishes like Sorpotel and my favourite Bacalau and then relish the
Christmas sweets in the evening. The family comes together by 11am and everyone
hangs out post lunch till late evening. My husband has six siblings and three
of them are in the US but they come down for Christmas every year.”
However, as families are
getting smaller, these grand family get-togethers are on a decline. Says, Rachael
D’Souza, “I have two children: a son and a daughter. My son is working on a
cruise liner and since Christmas is a busy time of the year, he won’t be home
for the holidays. My daughter is married and has to spend time with her
in-laws. I wish we had a bigger family to spend Christmas with.”
With Christmas just a
few days away, it would be wise to find your way home and make time for your
loved ones no matter how big or small your family is or how busy you are. There
simply is no Christmas without your kin.