Christmas carols, Christmas goodies, Christmas star, Christmas dinner; Oh! The Christmas of the past! It is time to tell the youngsters, how our elders celebrated the Christmas in good old days.
A group of singers would go from door to door, singing carols to enliven the spirit of Christmas. Olden mothers prepared Christmas sweets on Christmas Eve — the crescent ‘Neureos’, sticky ‘Dodol’, traditional ‘Kolkols’, cracking ‘Mandare’ and prepared plum cake. The head of the family would sit and watch the preparations. Everything that was prepared was brought to him to judge the sweet and he would deliver the verdict whether it was masterpiece – chef d’oeuvre. Youngsters would sit to decorate a bamboo stick star with colourful tissue paper. It would be put up on a long pole with a wick lamp inside it to illuminate the darksome nights of Christmas week. Christmas dinner table was spread with tasty ‘sorpatel’ — a dish very much relished by Goans, ‘aroz refugado’, ‘sanna vodde festache’ and ‘Servej’. Alas! Goans have lost the marks of old delights, old customs of golden times gone by. Many modern people, with western ideas covering their mind find an excuse to get drunk, to overeat, and overspend and over act.
The birth of Christ — is filled with confusing circumstances. He was a king, but was born in poverty. He was born at Bethlehem in humble beginning. His birth place was a humble hill country. His earthly father, Joseph, was a carpenter; and his mother Mary, a modest maiden. Mary was forced to give birth in a simple stable as she could not find a place in the inn. Thus the Son of God began His earthly life with a humble birth in an animal shelter, between a donkey and an ox; because He wished to stress on us how much he valued true humility. His first bed was in the manger – a box with hay which was used to feed cattle. He was wrapped in swaddling clothes. His first visitors were poor shepherds from the field. They came to worship Jesus.
Though, He has shown his coming in this world with humility, He has made us see His place as the ‘King of Kings’ and Lord of Lords’ (1 Tim.6:15); as the Davidic King, by making his entry in David’s birthplace called Bethlehem. Again, the announcement of this king was made by God’s angel to a group of shepherd in the field. And suddenly after the message there were a multitude of the heavenly host praising God. This clearly showed that something had happened on the planed called Earth. The show of the ‘King of Kings’ was also made by the glow of the lone simmering star of Bethlehem to three wise men, who came asking: “Where is he that is born, King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him.” These rich, powerful wise men recognised Jesus as God in their hearts. They made themselves lowly, humble in seeking Jesus. They took the risk and the star showed the Magi the way to Bethlehem. After a tough journey from the Far East they arrived at the stable. The Magi offered royal gifts to Jesus — gold, frankincense and myrrh befitting his divine status.
