MRS WILLIAMS, 70-plus, at Dorothy Crosthwaite Ville, was a bit nervous seeing strangers at her doorstep. But when, she was told that she was a part of a Christmas celebration by Hindustan Times, a smile lit up her wrinkled face. “Yes I read it in your newspaper,” she started her conversation. Please come in and have a look at my crib- “It’s simple one isn’t’ it?” she quipped.
Mrs Hickie is my neighbour. She has done it better than me. Mrs Hickie’s house too had a decorated Christmas tree. “This is all I have for Christmas decoration, which I have done with the help of my sister Mrs Robertson.
Peter Antunis’ was the next. His decoration had more of craft work on a piece of paper that formed the roof of a stable. “This is the crib, Jesus was born here,” he said. “The post December 25 ‘hand on’ decoration is that of my grand children,” added Peter sarcastically. In Maqbara, EIL Jackson said the decoration was not so rigid. “Christmas tree and the crib are essential items for Christmas,” he stated showing the decoration. But Marian Burns had done her Christmas decoration extended in two rooms.
“We have not done much this year owing to busy school schedule,” said Jennifer Borgis. But a beautiful statue of Buddha was the part of decoration. “We celebrate festival with great fervour with bonfire, music all around,” she added.
{{/usCountry}}“We have not done much this year owing to busy school schedule,” said Jennifer Borgis. But a beautiful statue of Buddha was the part of decoration. “We celebrate festival with great fervour with bonfire, music all around,” she added.
{{/usCountry}}Ronald Griffs, an officer with the Merchant Navy had decorated a beautiful Christmas tree. This colony has 95 per cent Christians, so it has been named after them, he stated. The next house was that of Prince Edward. Here, the crib was decorated with hay. While in the House of B George the decoration was simple but the members were still in the celebration mood.
A M Lobo’s decoration had the tinge of ‘care’ in decorative pieces. “This is 36-year-old Christmas tree,” Mrs Lobo. An architect by profession, A M Lobo says, “No professional skills in decoration, it’s entirely the effort of my wife,” he stated. Most of his decoratives were brought from Canada.
For Carlyl McFarland, the decoration was a one-hour affair. “It’s simple to say,” he quipped. But the decoration was surely not simple. It reflected the effort behind. “The entire house, including its surroundings have been decorated,” he stated. Beautiful Christmas tree had 54-year-old baubles, while even the crib had the statues that were as old as 54 years. At Lucknow Publishing House- Debbie Mauyer, an American national had decorated her house cutouts and a beautiful Christmas tree, while Rualthankhuma had decorated the walls of his house with colourful Santas and cut-outs. David’s house in the colony had beautiful baubles on the Christmas tree. “Decoration is a must in Christmas,” he said.
But the IT College Principal Sunita Chawls had not decorated her house owing to some unavoidable circumstances. “But we had celebrated Christmas in our college in a grand way,” she said. Her drawing room had a display of greeting cards. Wing Commander A K Sahay too had some old decorative pieces. The mats placed on the corner table are very old, he said and added that ‘antique’ pieces become very significant from decoration point of view.