BENGALURU: The air in Bengaluru, usually humming with the sounds of daily hustle, carries a different tune today – one of joyous carols, laughter, and the mingling aromas of a myriad of festive cuisines. As the morning sun illuminates the bustling streets of Bengaluru on this Christmas Day, expatriates and long-time foreign residents in the city celebrate the holiday in a symphony of diverse traditions, each adding their unique note to the festive melody.
Digital creator Karina A Shetty, who has called Bengaluru her home for a decade, says that while she spent a few Christmas holidays in the city when her kids were younger, she now tries to meet her parents in the US. “Whenever we have spent the holiday in the city, we have never gone out. We spend time at home, cooking, something we love. It’s a family thing,” says Shetty, who plans to spend this Christmas in Goa, maintaining her tradition of cooking a family dinner on Christmas Eve. “My mom has brought a few things from the US that we can cook with, spices, dry cod fish for Christmas Eve dinner,” shares Shetty, who will be cooking up a traditional fish cod dish in tomato sauce and a special apple-based dessert.
For Beate Renninger, director of Mauve Institut, Christmas begins in early December with the Advent tradition of lighting four candles which represent the four weeks of Advent. “Every Sunday, we light one candle out of four, then we set up the tree and decorate the house,” says Renninger. Living around the serene Nandi Hills, Renninger misses the cold, wintry Christmas of Germany. “It’s a little tough because it’s not cold enough here. In Germany, the days are short and we light a lot of candles, here it’s summer fresh. Back home, you have all the heavy food because it’s so cold. We don’t do that here. But friends will be coming over for a Christmas lunch,” says Renninger.
Christian J Randrianampizafy, director of Alliance Française de Bangalore, highlights how French expatriates keep their traditions alive, saying that the festive lights and decorations across the city bring a sense of familiarity. “We attend midnight mass, after which the family gathers around a Christmas dinner to be shared with friends,” he says, while also noting his plans to attend various Christmas concerts in churches and auditoriums.
While many expats around this time of the year tend to leave the city to celebrate the holiday, ballet dancer Yana Lewis, director of The Lewis Foundation plans to spend a tranquil Christmas at home after a bustling season of performances. “I have lived in Bengaluru for 25 years now, so I don’t normally spend Christmas in the city. But this year I will be spending the day at home. I just finished three performances of a production called Alice, which was a really big show for us. We decided that we would spend Christmas at home and just relax,” shares Lewis, looking forward to enjoying a leisurely lunch out in the city.
Chef Piched Paoleng, from Zen at The Leela Palace, brings a Thai twist to the Christmas festivities. “Living in Bengaluru for nearly a decade has definitely changed my Christmas traditions. One thing I truly miss is attending the Christmas family gatherings back in Thailand. While I reminisce about the tropical touch of Thailand, I have grown to love the city’s festive spirit. I usually attend carol singing at church with friends, followed by a gift-giving ceremony at my house,” shares Paoleng.