Christmas 2023 | From Goa to Kerala and Nagaland, Here's How Different States Celebrate the Festival

Christmas in India is a distinctive blend of local traditions, featuring unique cuisines, decorations and celebrations. The festival, celebrated every year on December 25, holds a deep significance in Christianity, marking the birth of Jesus Christ.

It is a time when people come together, embrace the spirit of love and giving and share the joy with friends and family. In cities, malls and posh shops are decorated with Christmas trees while bakeries are adorned with plum cakes.

The celebration is unique in different parts of the country due to the diversity across states. While the festival is celebrated differently by the communities in Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur, the pomp and celebrations are different in Kerala and Goa.

Kerala

Christmas is an important festival in Kerala, which has 22% of the Christian population. While the traditional Catholics fast from December 1 to December 24, until the midnight service, the celebrations include hanging Christmas Star outside the house.

People decorate their houses and offices with paper/plastic Christmas stars and decorate cribs in their homes, restaurants, and Churches. The children, on the other hand, carry candles and visit the houses in their neighbourhood in groups, singing carols.

North Eastern India

In the North Eastern part of India, several states including Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya, having a significant population of Christians, widely celebrated the festival decorating the cities and villages like a bride.

The tribes in these areas rejoice the Christmas eve with enthusiasm and passion. Christians of the Bhil tribe sing their equivalent of carols every night in December. The Christmas celebrations include ‘Night Bazars’ where people can visit different types of food stalls, decorations stalls and concerts.

In Shillong, Christmas is celebrated with a lot of pomp and gaiety for the entire month. The scenic beauty and cool ambiance of this town is broken by extensive decorations and lights.

Maharashtra

Mumbai, the city of lights, shines when Christmas is around. The coastal city with a buzzing nightlife lit up with bright lights and decorations. Mumbai’s street and houses are lit up with bright lights and people from all walks of life enjoy the spirit of the festival.

In other cities like Nagpur and Pune, the entire week is full of vibrant festivities, including special prayer services, melodious carol singing and other programmes in churches.

West Bengal

In West Bengal, the Christmas celebrations is widely seen in Kolkata, the city of joy, which beautifully embraces the festival. The city’s Park Street comes to life with lights and stars and decorations, while in the bow barracks, the Anglo-Indian communities celebrate in their traditional style.

The Streets are lined with pubs and bars that remain open all night and the St Paul’s Cathedral organises a midnight mass and the sweet sound of carols can be heard reverberating from quite some distance.

Goa

Goa, which has a large population of Christians, retain the influence of Portuguese. During Christmas, Goan diaspora, scattered all around the world, comes down for the festival. The Catholics in the state participate in the traditional midnight mass services called Missa de Galo, which goes on into early hours of the morning.

The families have a sumptuous, meat- and seafood-laden meal which also includes Spanish and Portuguese cured meats and sausages. The state, famous for its beaches and partying, also welcome a huge number of tourists pouring in from all across the country around this time of the year.

Pondicherry

The French town of India lights up with bright decorations and the festive atmosphere around Christmas. The beautiful architecture and serene town lights along with its clean and breathtaking beaches, make it a favourite among those who want to celebrate Christmas differently.