Mistletoes, music and mush

I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes

After a spate of Indian festivities in October, followed by a maddening period where half of India got married, the holiday season has arrived upon us.

It’s time for Christmas.

A day that arouses a warm fuzziness in the heart that is hard to match. That it has managed to fall on a Monday this year makes it a tad sweeter.

I woke up this morning feeling rather Christmassy — which, in my head, translated to visions of a huge Christmas tree, people in warm furry jackets hugging each other and laughing away amid the twinkle of fairy lights and the glorious blanket of snow. And of course, a ruddy Santa handing out gifts.

And then I looked out of the window. Unsurprisingly, there was no snow (I live in Gurgaon, North India) and a huge concrete building was all that stared at my face. I tried to think of the Christmas dos I had been to, till date, only to be reminded of all the emaciated Santas who needed a gift more than anybody else.

So, where did I cook up this image of Christmas in my head?

This chart might help.

Top contributors to my perception of Christmas

Literature, music and, of course, Hollywood have, delightfully, intertwined Christmas with the expression of love. We know that kissing under the mistletoe is a thing, even though most of us will hardly know a mistletoe if we see one.

I have played All I want for Christmas at least over 20 times in the last week. And even though I don’t remember giving my heart to anyone over last Christmas (let alone them giving it away), George Micheal has steadily made his way back on my playlist.

Then there is always the memory of Macaulay Culkin bamboozling a bunch of robbers with booby traps. We loved the snow, the lights and the warmth when he would be reunited with those immensely irresponsible parents of his.

And who can forget this guy who said everything, without hope or agenda (or spoken words), and gave #truelove and #MovingOn goals to an entire generation.

… except for those cheekbones maybe!

There is something about Christmas that makes you feel that all is, or soon will be, well and good. Maybe it comes from how surmountable the villains of Christmas are. Ebenezer Scrooge is just a mean old fellow — more of a nag than a real threat. Then there is the Grinch who is basically Dr. Seuss’ Scrooge albeit laughably green. That they got Jim Carrey and Benedict Cumberbatch to play him in separate movies didn’t really help the Grinch’s evil image.

Compare these to the demon king Raavan or the evil siblings Hrinyakashyapu and Holika whose defeat we celebrate as Diwali and Holi in India. If you had to, would you rather take on their evil might, or endure a night of “Bah! Humbug!”s and then triumph by telling a mean, old guy to loosen up?

Scrooge (left), and Raavan [(not) right]. It is appalling that when you google ‘Raavan’, Abhishek Bachhan’s stupid face pops up as the top result

And isn’t it true? A majority of our demons aren’t all that tough to vanquish. All we need to do is share our love, and smile a lot, and suddenly the world will be a much happier place.

I realised it doesn’t matter where I got my image of Christmas from, till it fills my heart with joy. Or till it gives old friends a reason to meet and enjoy a laugh together. Or ushers in the glittering holiday season when families get together over loving banter and delicious food. Till it brings with it the hopeful tidings of a fresh year and fresher starts.

Before I get Cariah-ed away, I would like to wish everyone, from the bottom of my heart, a very merry Christmas!

And of course, All I want for Christmas is you to send some love (and claps) this way.

Gotta be honest.