Christmas Around the World, Part 3 – India

We are in the midst of our annual trip around the world to explore Christmas traditions from different countries! We took a break last week to do our all-music service, but we’re back this week and headed to India, where each region has its own way of celebrating.

Christmas is not a holiday that comes to mind when thinking of India, as it is a primarily Hindu country. But there are actually 25 million Christians there! And some of their Christmas traditions might sound familiar: visits from Santa Claus (though in Hindi he’s called Christmas Baba, and delivers presents from a horse-drawn cart), kissing under the mistletoe, and poinsettias all around. They also put up colorful decorations, but many folks hang their lights and ornaments on banana or mango trees instead of pine trees, and some also decorate their home with banana or mango leaves. Decorating non-traditional plants probably sounds familiar to many Arizonans, who have been known to wrap lights around a saguaro or stick ornaments on the end of an agave. If this is not part of your family’s tradition, consider trying it out this year! You might also drape some cotton wool over your tree like they do in India – it’s meant to resemble snow. You can read more about Christmas in India here.

Many Indian Christmas traditions vary by region; in southern India, for example, people place an oil-burning clay lamp on the flat roof of their house to symbolize that Jesus is the light of the world. You can make your own lamp with supplies that are available at most craft stores! All you need is oven-bake clay, and a cotton wick. Follow this tutorial and give it a try.

You’ll need olive oil to pour into your lamp, which might necessitate an additional trip to the grocery store. While you’re there, you can pick up the ingredients to make kheer, a traditional Indian dessert. Kheer, also called payasam, is the original rice pudding, a sweet treat that has been made in India for nearly 2,000 years and found its way to England during the colonial era. Made with cardamom, raisins, nuts, and rose water, kheer would be a simple, delicious addition to your family’s Christmas table! You can find a recipe here.

What Indian traditions will you incorporate into your family’s Christmas celebrations? Share with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. And Śubh krisamas (Merry Christmas)!