xmas musings

(a post for all my catholic blog friends... n special wishes to fay n anna... n saby who asked me write something happy n xmassy... thanx for the blessings saby)



i dont even remember wat was my age when i first learnt my 'hail mary'... its such a lovely prayer... we used to say this one in school all the time... n when it was christmas... it was such a wonderful experience...

there was a chapel in my school... we'd go there every morning n pray... it was such a beautiful n serene place... i remember the cross right in the centre of one of the chapel walls... n the face of Christ... so beautiful... even when i knew he was suffering...

i m not a catholic by birth... but my early years of life have been influenced a lot by this religion... i had many catholic friends... i studied in a convent school... my tution teacher was a catholic... n i remember going to churches with my friends... i can never forget the byculla church (also called Gloria Church)... its such a beautiful church... built by the British... a stone edifice... with wooden pews... n candles n glasses... n a wonderful cross... i would specially go there during christmas... to see the stable n the decorations... n hear the choir... n the wonderful carols they would sing... my favourite being 'silent night'... let me sing this one for u..

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ, the Saviour is born
Christ, the Saviour is born

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth

i also remember this place which was called 'village'... it is near my moms place (dewdy u know abt this place?)... we would go there especially during christmas as many of my catholic friends stayed there... the minute u enter this place u feel as if u've landed up in a small goan village... small bylanes... piano music emanating from many houses... a huge christams tree... which would b decorated with beautiful twinkling lights during christmas... u have to see this place to believe that it exists in mumbai... n ofcoz the stable... it was so pretty... with small cut outs of animals... n baby Christ.. n Mary n Joseph.. n the three kings... wowww.. i miss those days when i was a kid n such things would make me dream of another world...

i also remember the last day in school before christmas vacations... we'd have a party... n then there would be a play enacted on the three kings n how Christ was born... every year for my 12 years in school i have seen this same play.. but it was always so new to me... the story was the same.. most of the actors were the same all the years... but how i used to enjoy it.. i remember the minute i used to enter the hall id try to get a seat nearest to the podium... lol i was silly i guess... but is was such fun...

n the best thing about christmas that i remember were the sweets my tution miss would get me... aww naah.. not the regular fare... she used to specially make me some sweet from gauvas... i dont even know its name... but it was real yummy... id harass my mom to make them for me too.. but they never turned up right... heh... i would tell my mom "only my most fave teacher can make these sweets... its not ur cup of sweet" :p...

hmmm these r my musings of christmas' that i have spent when i was a kid... i miss those days... they were the happiest ones thats i remember.... m planning to visit mom in a day or so... n u can bet i will go n watch the decorations at the 'village'... lol

merry xmas... n a very very happy new year to all of u...

laterzzzz