It's the most wonderful time of the year!

I've always loved the holidays. But most of all I love Christmas! I love that feeling of good cheer and general well being that everyone seems to have this time of the year. Back in India, practicing all the Christmas hymns and carols, putting up decoration, all the sweet smells in the air always got me into the Christmas groove. I'm one of those idiots who wears Santa caps and screams "Merry Christmas!" in the streets and also the one of the other group which sing "Deck the halls with bows of holly" on a loop throughout December. However Christmas is not the same without family and friends around. I do the same thing every year. Go for midnight mass with my family, sing till I croak. Then I go to a friends place and drink and be merry! On Christmas day, wake up early go for another mass! (choir obligations) and then stuff myself on Christmas lunch. (slurpp...droool). I did try to change it up some years but somehow this is how I like my Christmas! 

This year, I'm in Perpignan faraway from friends and most of my family. Even though I am visiting some of my family, it's not the same. It's not home which I understand. I can't have it all.

However, it does help to be in the consumerist western world, where everything is well decorated! From shops to house, from the streets to the trees! It's all beautifully lit up! The Christmas market sends whiffs those sugary delights that we get giddy over every year. The vin chaud(spicy wine) makes everyone all rosy-cheeked. But it kept escaping me. That Christmas spark. I knew it was close by!

Today as I walked down a tiny street in centreville, I looked up and really saw the twinkling fairy lights, the colourful signs that say "bonne fete!", the Christmas music playing seemingly from nowhere, the bubbling spirit in people around me, the chill in the air and then I caught it! I caught then Christmas spirit that was floating around for so many days and suddenly my step was springier! And with a Christmas tune in my head, I joyfully spent a chunk of euros on something trivial and thought to myself "tis the season to give even if it is to myself!!"