Christmas in Bandra

...come Christmas Day and many of my friends who had flown the nest were getting nostalgic over Christmas in Bandra...Most of the status-messages on FaceBook were dedicated to yearnings for the goode olde-days...hell, I still live in Bandra and even I get all misty-eyed!

So I decided to tramp around my bee-yootiful Bandra and click some snaps...here are a few which turned out nice (despite the jolts from the festive crowds, yanks on my ponytail by hyperactive kiddies and the innumerable potholes that I swear, snicker nastily evertime I lose my balance!!!)

Christmas Lunch!

...the only place to be on Christmas Eve

...shopping...the endless mall...demented shoppers...wrong shoes...miles to walk before you find what you like...shoe-salesmen who pounce on you like you are the last piece of chicken in a tub of KFC...the over-enthusiastic perfume squirter who nearly blinds you... ill-mannered louts who squeeze into the line and have the gall and utter audacity to act like they were ahead of you (Mais oui!!!)...tiny tots who take a fancy to your hair and grab them in their tiny (but surprisingly strong) grip and DON''T.LET.GO.........

...am I channeling Scrooge's spirit???

b-ah! humbug!

Christmas Movie-Time

Holiday Season means an overload of schamltz...and what says schmaltz better than Christmas-Themed movies? While there are quite a few tear-jerkers out there, here are a few which I quite like:

...Holiday Reads

BARNES & NOBLE is my guilty pleasure….I can burn up bandwidth by spending many a happy hour gawking over the delectable spread of books, gizmos and what-have-you. And Christmas just makes the site a visual treat. Here are a few book covers that got me all shiny-eyed (…and a tad materialistic)

...Christmas...as it should be...

Retro Christmas

Christmas Funnies...

The Christmas Story

St. Luke 2: 1 – 14

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David), to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them at the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace,

good will toward men.

...Christmas Quotes

~Christmas is a time when you get homesick - even when you're home. -Carol Nelson


~Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind. -Mary Ellen Chase


~Even as an adult I find it difficult to sleep on Christmas Eve. Yuletide excitement is a potent caffeine, no matter your age. -Carrie Latet


~Christmas is for children. But it is for grown-ups too. Even if it is a headache, a chore, and nightmare, it is a period of necessary defrosting of chill and hide-bound hearts. -Lenora Mattingly Weber


~Nothing's as mean as giving a little child something useful for Christmas. -Kin Hubbard

...Christmas-themed vintage Comic Book covers

...cos Santa is a tough-guy too

Tripin 'into Christmas

...came across this cozy drawing on DeviantArt and thought that it was a nice way to get the holiday season started...

HAPPY 2008!!!

Now is the accepted time to make your
regular annual good resolutions.

Next week you can begin paving hell
with them as usual.

~Anonymous

New Beginnings.....New Hopes.....New Dreams. The New Year has crept in and along with comes the annual rigmarole of making New Year Resolutions. Every face I see, is bursting with good intentions (coupled with the occasional hangover ofcourse!!) and fervent hopes to get it right, this time around.

So out comes a lovingly drawn out list of things to-do, things not-to-do and things that should not be approached even with a ten-foot barge pole!! We solemnly swear to be better human beings, non-nagging spouses, understanding offsprings and motivated workers.

We chalk out jogging schedules, spruce up our diet plans, enroll for the smartest offer that the local gym provides and promise to burn in exercise purgatory till we can touch our toes and make more twists than a pretzel!!

And this is just the tip of the iceberg.....come first of January, unbeknownst to us.....most of us are aiming for sainthood!!

As the first week rolls by, the cynics have a heart laugh….the weak have caved and shed their mantles of a righteous living!!! It’s inevitable.....make resolutions.....try your level-best to stick to them.....and then break them in one splendid shot!

We can’t do anything about it.....that’s the way we are (bless our ever-optimistic souls!). I say go on…make those resolutions and believe in staying true to them. If not for anything else, atleast to start off the New Year on a bright, affirmative note.

Tomorrow is afterall.....another day!

Lookin' Forward To The New Year.....

The List that escaped Santa.....and saved him from keeling over with a sugar overload!!

I came across this kitschy l'il picture while having a browse....and thought that it would be perfect to top off my list of Christmas bakes...........

~Traditional Christmas Cake (loaded with rum & all things hic!!)

~Fudge Brownies

~Coconut Ice-Fudge (disaster of gigantic proportions!!)

~Two-Tone Coconut Brownies

~Rum Balls

~Butterscotch Bars (which fast disintegrated into butterscotch brittle!?!)

~Mini-Coconut and Rum Pies (fancy name for rum balls that refused to stay round!!)

Thank.God.It's.CHRISTMAS!!

Away in a Manger

Away in a manger,

No crib for a bed,

The Little Lord Jesus

Laid down his sweet head;

The stars in the sky

Looked down where he lay,

The little Lord Jesus,

Asleep on the hay

Nibbling away at my penultimate piece of Christmas Cake and listening to the smoky vocals of Bing Crosby as he "Dreams of a White Christmas"....I feel replete and even blessed.

It was a beautiful Christmas day, picture perfect and straight out of a snow globe!! Meeting up with friends and neighbours.....forcing my baked goodies down their throats and gulping down equal quantities in return.....driving around Bandra, taking in the sparkly lights and the beautifully decked churches followed by a pop-your-trouser-buttons heavy dinner with family .....and finally, finally I am done for the day!!

Here’s are the pictures of my Christmas Pudding and the goodies that I baked.....