Oh, to be in Goa for Christmas

As yuletide descends on this tiny little state, along with a pleasant dip in temperatures, it also brings about a joyful cheer among its people as the land is enveloped in a festive atmosphere.

Come December, this former Portuguese colony nestled along the Western coast of India, begins to wear a shiny new coat. As house after house starts lighting up, it would appear as if fairies have been working silently through the wintry nights to magically transform the land into something ethereal, something heavenly.

Everywhere you look, you see a stunning array of stars, cribs and decorative lighting fronting practically every other house and building in the quiet, sleepy villages.

As you drive down narrow interior roads or take a languid walk in the chilly evening, you are bound to be held spellbound by rows upon rows of houses tastefully done up in colourful decorations and lit up by beautiful stars that cast a warm glow in the dark December night.

Most of the houses in Goa are huge with large patios and tall tiled roofs or huge balconies — ideal for the creative to give full reign to their inner artist as they set out to turn their earthly abodes into ethereal dwellings. And the best way to enjoy this heavenly show on earth is to hop on a bike (hiring one is easy) and cruise along the villages and towns after sunset. The sight of those twinkling fairy lights and beautiful decorative stars in the distance is sure to light up your heart.

One-third of Goans are Catholics

For Goans, one-third of whom are Catholics, decorating their houses during the festival is just another manifestation of their joi-de-vivre spirit. And while going to church for the traditional Midnight Mass and preparing traditional Goan sweets and delicacies handed down through the generations is an essential part of any Christmas celebration, decorating houses and putting up cribs and stars to mark the birth of Jesus Christ takes this fervour to another level.

Anthony Fernandes, an old timer from Merces, says the practice of putting up fancy lighting, elaborate cribs and an abundance of stars has come about only in recent times. “In the olden days, we would put up just a single star for Christmas. However, as people began going to the Gulf and on cruise ships to earn their livelihood, December became a time they would come home for their annual vacations. So it double the joy for families and putting up elaborate decorations and lighting and stars was their way of expressing that joy (and their newfound wealth).”

“And as more families began dressing up their homes and courtyards in their festive best, the trend caught on and slowly every other house in the village was striving to be brighter, bolder, more colourful than the other.

Luis DCosta who hails from Raia in South Goa agreed: “About seven years ago, we would only put up a single star for Christmas. However when my son went abroad, we began celebrating the festival on a grander scale. We began putting up more stars and more lighting to spruce up our house when he would come down for his annual vacation to double our joy."

Feast of lights, sights and delights

That has been the story in practically every village and town across Goa, resulting in a veritable feast of lights, sights and delights for the visitors.

Why, with the thousands of stars and fairy lights twinkling on earth in the dark, silent December night, It would appear as if the heavens themselves have descended on this charming little state.

And even if you may not be among those celebrating Christmas, the sight of those rows upon rows of houses with their beautiful lighting, creative cribs and stars twinkling in the distance is sure to fill you up with a warm glow and a whole lot of Christmas cheer.

And who knows, if you stare long enough, you may even spot and elf or two among those magical lights