Packed markets, events to prep up for Christmas in Kolkata
Times of India | 16 December 2024
123 Kolkata: With barely 10 days to go for Christmas, markets are teeming with shoppers and vendors selling baked goodies, decorative items and other Santa-themed items often regarded as ‘must-haves' for soaking in the season's festive charm.
Besides the bustling markets, pre-Christmas carnivals and churches getting spruced up are part of city's preparations to usher in the year-end festivities.
The New Market area, a favourite among Kolkatans for Christmas shopping, has already transformed into a Christmas hub with several shops selling the Christmas essentials. From tiny Christmas trees to the towering ones, the shops offer a variety of options. Several shops and stalls in the New Market and Mirza Ghalib Street area are selling Santa-themed items as well. For instance, Santa dolls, life-size figurines and battery-operated dancing Santas are on offer. "There are trees decorated with all the paraphernalia catering to every taste. Stalls inside the Hogg Market and in the Simpark Mall also showcase an impressive selection," said Mohammad Amin, who has set up a stall of Christmas trees opposite the KMC headquarters.
Adding to the festive charm are Kolkata's churches, which are gearing up with special decorations and programmes. From the majestic St Paul's Cathedral to iconic churches like St Andrew's, St John's, and Sacred Heart, the holy spaces are being lit up with fairy lights and Nativity scenes. "Special services and choir performances bring the community together in prayer and celebration," said a representative of St Mary's Church on Elgin Road.
The city's traditional confectioneries have already started offering an array of delectable cakes. Rich fruit cakes, special plum cakes, and other baked delights have started already flying off the shelves in New Market. Orders have started pouring in for homebakers too.
Several social clubs and organisations have already been hosting Christmas bazaars and pre-Christmas lunches. Calcutta Rangers Club organised a Christmas carnival on Sunday at their Maidan tent. "This event is a mix of music, food, games, and shopping," said a member.
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