City gets festive ready with Christmas carnivals, lit-up streets & packed malls
Times of India | 21 December 2025
Kolkata: With Christmas just a few days away, Kolkata slipped into full festive mode over the weekend, as churches, neighbourhoods and markets across the city put final touches on preparations for the festival.
The last weekend before Christmas saw crowded malls and markets, glowing lights and the familiar aroma of fresh plum cakes. The celebrations gathered momentum with the Christmas Carnival, inaugurated by chief minister Mamata Banerjee last week. The carnival began on Saturday with food stalls, music and Christmas programmes at Allen Park on Park Street and Bow Barracks, the Anglo-Indian enclave in central Kolkata. Bow Barracks came alive with carols, decorations and community gatherings, drawing visitors from across the city.
Janice Lee of Pou Chong Kim, the sauce sellers in Tiretta Bazaar, put up a stall at Park Street selling egg popup roll, chilli chicken popcorn, and fish ball soup. "The place was crowded with revellers," said Lee. A special Christmas Market on Lindsay Street witnessed heavy footfall on Saturday morning as people browsed through stalls selling festive goodies, ornaments, and decorations like reindeer figurines, Nativity scene sets, and Santa dolls. Families and youngsters were seen picking up stars, lights, and Christmas knick-knacks to decorate their homes, adding to the cheerful bustle of the area.
At Hollywood Paper Decorations, the owners said they sold four Santa Claus figures on Saturday alone. "People want their homes and shops to look special for Christmas. The excitement is clearly visible this year," said a staff member. At the nearby SS Hogg Market, queues snaked through the aisles selling bakery products, with customers patiently waiting to pick up plum cakes, pastries and cookies for the weekend.
At Nahoum and Sons and Imperial Bakers and Confectioners, a nearly 150-year-old shop, customers have been lining up since mid-Dec to buy their favourite cakes. Proprietor Sheikh Parvez Rahman of Imperial, said: "We have seen long queues since Dec 15. People wait patiently for our traditional Christmas cakes every year, and that enthusiasm makes us very happy. Christmas brings a special warmth to the city, and we are proud to be a small part of people's celebrations."
Churches across Kolkata have also been decked up with lights and Christmas decorations in preparation for midnight mass and special prayers throughout the day. "Christmas is a time of deep spiritual meaning as well as great joy. We have made special arrangements for prayers and midnight mass so that people can come together in peace, prayer, and thanksgiving. The church has been decorated to reflect the joy of the birth of Christ.We are looking forward to welcoming the faithful," said Reverend Father Biswajit Biswas of St Mary's Church on Elgin Road.