Christmas in Bombay

Another wonderful product of the so-called "westernisation" of this city is the fact that all the malls in the city have a Santa Claus and Christmas tree and fake snow sprayed from a tin containing some toxic substances. Commercial enterprises haven't wasted any time in taking advantage of the new holiday, where parents need to but presents for their kids. Thanks to television, many Indian kids who know more about Santa than Jesus Christ expect expensive gifts! Then you have the so-called Christmas Eve parties and Christmas lunches at 5-star hotels and expensive places. Another fabulous occasion to just blow money on nothing.

Buried in all this is the vibrant Christian community in the city. Many of the city's original inhabitants are East Indian Christians, who were converted into the religion by the Portuguese. Areas like Orlem, in Malad, Bandra, Borivali and Amboli have wonderful midnight mass services, that is a Bombay institution. Often non-Christians attend these masses. Thanks to Bombay's Christians, Christmas hasn't been completely hijacked by the multi-nationals.