Skip to main content

THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS

 THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

21/XII/2023

 

The weather has started getting ‘Christmassy’. Chill in the air has now got that little ‘bite’. Cheeks are turning red, noses have started dripping slightly, woollen caps, mufflers and hand gloves are out. Except for the snowfall, everything is just right to usher in Christmas.

Our ‘star’ is up, the Christmas tree is deployed, the garden has been lit and the flowers too are in the red and white theme. Baking of cakes has commenced. Of course, the ‘fruits’ have been soaking in rum since almost a week plus.

This time is so hectic. It will be ‘Pakwan’ frying time soon. The items on the menu will be ‘Goojiya’, ‘Sakhen’, ‘Bajre ki tikiya’, ‘Matthi’, ‘Doughnuts’, ‘Khajoor’, ‘Dal ke pakore’ with minty chutney. I am not counting the dry fruits. Neza/chilgoza or pine nuts are my favourites. Rewari and Gajak would also be on the spread.

Being ‘non veg’ lovers, it would be ‘roasted meat’, marinated in just salt and fresh lime and then roasted. In the good old days, it was ‘venison’. Another item is melt in the mouth ‘kebabs’. ‘Bar-be-cue’ and fish is on one of those nights in the week after Christmas would go without saying. All credit to my wife and her cooking and baking skills.

This afternoon, we would go to a bakery, which has been assisting our community since ages to bake cakes in traditional wood fired ovens. The variety this year would be walnut and rich plum cakes.

Christmas week starts with a bang with the ‘Cantata’ service. It is drawn from ‘canere’ which means to sing or chant. It is a Latin word, which also means a piece of music, with voice and instrumental accompaniment, in the form of a solo performance or chorus accompanied by an orchestra, where Christmas Carols and Hymns are sung. These days we have competitions for various choirs.

Followed by this is the door-to-door Carol singing. Earlier when the town was small and resources were few, boys and girls who are the mainstay of the ‘gasht’ or a typical round, where folks went singing carols from home to home on cycles and walking. Now, people have spread to various locations of the town, a mini bus is hired for the purpose. However, the spirit of singing and ushering Christmas stays the same. Yesterday, the party blessed our home.

I recall, as a 2 Lt while posted in Jaisalmer one would be lucky if I could manage a Temporary Duty to the Sun City and accompany the party in my fauji jeep, loaded with ‘josh boosting liquids’ and ‘chabena’ for ‘quickies’ which seniors would ‘maaro’ during breaks. For children my pockets were always full of toffees and chocolates. More than the bus, people preferred to travel in that open jeep in the biting cold for obvious reasons.

The human internal combustion engine was warmed up slowly and steadily, till all fuel finished by the wee hours of the morning when we used to break off. This used to last for three to four days on the trot. The ‘Chanda’ or donations collected is utilized to organise a ‘community picnic’ for the whole congregation. Everyone lends a hand to help prepare a sumptuous meal at the end of the day. While the rest of us play games and sports and socialise.

Then one day we have ‘pot luck service’. Vegetarians, which are few and far between, have a tough time. Imagine if fifty families get a dish each, what a spread it would be. Mind you, not one can say that he or she didn’t over eat.

The main festival is just a few days from now but the spirit of spreading peace and joy is already on. We the Ellis family wish you Compliments of the Season, Merry Christmas, and A Happy New Year in advance. Hope you all have behaved well for Santa to bring you gifts which you have prayed for. May our friends stay blessed, happy, healthy and lift each other's spirit like always.

Who all will be joining us this Christmas? I wonder!!!!!!!

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS from the Sun City.


JAI HIND

© ® NOEL ELLIS








Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FINGER ON YOUR LIPS

  LT COL NOEL ELLIS   29/IV/2025   What has happened to Pakistan? While India is doing Fauji Exercises, Pakistan has mobilised for what! I agree that the people of India want revenge. But, from whom? Our PM has only said that “we will not leave the terrorists and their supporters till the end of the Earth”. He has never said he will sort out Pakistan, or has he?   It has been hilarious watching discussions on Paki social media channels. They seem to have already given up. Our RM meets the PM and Pakistan starts shitting bricks. They talk about jazba and gazwa, and start telling us about their nuclear arsenal. 160 I suppose. By the way we will send across one equivalent to your 160 if need be.   There is a saying, ‘Chor ki Dari main tinka” literal meaning is, a straw in a thief’s beard. However, the deep meaning is that a guilty person reveals his guilt through his behaviour, even unintentionally. Clearly, “a guilty conscious needs no accuser”...
18 comments
Read more

SCENE AT ELLIS’ RESTAURANT

    LT COL NOEL ELLIS   04/XI/2024   Every morning the scene in the Ellis’ restaurant is so refreshing. The notes birds sing sounds like ‘reveille’ being sounded by the buglers. The ‘scenario’ keeps varying with arrival of different birds at different timings.   It is like being a restaurant owner, working solo with minimum help. Yours truly is the waiter, housekeeper, cook, receptionist, barman, purchase manager, accountant, and storekeeper of this shack. Imagine!   Foremost thing in the morning is housekeeping of the garden area, followed by watering the pots. This gives the plants a nice bath, like kids being readied for school.   The first set of ‘clients’ called the ‘Tailor Birds’ appear. They love to hunt for insects which get disturbed by the watering ritual. They sing and dance, hop and skip and carry on chasing moths and worms, without bothering about my presence.   By then the Bulbuls and the Sparrows start lini...
22 comments
Read more

IF THERE IS A WAR…...

    LT COL NOEL ELLIS   28/IV/2025   I remember the 1971 war as a small child. We were in Kapurthala Punjab, very close to the Pakistan border. It was an evening in December, I do not remember the exact date. While returning from a friends house, the declaration of war was done as I skipped along the ‘Thandi Sarak’ of Kapurthala.   The gist was that a vehicle with loud speakers was telling people to head home as an "emergency" had been declared and war had started. I ran as fast as I could, shivering with fear and my heart beating unusually fast. Though I was a lap baby when the 1965 war had taken place, it appeared serious business now.   Overnight, Dad and other Uncles started digging trenches infront of our homes. Carbon paper was no dearth in a teachers house, so mom got into an overdrive to stick them to the glass windows. Though the glass had been painted during the 1965 war, some broken panes had been replaced. Mom told ...
6 comments
Read more

A TRIBUTE TO INDIA’s FINANCIAL WIZARD

  LT COL NOEL ELLIS   27/XII/2024   Last night one heard a heart-breaking news of the passing away of Dr Manmohan Singh. A sardar with a big Dil and a sharp Dimag. My heartfelt condolences to the family and every citizen of India.   Let me share an anecdote of a chance encounter with his office three decades ago. It was in 1993-94, he was the then ‘Finance Minister’ of India.   The story goes that we were part of the "Ski-Himalaya Expedition". The expedition was preparing to traverse a 1500 km ski touring voyage from Karakoram Pass to the base of Mount Kailash in Nepal passing through the states of J&K, Himachal Pradesh and UP.   Those days, it was not easy to fund the expedition. We found a few sponsors. Let me confess, we were under the Army adventure cell for the preparations. The internal ‘red tapeism’ was killing us. Delays in procuring equipment due to the complex ‘Kagzi Karwai’ was taking too much time. Our window of skiin...
10 comments
Read more

LOCUST WITHOUT A “L”

  LOCUST WITHOUT A “L”   LT COL NOEL ELLIS   14/IX/2024   They say if you wish for something with a noble heart, it gets fulfilled. Had I asked for the moon, I would have got it today. Was it a coincidence? I am not sure. To find out please read on.   A friend of mine had asked me about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ insects in a garden, on which I wrote an article. In that, I had mentioned a kind of grasshopper called the ‘Locust’. It is a bright yellowish green insect. It is sometimes seen in our garden. They create havoc if found in swarms, but one or two do not harm much.   After writing the article, I wished I had a photo of the Locust. Digging it out from the archives could add colour but that would have been time consuming.   Having posted the article, I walked out of the house to check on the blooms of the day. There was a large variety with vibrant colours gracing the garden. A treat to the eyes and soul.   Just then my eyes...
14 comments
Read more

AN OPEN LETTER TO CM PUNJAB

An open letter to Mr Bhagwant Maan on this officer and his son being beaten up so brutally at Patiala. My sympathies with the family and I am sure justice will not be delayed or denied.   AN OPEN LETTER TO CM PUNJAB   LT COL NOEL ELLIS   22/III/2025   Maan jog Bhagwant Maan Saab. Main ek chota jeha sabak fauji haan. Aj majbbor hoke main aa chitti tunahu likh reha han, kyon ki dil andron dukhi hai. Tuhade thalle te tuhadi sarkar de which Patiala police ne jo kuj ek Serving Army de officer te os de munde naal kitta hai o sharmnaak hai ate darshonda hai ki aj di tareekh which Punjab police te tuhada koi control nahi hai. Aj takreeban dus din ho gaye han, te tussi Khamosh ho.   Police da kam sirf kuttapa chaarna hunda hai? Ja ke aam shahri waste eho jeha mahul paida karna ki banda safe feel kare. Bande nu bharosa hove ki haan mera koi mai baap hai. Lor pain te oh meri madad waaste aauga. Par lagda hai ke hun scene badal gaya hai.   Maa...
4 comments
Read more

RUNNING TO TOWN

  LT COL NOEL ELLIS   24/IV/2024   As they say, “Jab geedar ki ‘maut’ ati hai woh Shahar ki taraf bhagta hai”. (When a jackal wants to die, it runs towards the town). It simply implies that when someone is in ‘deep trouble’, he takes certain wrong steps and gets into agony himself. It also means that if correct actions are not taken timely, then chances are things go wrong.   Another implication of this idiom is that when someone wants to ‘avoid trouble’, he choses a wrong path or when one faces difficult times, he goes looking for advice and solutions from wrong people and places, jeopardising his own existence.   Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this straight away applies to our troublesome neighbour Pakistan and specifically to the thought process and mindset of their Army Chief General Asim Munir, who revealed it in the lecture he gave to the overseas Pakistanis recently.   I say this in the context of the ‘massacre’ and ‘savagery’ these dastards did in Pahal...
8 comments
Read more

A SPEECH

  LT COL NOEL ELLIS   19/IV/2025   Imagine when your “sir ka jhoomar becomes gale ki haddi”, then what happens. That was one Jumla I picked up from the Pak Army Chief’s speech which he delivered in Islamabad to Overseas Pakistanis. They are dual citizenship holders. Their ticket it appears had been paid by the state of Pakistan, I reckon.   An Army Chief addressing a gathering of people who at the very first instance decided to “Pakistan se Zinda Bhag” is uncalled for. If I read correctly between the lines, it was not to impress his countrymen but somehow convince the audience to remit dollars to ensure he and his ilk get their salaries, a plot of land on retirement and an assured pension. Rest of the countrymen can scavenge for all he cares.   Above all, the PM of Pakistan and his cabinet were in attendance. The Chief’s political ambitions were clear and his speech was a subtle message to them that the Army is ‘THE Mai Baap’, as he flexed the ...
Post a Comment
Read more

IT IS CHRISTMAS TIME AGAIN

  IT IS CHRISTMAS TIME AGAIN   LT COL NOEL ELLIS   23/XII/2024   Christmas time is here. We waited all year for the ‘yule tide’ to come. Cold weather, celebrations, parties, carol singing, pot luck dinners, picnic, socialising, variety of winter flowers, Christmas trees, non veg preparations, baking Christmas cakes and Pakwans is synonymous to Christmas. Last but not the least we fondly remember the ones who have slept in the Lord.   The house looks Christmassy and smells Christmassy too. Buntings, decorations, lighting up the home, and decorating the Christmas tree is done. The Carol Singing party visited our home and sang with full josh.   Rejuvenating friendship, kinship, relationships, bonds, and ties is the essence of Christmas. Rekindling and remembering good old days and friends are part of the merry making. Festivities, feasting and gifting will extend well into the new year.   Our kitchen would be the hub centre of...
14 comments
Read more