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Editorial Charity
begins at church Second
to none Holidaymakers'
day off The mystique of
Santa Enacting
themes of faith Amidst
greetings Sacred
embellishments Candles,
carols and hymns Christmas
cuisine
For our Christian brothers,
Dec 25 is traditionally one big festive occasion -- 'Barra Din', in the local
vernacular -- that is meant to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ and also
to appreciate the It's not just the last week of December -- leading famously to the New Year night -- where the jubilations start and end. Every year, the Christmas Eve begins early on in the month, as the excited and happy faithfuls launch themselves into a flurry of activities through the first four weeks of Dec -- marking the Advent. The fern tree is adorned; candles of a variety of colours -- chiefly purple, pink, golden and white -- are laid out; and streamers are put up on the walls. Inside the convents, tableaus are performed, based on the themes of Nativity and Crucifixion. Santa is created. Of course, it's that day of the year when -- like the Muslims do on their eids -- the Christians turn out in their Sunday's best, meet and greet their near and dear ones, and make merry. It's jingle all the way. Generous donations, gifts and alms-giving are prominent features that mark the Christmas Eve every year The period starting from Thanksgiving Day and ending at Christmas witnesses a marked increase in charity, donations and gifts doled out to the needy and the poor. Though different churches and their administrative wings collect and distribute funds all year round, the situation this time is completely different. People come to the church in hordes and donate open-heartedly to win the blessings of the God Almighty. The underlying principle in
the mind of the affluent, during these days, is that the deprived must Sareena Messey, member, Temple of God Church, tells TNS that warm clothing, grocery and other items of daily use are commonly distributed ahead of Christmas. She also reveals the church administration has a comprehensive record of people living in a particular area. It's also aware of their financial condition. Hence, it is in a better position to distribute charity in a befitting manner. Sareena, who is also a teacher at a missionary school, says that her school administration spends the proceeds collected from poor boxes on deserving students. These students were awarded educational scholarships on humanitarian grounds and there's no confusion about their financial status. "We always make sure that these children do not feel deprived on the eve of Christmas. Our school administration makes all possible arrangements to give them gifts, clothes and all that which can make this annual event memorable for them," she says. Rev Hanook Haq, pastor at Saint Andrews Church, Naba Road, Lahore, tells TNS that the donations collected from people are diverted to old homes, places that house mentally challenged people, orphanages and also the prison cells whose inmates wait endlessly to meet their near and dear ones. The recipient, he says, can be any deserving person who cannot afford to buy goodies for himself, his children or dependent parents on this occasion. According to Rev Hanook, the church collects all the funds at a local level and not even a single penny comes in from abroad. It's an encouraging development that people are becoming more and more generous with every passing day, he adds. "It's a fact that tension and worries bring a person closer to God. And there's no better way for a person to win His closeness than by loving and caring for His creatures." He goes on to say that every year the church administration sends gift packs to prisoners so that they do not feel left out. "Sometimes we go there ourselves, but on occasions like Christmas we ask other welfare organisations to deliver these gifts to the prisoners on our behalf." He also says that even though the gifts sent to prisons are exclusively for the Christian prisoners, the charity is distributed by the church regardless of religious affiliations. "We can't differentiate, as Christianity is a religion of collective peace and happiness. It advocates peaceful coexistence among followers of different religions and invites all to join them in times of revelry," he declares. He also tells TNS about a fundraising event called Thanksgiving Sunday that is arranged by the church every year. Over the years he has experienced that the funds collected on this day have increased. In 2003, when he joined the church as its pastor, people donated Rs 8,000 at the event. In 2004, the amount collected was Rs 16,000; in 2005, it was Rs 23,000; in 2006, Rs 46,000; and this year it reached a staggering Rs 50,000. Peshawar strikes you as a place where the local Muslims and fellow Christians partake in Christmas celebrations most gladly By Javed Aziz Khan In the North Western Frontier Province, the local Muslims come together with their fellow Christians to join in the festivities of the 'Bara Din' -- a term commonly used by the Pakhtoons for the holy festival -- with great fervour. They exchange greetings with the Christians, estimated to be around 100,000 in numbers (in the province), with 50 per cent the followers of the Church of Pakistan and 40 per cent Roman Catholics. Whereas outside the
province, Peshawar may be seen as a place fraught with terror for the
religious "Christmas is about meeting and greeting your friends and relatives and also having fun excursions. The children, on the other hand, are very fond of the Karnal Sher Khan Stadium," says Iqbal Masih, a resident of Lal Kurti in cantonment. According to him, Christmas in Peshawar is "safer than it might be in any other part of the country. I was born here. My folks also belong here. But we've never experienced any problems, as far as our festivals go." For Sonia, a school teacher in Kohati, Christmas celebrations mean attending get-togethers, hosting guests at home, and also hanging out with friends. "As in other parts of the world, Christmas jubilations aren't limited to just one day. We celebrate all month long. Our functions are held in hotels and at friends' places," she goes on, "Some of the (local) Muslims also join us, like our people do on the two eids." The parks of the city attract hordes of people (from the Christian community), all decked out in their Sunday's best. Karnal Sher Khan Stadium, Khalid Bin Waleed Garden, Nasir Bagh and Chacha Yunis Park remain the chief Christmas party resorts. Functions are also held in the well-guarded churches all over the provincial capital. Authorities normally take care of the security of the churches more than they do the mosques, in order to avert any untoward incident. Come December and the city is abuzz with activities that last the new year night. One can see lines of Christmas trees, Santa Claus and other decorative stuff in almost all the department stores. "This year alone, a conference hall and a section of the restaurant (not named) are booked for Christmas events by two different organisations. We are still getting people but we have to refuse them for want of space," says Inamullah, manager of a local restaurant, talking to TNS. Recalling last year's festival, Inamullah says that a number of events were held in the restaurant on the Christmas and also as an after-party. "The celebrations this year are expected to give a boost to our business. Christmas is second only to Eid."
People belonging to non-Christian communities have found in Christmas an excuse to celebrate Pakistanis just need an
occasion to have fun and party away. People belonging to non-Christian The general populace, especially in the urban areas, actively participates in the yuletide merrymaking that kicks off in the days leading up to Christmas. Gift shops and book stores start stocking up on Christmas themed cards, candles, stuffed toys and whatnots to capitalise on the worldwide industry that has sprung around this occasion. Bakers everywhere prepare special Christmas styled cakes with images of hearts and figurines of Santa Claus playing in the snow to attract customers. Cake makers are busy making personalised cakes based on computerised designs. Many of these have been ordered by the Muslim lot throwing parties in honour of their local or foreign Christian friends. A number of these are full-blown get-togethers with Christmas-themed decorations, and even a guy in a Santa outfit thrown in. Children are the happiest lot on Christmas. Here in comes the power of media, especially the Western influence. They usually throng the shoes and clothes outlets, restaurants and recreational arcades such as Sindbad and Joyland which themselves have displays based on Christmas imagery. Many members of non-Christian communities make it a point to have a decorated tree in their houses. Young couples all over are especially anxious on this festival, as besides the Valentine's Day and birthdays, this is another occasion to express one's everlasting love and devotion. Even with our large Muslim community getting a chance to celebrate the equivalent of two Christmas occasions in the form of the chhoti and barri Eids, they still intend to gouge out every bit of holidaymaking from this day.
The legend of Santa Claus is based on biographical tales concerning the historical figure of Saint Nicholas who is the primary inspiration for the immensely popular Christian figure By Naila Inayat You better watch out You better not cry Better not pout I'm telling you why. 'Santa Claus is coming to
town' is the peppiest hymn that choirs sing along throughout the "If you ask me, Christmas is a time when Santa brings lots of gifts for us," goes 10 years old Rohail. "Santa's big red sock has all the goodie stuff in it," gushes Arooj. When asked if she knows what 'goodies' are there in Santa's bag, she playfully equates it with the famous coffee hamper Karan Johar gives away to his guests in the TV show, Koffee with Karan. Santa Claus, also known as 'Santa', is a folklore figure who initially, in Western cultures, was presented as bringing gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. The legend has its basis in biographical tales concerning the historical figure of Saint Nicholas who is the primary inspiration for the Christian figure of Santa Claus. He was a 4th-century bishop of Myra, Turkey. Portrayed as a bearded bishop in canonical robes, Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor, particularly presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to adopt the 'oldest profession'. Depicted as a jolly old man with a long white beard and wearing a red suit, Santa Claus is popular with children as a gift-giving figure. Today, in churches and schools, Santa is an important part of plays and even at private Christmas parties. On Christmas Eve, Santa travels around the world, flying across the sky in a sleigh drawn by eight reindeer. In his sleigh he carries a sack of gifts (usually toys), which he distributes to children throughout the world. "Back in school, on the Christmas party, the Santa used to hide throughout the bash and then he would suddenly reappear. The first person who finds him would get the finest gift," recalls Faiza. It's a common belief that Santa enters households by sliding down the chimney with his sack of toys. He places the gifts under the Christmas tree or in socks and stockings hung for that purpose. All this is done while the children are asleep. "It is usually the parents who put the gifts under the Christmas tree making sure that their kids don't come to know about it," adds Azhar. Throughout the year, the children write letters to Santa at his home in the North Pole, telling him about the gifts they would like to receive for Christmas. "In our childhood, we used to make a list of gifts in the letter we would write to Santa. It was interesting how we got all the presents packed under the Christmas tree or in the stocking that we hung." The modern-day version of Santa has become quite complicated and proper auditions are held for the role of Santa in different stage and TV plays. A person who is tall, fat and jolly is well-matched to the character. Art being traditionally the handmaiden of the various world religions, plays on Nativity and Crucifixion are regularly performed in service of the church to celebrate the triumph of good over evil By Sarwat Ali Many world religions have
this tradition of enacting plays to propagate the essential message of In the Middle Ages, the subsuming nature of the church meant that theatrical activity, too, had to be in line with the teachings of the Institution and, at times or, perhaps always, also be patronised by it. Since art was a handmaiden of religion and in service of the church, plays were based on the life of Jesus Christ, highlighting the important aspects of his short but poignant life. The plays usually revolved around his death and birth -- Nativity and Crucifixion. This theatre, developing from the trope with a brief interpolation in the plainsong liturgy, had more theatrical elements introduced into it during the Service, especially during the Holy Week. This often began with the procession to the church led by the performer in the role of the Christ, riding the donkey. Although other subjects were also treated, the Easter theme dominated, with more than four hundred plays written on the visit of the three Marys to Christ's tomb. The Nativity play telling the Christmas story soon merged with the Epiphany play about the visit of the Wise Men. Other popular subjects included John the Baptist, the three children in the fiery furnace, the conversation of St Paul and the raising of Lazarus. In many parts of the world, but not in sub continent, the Crucifixion was popularly enacted. Trying to stay close to reality, the faithful volunteered to be crucified on the cross. This 'Passion' play grew into a proper theatre form in the Middle Ages and then lingered on, in bits and pieces, in various regions of the world. It is said to be practised in parts of Philippines, Africa and even Germany. In the sub continent, the early Jesuit priests enacted plays and sang Psalms usually with the help of the harmonica. Since they had to travel while preaching, the harmonica was made into a portable instrument that could be easily carried around. This is also how the harmonium, now so much a part of our musical tradition, took shape. These songs were mostly in the vernacular and gradually, with the passage of time, composed in local tunes also became part of the rituals of the church. This, like the choir in the church in Europe, has become an integral part of the mass. In schools, particularly those run by the church/missions, these plays are still staged on the occasion of Christmas and Easter. These plays are mostly about the birth of Christ, the Nativity and the whole set of circumstances that led to the miraculous happenings -- the foreboding, the signs, the premonitions, all pointing to the birth of the 'saviour'.
The general feeling among the Anglos is that the excitement and enthusiasm accompanying the occasion is sorely missing in the air By Zeenia Shaukat It is difficult to imagine
how the day of the birth of the Christ would be like if it did not coincide
with the day of the birth of the founder of the nation. How would that have
helped us to know our "Over here, it's just not Christmas enough," says Mrs Angeline Francis, a Christian from Goa now settled in Karachi. Francis feels that the mood is much more celebratory back in India and even in the UAE where the malls are decorated and lit up, adding to the Christmas fever. "Here, it is just the streets of Saddar that seem to represent a bit of the festive mood. Otherwise, you would hardly know." "It may be because Christians are a minority here," says Jason Seldow, an Anglo Indian who agrees that the excitement and enthusiasm accompanying Christmas is sorely missing in the air. Whether it is the minority status of Christians or the birth anniversary of Mohammad Ali Jinnah that prevents the Christmas fever to reach its peak, the Christian community in Pakistan does manage to pull the festive season off by giving their own flavour to a number of traditional Christmas ceremonies. The Christmas festivity kickstarts with the first Sunday of December that also marks the first of the four Sundays of Advent. However, the week running up to Christmas tends to become the headiest. It's the time when traditional sweets, made of white flour, suji and a number of fruits and dry fruits are prepared. "Preparation of savouries is usually a very time-consuming activity. These sweets -- called Voras, Nauris, Kal-Kals, to name but a few -- take over eight hours to prepare and are the most special delights of Christmas, presented to guests visiting on Christmas," says Tania Fernandus, a Goan Christian settled in Lahore. Sorpotel is another interesting listing on the menu of the Goan Christians who replace pork with beef in this meat-dominated fare that is usually presented at the lunch. Food is not the only interesting part of Christmas; a few traditions followed by certain Christian communities underscore the significance of religious festivities as a way to celebrate customs. The tree-decorating exercise starts a couple of days before the Christmas day, "since it is extremely difficult to move the tree once it is decorated, because of its weight," explains Tania. The tree continues to be lit up right into the early days of the New Year, as this is considered to bring good luck into the New Year. Another tradition followed on the Christmas day is that the house is never left alone. "There has to be somebody in the house to welcome anybody visiting the house unannounced. It represents a welcoming spirit," explains Francis. Christmas, in contrast with Eid, does not have to be an early morning affair. The midnight service in the Church is usually followed by get-togethers and gift exchange sessions that go on till the wee hours of the morning. On the Christmas day itself, the exchange of greetings can resume post lunch. Seemingly, the lack of Christmas fervour on the streets is more than made up by the Christian Community that makes an effort to give local colour to the religious festivity. However, the sense of excitement always tends to be incomplete when the mood on the street fails to match the festive mood, as Pakistani Muslims spending their Eids in the Western countries would know. Perhaps, like Valentine's Day, Christmas may become a bigger celebration as soon as commerce taps into the potential of the annual festivity.
Sacred
embellishments Christmas tree A Christmas tree, Yule tree
or Tannenbaum (German for fir) tree is one of the most popular and According to Church records, St Boniface (who, also according to Church records, had felled the Thor's Oak) attempted to Christianise the indigenous Germanic tribes by introducing the notion of holy trinity by using the cone-shaped evergreen trees because of their triangular appearance. Tinsel and several types of garland or ribbon bells are commonly used to decorate a Christmas tree. Delicate painted coloured glass baubles are used as Christmas ornament Traditionally, the
Christmas trees were not put up and decorated until Christmas Eve (Dec 24)
and then removed the day after the twelfth night (Jan 6). Earlier, to have a
tree up before or after The putting up of the Christmas tree is a sacred activity where the entire family comes together to perform this task. Both natural and artificial trees are used as Christmas trees. Artificial trees have become increasingly popular, as they are considered more convenient, cleaner, and (if used for several years) less expensive than real trees. Trees come in a number of colours and forms. Some come pre-decorated with lights. At the end of the Christmas season artificial trees can be disassembled and stored compactly. Star The Star of Bethlehem is usually placed on the top of the Christmas tree and it references the 'bright and morning star' (Revelation 22:16) who is Jesus Christ. It is said to have a two-fold symbolism -- it signifies the 'Star of Bethlehem' which guided the Three Wise Men from the East to the baby Jesus. Secondly, it shows the greatness of God who created the numberless stars (Genesis 1:16). Creche The word 'creche' means 'crib'. The traditional Nativity creche consists of various depictions of Mary and Joseph with Jesus in a manger. Attending figures may include shepherds, the stable animals, the Three Wise Men, the Star and angelic heralds. -- Naila Inayat
The Midnight Mass is celebrated in churches at midnight, on Christmas Eve, the world over The Midnight Mass, held at the stroke of midnight as Christmas Eve ticks into Christmas Day, has its origins in the belief that Jesus was born at exactly that hour. The origin of Midnight Mass
is interesting. Christmas as a liturgical feast falling on Dec 25 originated Today, the Midnight Mass is celebrated in churches at midnight, of course, on Christmas Eve -- all over the world. "It starts here from 11pm and ends at midnight," says Tania who has been a regular at the Midnight Mass. "People gather in front of the church, light candles and sing carols and hymns," she says. People are then led, by the Father of the church, in the form of a procession into the church. Solemn and impressive with the happy sound of the pealing bells, with light sparkling everywhere and with hymns of joy, the Midnight Mass reaches its high point with the procession of the Christ Child, a ceremony in which a small figure of baby Jesus is processed and placed into a crib.
Today, Christmas cake is made with no special recipe but is usually decorated with colourful accessories, while cookies add colour and diversity By Sarah Sikandar Could a celebration be
complete without us catering to our sweet tooth? Desserts mark their What has come down to us as a Christmas cake started as a porridge in the early days of Christianity. Later, people started adding dried fruit and honey in order to make a special dish for the occasion. It was later complemented by a plum pudding. Today, Christmas cake is made with no special recipe but is usually decorated with colourful accessories: it is either a fruit cake or chocolate cake. Usually whisky and brandy are before the final mixture is prepared. The Christmas gourmet is not finished with the cake. Christmas cookies are also add colour and diversity. Cookies are not as important as the cake but have a special significance of their own -- they last longer and are served to guests who visit around Christmas. Cookies are also eaten as snacks while decorating and preparing for the big day. Christmas cakes and cookies basically represent the leisure time available during the holiday season, another excuse for the family to do something together. The modern fast-paced life and the availability of ready-made Christmas gourmet has taken the excitement from the preparation of these items. With the arrival of Christmas, bakeries and coffee shops begin experimenting with pastries, cookies and cakes. Internet is the best source of diverse with myriad of websites that offers specialised Christmas recipes.
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spirit of 'peace on earth and goodwill to all men'. Again, for all those who
don't belong to the community, it's a day -- coinciding with the Quaid's
birth anniversary -- when there is a definite sense of festivity in the air.
Picture a Christmas tree, laden with lights and balls; the very endearing,
podgy Santa Claus wrapped in his warm, orange-red, fur hood; a mouth-watering
cuisine of special cakes and cookies; the pealing of bells; and also the
late-night, candle-lit congregation inside a massive church hall...and you'd
know what.
also join them in festivities of Christmas and not feel secluded just for
want of money. People can either give alms directly to their servants or the
needy whom they personally know. But a better option is to pass on this
responsibility to the church which can trace the deserving recipients with
greater ease.
minorities, the reality is quite different. Senior government functionaries,
politicians and people from different walks of life can be seen partaking in
Christmas celebrations at hotels, community centres and other places. A
function held last year in connection with Christmas at St John's School in
interior city was attended as a chief guest by none other than Qazi Hussain
Ahmad, the head of Islamic parties coalition, the MMA.
communities of the country have found in Christmas an excuse to celebrate.
Moreover it's day off.
Christmas season. So, what exactly is this 'Santa' mystery that captures the
minds and hearts of all Christians, be it kids or youngsters?
their faith. Most of these plays are liturgic in nature and revolve around
some of the important events in the life of the founder and how the
appearance of the birth of the founder was the embodiment of the message
crucial to the salvation of mankind. The allied and equally important
function is to celebrate the triumph of good over evil.
Christmas carols, fruit cake, Christmas Eve celebrations and the turkey
delight a bit better than we do now? Not too bright a chance, since the Hindu
festivals of Diwali and Holi -- that usually do not coincide with any
national day or festivity -- are greeted with similar silence that
accompanies Christmas. As the Christians in the Western countries crib about
Christmas becoming an increasingly commercial affair, many in the Christian
community here in Pakistan usually do with some commercialisation of the
annual celebration. The unanimous consensus is: 'There is a serious dearth of
festive mood on the streets and in the commercial centres.'
fundamental traditions associated with the festival. It is normally an
evergreen cone-bearing tree that is brought to a home or used in the open,
and is decorated with lights and colourful ornaments during the Christmas
days. An angel or star is often placed at the top of the tree, representing
the host of angels or the Star of Bethlehem from the Nativity story.
these dates was even considered as a bad omen. Modern commercialisation of
Christmas has resulted in trees being put up much earlier; in shops, hotels
and at other MNC's often as early as early Nov. Some households do not put up
the tree until the second week of Dec, and leave it up until Jan 6.
at Rome in or around the year 330. From Rome the celebration of Christmas
then slowly spread eastwards and little by little was incorporated into the
liturgical calendar of the principal Churches. During this period the Church
at Jerusalem established some particular customs. It is said that Egeria, a
woman who made a long pilgrimage to the Holy Land from 381 to 384, described
how the Christians of Jerusalem commemorated Christmas with a midnight vigil
at Bethlehem, followed by a torchlight procession to Jerusalem arriving at
dawn to the Church of the Resurrection. Fifty years later, in Rome, Pope
Sixtus the third built a chapel that reproduced the cave of Bethlehem and
probably inspired by the custom of the midnight vigil held in Jerusalem,
instituted the practice of a midnight Mass.
presence at every such occasion. On an eid day, sawayyian become the
harbinger of a mirthful day ahead, Christmas cakes hold a very important
position in the Christmas cuisine.