Christmas Nostalgia

Corridors ringing with carol rehearsals, auditions for the Christmas play going on in full swing, the holy hut being set up, and the entire building decorated inside out with all things festive. This was the atmosphere that greeted us this time of the year in my second home, my school.

Listening to Rhianne’s “Somewhere Only We Know”, I was reminded indubitably of my school, the place I know every single detail of, my place of peace, power and love for the past fourteen years.

And this Christmas, yes, is the first I am spending away from it.

Its something about Christmas, all due to being a faithful convent student, that just excites me up so much! The cheer of having freshly baked Christmas plum cakes, of dancing to “Christmas Time, Mistletoe and Wine”, of opening those little, cute gifts from family and friends, and of watching the quintessential “Home Alone” curled up on the living room couch while having hot chocolate. Incomparable fleeting moments of joy, all there to light the warmth within, when there’s a chill in the weather all around.

And, don’t get me started on Christmas trees! Those tall, coniferous, towers of joy all laden with bright red and golden tinsels, decked up with Christmas baubles and encircled in scintillating fairy lights convey the very crux of the Christmas spirit!

Although, I’ve spent almost all my life trying to figure out how to sing Christmas carols (and, am still not good at it), I really do enjoy listening to them. The crescendos, the modulations, the chorus, the entire experience of attending the carols is just so electrifying!

The most exciting part for us, back then, used to be when we were asked to decorate our classrooms a week before Christmas. Finally given a free hand at decor, we kids used to go mad and created everything remotely connected to Christmas. There used be bright red Christmas socks, Christmas trees, Santa Claus, snowmen, all in all shapes and sizes, and cotton, loads of cotton, our ‘fake snow’, as we used to call it then!

So finally, this year, when they could’t keep me anymore (I’ve completed my 12th class), I’m spending the Christmas away from my second home. In desperation, I’ve been trying to visit churches, watching Christmas movies, and reading Christmas themed books, all so I don’t (desperately) miss my school. But, as you’ve already read, maybe I’m not really succeeding at it. No worries, we’ll keep on trying!!

“From darkness lead me unto light” – the motto I grew up listening to, sums up what Christmas and other festivities try to convey. There will always be the darkness of despair, rejection and loss of love. But it is with love, joy and hope that light can truly be found. For, as Dumbledore said,

 “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times,

   If one only remembers to turn on the light”.

Merry Christmas!!

and yes, of course,

Happy Reading!!