‘Mom dishes out the best meal ever’
Every Christmas is a whole lot of great memories! We all meet at my mom’s home, a big bunch of us – family and friends. My mom cooks everything herself and dishes out the best meal ever! There is everything from turkey to roast chicken to some Kerala specialties...
For us, Christmas is now all about our kids and making it memorable for them each and every year. We buy a mix of gifts for the kids, and for our family and friends too. Gifts that are useful and fun as well!
— Amrita Arora, actress & homemaker
‘Going for midnight mass each year’
Manish Swarup
My most outstanding memory of Christmas is spiritual - going for midnight mass each year to my mother’s village in Camurlim (Bardez, Goa). The next day, I visit the children of parents with AIDS in Tivim... I’m a vegan and don’t eat meat or dairy, but that does not stop me from feeding my non-veg friends Goan classics like vindaloo and sorpotel.
— Wendell Rodricks, fashion design guru & author
‘Enjoying Christmas with dad and his wives’
“The most amazing Christmas memory I have is of being in America and it was my daughter Alaia’s first Christmas. At the table was my dad with… Wife No. 1 (my mom), their child (me) and his grandchild Alaia. Plus my ex-husband Farhan Furniturewalla.
Also Wife No. 2 Ixcbel, their son together (Adam) and her current husband at that time (Ken). Also at table was papa's Wife No. 3 Nikki. All of us wore Christmas hats and enjoyed a table filled with the yummiest Christmas fare! During Christmas, I always have a large Christmas tree at home adorned with decorations – which is a delightful collection curated from my travels all around the world.
And I always serve stuffed roast chicken with red wine sauce and cranberry sauce, plus salads and mashed potato. Pastas too. Also yummy marzipan and the most delicious traditional rich fruit Christmas cake.
This year, I will be in Goa… so, for the first time it’s not going to be a big family affair. Just my fiancé Maneck Contractor and I… so, our Christmas menu will be smaller for sure!”
— Pooja Bedi, actor & life coach
‘Everything was homemade’
My most special Christmas memories are definitely of when I was growing up in Delhi from the age of 6-15. In the wintry cold, preparations would be on in full swing! Everything was homemade – kulkuls, traditional rich plum rum cake, fudge, rose cookies, salt meat, ginger wine…
We used to go carol singing to all the parishioners’ houses… Decorating the Christmas tree and house, shopping for new clothes, going for midnight mass, opening our Christmas gift after mass… it was all such wonderful family time! The best of times…
— Marc Robinson, Fashion & Beauty Pageant Director
‘Christmas at home’
“My fave Christmas has always been Christmas at home where my mum used to cook and all our friends used to come over. But now it’s my sister who has taken over and she makes the most outstanding rum cake! My niece Tanushka makes the most delicious stuffed chicken.
We always have the most amazing marzipan and milk cream too. My colleagues and friends Aamir Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and several others are regular guests at our Christmas meal.
Every year, I give them cake, traditional Christmas sweets and a gift. The gift varies each year – from custom-made ceramic salad bowls, to hand printed lotus duvet and cushion covers...”
— Ashley Rebello, Bollywood fashion designer & entrepreneur
