Christmas Time When i Was Young

"the season is upon us now

the time for gifts and giving

as the year draws to its close,

i think about my living.

the Christmas time when i was young,

the magic and the wonder.

the colors dull, and candles dim

and dark, my standing under"

As John Denver was singing in the background through my speaker set .... i closed my eyes for a while and i was transported to the magical world of my childhood to the 'Christmas time when i was Young". This was our second rented house a small yet cosy little place in Kulshekar, Mangalore with a nice big garden. In the garden there used to be a curry leaves tree on which me and my younger brother used to climb and ride it like riding a engine of a train. We used to keep to it till amma called us for a bath the millionth time the last being with a stick.

As Christmas neared the excitement used to mount, as the season always meant meeting our cousins in Mangalore or a in Kottayam. The later was more exiting as it included the train ride up and down. Our church which is about a 75 years old is built on top of a hill. It has got the old school architecture with the grave of the founding priest attached to it. The church also had this gigantic bell whose chimes could be heard miles away. As we walk up to the church we come to a spot were the road up the hill ends. After this came a series of laterite rocks which when conquered led to a level clearing. The church could be seen in the distance. Today sadly this whole once calm and serene place is cramped with beautiful houses. That path i hear is closed.

The suddenly the big day finally arrives (in this piece of memory its in my mothers house in a village in Mangalore) and we suddenly find ourselves with our cousins yelling figthing and howling much to the annoyance of our parents. Our grandparents used to take care of us and here i should make a special mention about my maternal grandmother who used to give bath to 11 extremely naughty children one after the other. Soon after bath came the evening Rosary and then came the dinner. As beds were spread all of us kids lined up to sleep but we were hardly able to do so as we all wanted to attend the midnight mass.

The grandfather clock rang 11 and immediately all of us woke up got ready and began a 3 km long walk in the midnight to the village church. On the road we kept looking for the star which we thought the three kings saw on Christmas day about 2000 years ago. We finally make it to the church and attend the service. While the little ones slept off we, the relatively elder ones managed to stay awake throughout the mass. On the way back my uncle transported the little ones back home while we insisted we wanted to walk........ I was suddenly awakened by the banging on my door. My friend wanted to know the time table to tomorrow's classes. I kind of got irritated with him for interrupting this beautiful movement. But the damage was done and i was back to my current reality.

This year i will be spending the Christmas eve in the solitude of my hostel room and then plan to take the early morning bus to Kottayam to meet my extended family.... I think i will spend time that time by re-living "the christmas time when i was young, which was filled with the

the magic and the wonder"

Merry Christmas Every One !!!!!!!!!