Christmas Eve...!!!!

Chrsitmas Eve finally:):) Though the excitement this year for the first time is very less...Strange...c'mon am in New York...the City which celebreates Christmas in the grandest way...but ya, with the current temperament of the tides this year..with the financial recession, the terrorist attacks and its aftermath...the Yule tide seems little mellowed down...how do one rejoice over their own happiness if people around are sad????
But ya,Christmas though being an Hindu has always been one of my favourite festivals of the year...more because I grew up in a Convent culture with their customs and rituals...and the X-mas eve always special...it was the day before school closed for Winter vacation...and the nite when Saint Nicholas came visiting....the best feeling of the year..to wake up at the earliest hours in the morning and feel the gift under my pillow...that is an excitement I still feel...and that happiness which any kid over the World can never let go across countries and over the world...
I agree Commercialism in the modern world has hyped Christmas, Santa Claus,the warmth of gift giving,the real message of this festival...but its still on us to hold the joys and the togetherness that this season brings...at home...away from home...
Remember I mentioned my dearie "Christmas Story" in a previous post..let me share one of the story from it...in my words...(the magic of Christmas story-telling!!!)
Once upon a time,in a town in Italy,lived a poor man with his three beautiful daughters.The old man worried always as he didn't have enough savings to give in marriage for his daughters with good men..One day a week before Christmas,the three sisters sat in the courtyard lamenting over there future..the youngest daughter was crying and saying,"Our old father is always worried about our marriage...Is there no way can we solve his problem?"
At that time a young,kind hearted priest,Father Nicholas was crossing that way and overheard their talk. He felt sad for the girls and wished if in any way he could bring joy to the girls' lives.
One week later,on the night of Christmas Eve,the young priest came and dropped three small pouches of gold coins for each of the girl....
When they woke up in the morning,and found the bags..the girls leaped in merry and showed it to their father.The old father shed tears of joy and thanked Christ and his saint who anonymously gifted them on this day of 25t,december..
As myth goes this was one of the stories of the kind-hearted Saint Nicholas, who later came to be popularly known as Santa Claus...
and as my favourite Christmas Carol goes-
Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn king!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful,all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies.....
Merry Christmas to all!!!
To old friends who have moved on with time,to best friends who have stayed constantly in my lives and to new friends who have brought great joy to my life..
To my family who are though far are always near to me..
To those few whom I have loved with my life...
May this season bring you lots of joy and strength and herald a wonderful new year!!!