A Different December

Funny thing. .. every December does it to me. In the blink of an eye, it’s nothing but another workday — and then we’re staring down a fresh year with hardly more than a couple of weeks left. Eighteen days, give or take. Wild, right?

Right around this time, it’s as though the entire world flips a switch. Lights everywhere. Smiles everywhere. Christmas carolists chipping away on phones and the stores whether you liked it or not. And honestly? That joy makes sense. People celebrate in dfferent ways, with different people. Some of us cling to family, some disappear with friends, and some are a combination of the two as we’re feeling cold or rich or just plain lucky. Priorities change. That’s life.

Therefore, rather than feigning that my experience mirrors what you're accustomed to seeing in movies or Instagram reels, I'm going to say it flat out—my year-end season looks… different. Very different, actually. India is layered like that. Cultures inside cultures. Traditions stacked on traditions. Castes, religion, customs — all sewn together based on which family you are born into.

Christmas isn’t a thing in my house. And before anyone reads too much into that — yes, I honor all religions. Honestly I believe in every god.” But our caste, our religion really doesn’t celebrate Christmas. That’s it. No drama. No rejection. Just difference.

Well, the truth is that where I live there are few Christians. So few, that I’m not able to personally witness a stereotype, knee-deep Christmas party in the flesh. Not once. No midnight mass, no trees glued with decorations in living rooms, no gift-giving under fairy lights. It’s mostly about New Year’s for us.” December 31st. One night. That’s the big deal.

And holidays? Yep, none of the luxuries around here. Perhaps a day off for festivals. Schools or universities may get a week, if they are fortunate enough. Offices? Most people are working on through to the end of the year. Hustle doesn’t stop only because the calendar changes.

New Year’s Eve now — that’s when things let loose. People step out. Mostly with friends. Same here. Last post I talked about my rough plan, but just to reiterate— unless my family manages to abruptly change their minds, odds are good that I will be welcoming the New Year with friends.

What does that look like? Nothing fancy. We could rent a farm, play loud music and get drunk and just be loud for a night. That’s the way groups of boys usually celebrate here. Simple. Chaotic. Loud. Sometimes fun, sometimes… meh.

Honestly, nothing’s fixed yet. Plans change fast. We could scrap the farm and do a DJ night or some where else instead. Then again if we’re being real, the culture of my city doesn’t exactly help either—no proper clubs, no actual nightlife. Except the same rave-style parties grow cloying after a bit. You dance. You sweat. You wonder why you came. Then you leave.

Until then, it’s just routine. Work. Sleep. Repeat. Days roll by quietly.

That’s the way it generally works anyway. I’m yet to come across anyone who plans the group mascot. They happen with little warning, often an hour beforehand. And then the fireworks, the partying, the countdown — January 1st is here and boom. Back to normal life. Same alarms. Same roads. Same responsibilities.

Still, we hope. We always do. The new year is kinder to us. That dreams we’ve discussed forever finally happen. That something clicks.

I’ll post any fresh plan that emerges. For sure. For now, stay where you are, do your thing every day, keep at it.

And to all who do celebrate Christmas and these days with full heart — sincerely, I wish you joy. Lots of it. Stay smiling.