Jamshedpur aglow with festive colours for New Year celebration

Jamshedpur, Dec 22: With Christmas and New Year around the corner, the city is already dipped in festive spirit. Several shops have been decorated by hanging stockings from the roof and displaying Christmas and New Year gifts.

Christmas trees are in demand and so are decorative items like bells, boxes and Santa Claus made in various forms. However, the bakery shops are one working hard to meet the orders of cakes and pastries on time. The bakery shops are flooded with orders for Christmas cake.

“How can someone celebrate the festival of cakes and ginger wine without trying a hand at a variety of cakes and cookies available in the market. Christmas reminds me of dark plum cake, which is mostly made during this season,” said a shopkeeper.

Members of Christian community are rushing to markets and several public places to prepare for Christmas, and most hotels and coffee shops have decorated their premises with statues of Santa Claus and Christmas trees to mark the occasion. “Chocolate cake, Black forest cake, butterscotch and plum cakes are the most preferred flavours of the season. We have dark plum cakes, which we bake only during the Christmas season, and fruit cakes too are a rage here,” said a bakery owner.

Hotels are gearing up to place huge Christmas trees in their lobbies and have gotten lively Santa Claus’ to celebrate the occasion. Hotels have also introduced special Christmas sweets, cakes and eggnog. Hotel authorities said that several people come to the hotel on Christmas to celebrate the occasion.

On the other hand shops in Bistupur are flooded with gifts for the season. One can find much for doing up a house for Christmas in reds, whites and greens.

 “The most sold out items are Christmas cards, caps and chocolates. Moreover, statues of Santa Claus are also in huge demand,” Satish Tiwary, a shop owner.

“Christians gather at the church to participate in the Christmas Eve but we try to celebrate by wishing them and eating cakes and chicken and turkey biryanis,” said Rajni Malhotra, a housewife, who was busy choosing a Santa Claus in a shop for her granddaughter.

Rather than being confined to the environs of the city to welcome the New Year, many holiday revellers prefer to usher in 2023 outside the steel city.
 While Goa is once again the favourite destination, celebrating the New Year overseas is the new mantra this year. Tour operators in the city have their hands full with many educational institutions, groups and individuals making their bookings well in advance. 

Several elite clubs are being decked up for the occasion. Plans are to organise special dinner parties and music shows to welcome the New Year. “Like every year this year too we are working on celebrations for the New Year in our club premises. However food and music would be part of our celebrations,” said an official. New Year’s Eve in the city is the time for fetes and social feasts and to dig into the last minute fun. People enjoy partying with friends and family members.