Jamshedpur gears up for Christmas celebration

Jamshedpur, Dec 14: Across the city, churches are gearing up for Christmas. Lights are being strung out, choirs practising carols and skits are being readied. The prominent churches have put up their schedules, and at many places, celebrations began over the weekend.

Choirs are gearing up to ring in the festival, with many groups rehearsing carols for the midnight mass. Like every year the bishop house at Golmuri is being decked up for the celebration where more than 500 people are expected to gather on Christmas day.

Over the past two weeks, members of the choir have been visiting homes of parishioners. After a session of carols, the choir and members of the household exchange greetings and sweets, a member of the choir.

A member of the choir said, “Most of the choirs began practising for the Christmas season. Caroling has always been the most awaited part of Christmas celebrations.”

On the eve of Christmas day, a mass midnight prayer was organised in elaborate decoration and will be done on this occasion at all the churches in the city including St Mary’s Church, Bistupur, Beldih Baptist Church, Northern Town and St Anthony’s Church in Parsudih.

Officials of St Mary’s Church said that the tableaux of Jesus Christ would specially be made for this auspicious occasion. The entire premises would also be decorated where people belonging to all sections will light candles on Christmas day.

Meanwhile a lot of shops in Bistupur and Sakchi are decked up with Christmas and New Year cards, decoration items, not to mention stars and Christmas trees-the city will be painted in red and white to bring in the Yuletide with fervour.

Mouth–watering Christmas cakes have been displayed at famous shops like Relish, Howrah Bakery and Brubeck Bakery. The youth are especially excited to celebrate the occasion with devotion. People are making a beeline for shops to buy attractive Christmas trees, cakes, gifts and decorative bells, despite skyrocketing prices.

“We are in the preparation of Christmas and we are visiting this stall to buy some items for our Christmas tree and as the rates of the petrol, gas, everything has gone up, so the rates of these items are also reaching the sky. But the items are really good,” said a local resident.