For this family, Christmas means beautifying Bandra

Raina Fernandas, elder sister of Surve’s wife, says her home is currently in a mess because each item is prepared in her flat in a housing society nearby before they are shifted to the garden 10 days before Christmas. Their society has Christians and Hindus living together. “We celebrate all festivals but I enjoy Christmas the most. Everyone can come and enjoy the decorations,” said Surve.

This year, on one side of the garden they have created a Noah’s Ark with a bonfire nearby. At the other end, a snowman stands near a decorated Christmas tree with the middle of the garden depicting the scene from Jesus’s birth. The crib shows a baby Jesus being laid in a manger and a valley nearby.

Children were up early to help with putting everything together. “I give tuitions, so the children from my class also help out,” said Fernandas.

According to Surve, Noah’s Ark was the toughest to put together. The wood for the Ark was bought from Kurla. “It involved a lot of welding work, along with the big star made of iron and cloth,” said Surve, who is a bike mechanic and also fixes air-conditioners at homes.

“We had earmarked a space for people to come in and click photographs. Sometimes it becomes impossible to control the crowd and we have to shut the gate to the garden,” said Fernandas, busy with the decorations. The gate opens by 7 pm.

“I have always enjoyed doing creative things since I was a child. The real joy is seeing people light up when they enter this area,” said Fernandas. They won a competition for the best crib in Bandra last year. “In the evening, there will be music too. At midnight, we will start serving coffee and cakes to people,” she added. They usually spend from their own pockets or use money given by other sponsors. “We won the competition and saved that money to put the decorations together,” said Surve. The family has already started thinking of ideas for next year as this is one activity that every member of the family enjoys equally.