Christmas magic is back in Hyderabad

After a two-year Covid hiatus, Hyderabadis have grand plans for festive season

Hyderabad: The much-anticipated festive season has arrived and after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, Hyderabadis this year are planning to celebrate Christmas grandly. From cultural activities in churches to carol singing and Secret Santa at workplaces, it seems like we are back to the pre-Covid days.

As part of the advent, which is a four-week joyous preparation for celebrating Jesus’ birth, churches in Hyderabad have already started organising theme-based fetes. Mount Carmel Church in Bowenpally has lined up events for senior citizens, couples, youngsters and children. The church has also reached out to orphan children and provided them with food.

Similarly, churches under the St Joseph Cathedral, Abids, have been divided into two zones, which will compete with each other on Advent Sundays, along with themes dedicated to senior citizens, couples, youngsters and children.

“We are happy to see a larger congregation and cheer this year. The youth from our church have begun going house-to-house singing carols,” says Rev Father Vincent from Mount Caramel church.

For Ruchita Allam, a software developer at Capgemini, Christmas has always been about celebrating with people, exchanging gifts, and spreading joy. “For the last two years, due to the pandemic, we kept the celebrations modest. However, this year, we can have a larger celebration by calling more people home,” she said, adding, “What’s exciting this year is that our office has been beautifully decorated and the management has organised traditional activities such as Secret Santa.”

Angelina, who has been going carol-singing since the start of Advent, plans to spend this Christmas extravagantly. “I’ve already decorated my tree and eagerly waiting to begin my Christmas shopping. There are also many Christmas events happening in the city this year at several places and I will surely catch up with some of them,” says the IT employee.

Photos: Surya Sridhar