Great party. Naisha sang her heart out during the carol singing. Since I was partly responsible for the choir I had to stand with them and Hrit wrestled with me throughout the singing. I had to put up with him with a smiley christmasy face when all I was feeling like doing was giving him one solid whack. And I was singing too! Sometimes Hrit is sooo unmanageable.
He quietened down once the carols were through. Then Santa came on… Hrit and Naisha are still a bit scared of him, so they refused to even shake hands even while the other kids were completely mobbing him. After a looooong time Naisha gathered the courage to shake hands and then Hrit followed. After that they became comfortable.
They enjoyed the dancing at the end of the party and were the ONLY good children who waited to get home to open their gifts. Keep it up kids… mwuuaah mwuuuaah. You are the best.
Another good thing… when they opened their gifts, I think for the first time, they said… ‘this is exactly what I wanted’. Thank God… Santa breathed a sigh of relief.
Naisha loved her Barbie even though it didn’t have a wand and Hrit loved his tractor trolley. Amen!
Christmas!
This year will be the first Cristmas that the kids are aware of. They are quite excited for obvious reasons – Santa and his gifts. Naisha’s quite clear she wants a ‘Barbie with a stick and a star’ – a wand in normal parlance. I’ve resigned myself to her Barbie fixation. Hrit keeps vacillating between a tractor and a trolley, a guitar (when he saw one during carol practise), a badminton racket and God knows what else. I hope they’re happy with the gifts ‘santa’ gets them. Am quite anxious actually.
Ganapati Bappa Moriya – Naisha
This is my favourite time of the year. Beginning now right till the year end it’s just fun all the way. We’ve just finished Ganapati and Navaratri will be here in less than two weeks’ time.. then Dussehra, Diwali, Christmas and New Year… isn’t that totally WOW!!
Ganapati was great this year too. The drums, the fireworks, the colour and the dance and song in our society were just great. The fancy dress this year was more fun for us because Vineesh, Yash, Laddu and the two of were all together in the act. We did the Ramayan vanavasa. Our roles were very well thought out. Yash was Ram and Laddoo was Lakshman because both of them had to have the same hairdo and accessories, Vineesh was Hanuman because he is the biggest Hanuman bhakt ever. More importantly, he is the only true drama king among us and only he could blow out his mouth like a monkey and hold it like that all through the performance. Hrit bhai was Bharat because of his fixation with everyone’s chappals and shoes and I, being the only girl had to be Seeta… not that I’m complaining. I had these awesome long hair right upto my knees… going by mama’s genes I guess this was my one chance at having long hair. I even had a ‘doopatta’ which mama draped over my head… I think I looked great. Hrit bhai looked absolutely regal in his violet velvet jacket and a lavender dhoti. His jewellery was something to die for, complete with fuchsia ear drops and a bunch of necklaces that would give a girl a complex. He had a super wig too which he refused to wear. But mama is one determined woman and she went on stage behind him with the wig in hand and planted it on bhai’s head once he was properly mesmerised by the stage lights.
I was a tad uncomfortable too what with the hair and the satin dupatta but once we were all on stage I completely got into the act as did Hrit bhai. He did Jai when mama asked me too and I lifted my hand in an ‘aashirvaad’. It was great fun. The only sad part was that Laddu cried his way through the show.
Fancy dress in the middle of illness – N
It’s been a bad month. We’ve taken turns to fall ill for the last three weeks.
But we’re kindered spirits and we bounce back pretty soon. Being ill didn’t mean we stopped having fun. For starters there was the fancy dress contest. Oh we had loads of fun. Bhai finally did go as Lalu. He was so excited he walked on stage (with mama) much before his cue. The announcer who was saying ‘here is the man who likes to keep people waiting’ ended up looking a little foolish because bhai was already there!! So she shooed him away backstage till she finished her introduction speech and then he made a grand re-entry.
But we’re kindered spirits and we bounce back pretty soon. Being ill didn’t mean we stopped having fun. For starters there was the fancy dress contest. Oh we had loads of fun. Bhai finally did go as Lalu. He was so excited he walked on stage (with mama) much before his cue. The announcer who was saying ‘here is the man who likes to keep people waiting’ ended up looking a little foolish because bhai was already there!! So she shooed him away backstage till she finished her introduction speech and then he made a grand re-entry.
Then it was my turn and mama handed over bhai to her friend right in front of the stage and ran back for me. I went as a fairy princess. Mama did make wings for me. She tried to make me wear my dress at home but I went crazy trying to look at my wings. Since they were on my back it was quite a struggle to look at them… imagine having something really exciting stuck to your back! Anyway. so off came the dress. I got to wear it barely five minutes before my stage appearance.
All those bright lights were a bit daunting and I felt a little lost though mama was right behind me. Then I heard all the aunties calling out my name and I grew comfortable. Just as I was beginning to enjoy myself the announcer aunty said ‘a big round of applause for this little fairy princess’ and mama was marching me off the stage.
So that was our first stage appearance.
Ganapati bappa is coming! – N
Yessss!!! Ganapati bappa is here… gosh you should see the celebration to believe it. Mumbai is so decked up it’s fun. We’ve never seen so many lights everywhere… it’s like Diwali. Our society has this awesome Ganapti idol. While we were down for our evening playtime today some guys started drumming huge dhols. Bhai couldn’t help rocking in time with the beats and I did an impromptu jig (which obviously mama recorded!). We didn’t want to go up at all but mama and Sophia didi dragged us away because it was dinner time. There will be lots of contests and dances and plenty of music till visarjan. I think I LOVE the dhol best.
The high point for us is the fancy dress contest which we will be participating in. Mama is soooooo excited. I am dressing up like a fairy princess. I have a white jhanky dress which I’ll wear, I’ll get to hold a wand with a star, and if mama can make them, then I’ll also have wings. As for bhai mama is trying to decide between whether he should go as Laloo Yadav (which is very easy – White kurta pajama, pwder in hair, toy train in hand) or as a Pandit ji. Someone suggested we should go as Motu Patlu but mama said bhai will never forgive her if she makes him ‘Motu’. Besides she has a personal problem with bhai being called ‘motu’.