With Christmas just around the corner I am so excited about my coming holiday to Goa. Christmas in Goa has a unique and magical atmosphere and is filled with the spirit of joy. It is glorified by both Christians and non Christians as a cultural festival where generosity, kindness and happiness are embraced to bring everyone together.  

My first Goan Christmas in India was an unforgettable warm and heart opening experience, unlike any other I have had. What can I say about Christmas in Goa? How did it all begin? 

In the Beginning

With the advent of the Europeans into the flourishing land of India as early as the 14th century significant changes took place in the history of the country. The effects of modernisation and westernisation were slowly incorporated into the traditional social and political institutions and with this several churches were constructed where Christian religious gospels where spread amongst the natives of the country. Despite gaining her independence in 1947, to date many European customs and festivals are still celebrated all over the country. 

Christmas is actually one of the biggest and most cherished festivals of the Indian Christian community where many of the traditional ceremonies of the festival have been beautifully adjusted to suit the Indian climate. It is gorgeous to see the auspicious trees of the Hindus such as the mango and banana trees honoured with Christmas decorations and lights instead of the traditional pine tree, and candles are substituted with "diyas" small clay lamps filled with oil or clarified butter that are usually used to celebrate the Hindu festival of lights called Diwali. Just as is on Diwali these are usually placed in front of homes and high walls to ward off evil and attract light, love, prosperity and good luck. In every Indian Christian home you will find a nativity with the traditional crib for baby Jesus. Most families purchase new clothes for good luck just as we do here in Hong Kong for Chinese New Year. Occasionally homes are refurbished and happiness, joy and good tidings are welcomed with open hearts and open arms - the spirit of love and giving pervades everywhere.

Bewitching fragrances of spicy foods, baked goodies and home made candies can be found in every nook and corner. Houses are colourfully decorated with tinsel and sweet melodious carols echo in the air. It is the season to be jolly and one cannot help but feel its freshness, warmth and joy. December is also the wedding season for many Catholics in India, so, besides Christmas there are plenty of family reunions and weddings.

My First Goan Christmas

On Christmas Eve all churches hold a heavenly midnight mass. This event is extremely important and has a great religious significance in the Indian Christian calendar as messages and orations of love and purification are given out to the large numbers of Christians and Non Christians, who gather together to who pray and to thank the lord for his sacrifices. My first midnight mass was in Goa in 1999, where my husband and I were invited to celebrate Christmas with our best friends who have a huge family and family home there. 

Their neighbourhood church was just breathtakingly beautiful. Decorated with lights, gorgeous red poinsettia flowers and filled with the shimmer of candles and diyas. Soft hypnotic hymns filled the air with a deep feeling of love and gratitude touching our hearts and made us thankful for all the good tidings of the season. Once the Mass was over it was time to head back to "home" to make merry with all and drink loads of "fenny", a distilled liquor made from coconuts or cashew apple, and mulled wine. 

The banquet that usually follows all the chatter and merry making is traditionally a sumptuous feast of uncountable delicacies I just don't know where to begin!  The very famous spicy pork vindaloo curry is a must have, along with a pilaf or steamed rice. Then there is the velvety rich chicken xacuti masala which is chicken cooked with freshly grated coconut, garlic, ginger and heaps of spice, absolutely yum! A fiery chorizo sausage garnished with potatoes, and Goa being the seafood nirvana that it is my favourite, Goa coconut fish curry along with stuffed recehiad masala bhangras (mackerel stuffed with a spicy red chilli sauce) and spicy crab xec xec, which is crab cooked with coconut, chilies and black peppercorns, are all the flavours from the sea that grace the Goan Christmas table.

Totally intoxicated with all the food and drink, I had no place whatsoever for the bibinka sweet meat and Aunty Genet's  intoxicating rum "drunk" plum cake which I saved for breakfast the next morning. After dessert, came the liquor, a sweet Goan Port, and as is tradition presents were exchanged with huge bear hugs and a loud "Merry Christmas". If you like to retire early, be prepared the merry making goes on until the wee hours of the morning and you'll find it hard to slip away, the Goan warmth will not let you do so. Just in case make sure you keep the panadol and alka seltzer by your bedside so your up and ready for the next morning as in Goa the Christmas party never stops. 

Christmas is the best time to be in Goa: the weather is glorious, the atmosphere festive, the homes adorned with tinsel and diyas, the food delicious and even fireworks light up the evening sky. In Goa the party spirit is  permanent  and a gleeful, jolly and scrumptious Christmas under her tropical skies are sure to bring you back to this magical place.

Recipe - Goan Fish Curry with Mango

500gms firm white fish fillets (sole or rainbow trout)

1 just ripe mango, peeled and cubed into 2 inch pieces

4 tbsps vegetable oil

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

7-8 dry red chilies soaked in ¼ cup hot water for 20 minutes

7 cloves garlic 

2 tbsps coriander powder

1 tbsps cumin powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

2 green chillies, slit

3 curry leaves 

330ml coconut milk

Hot water for gravy (approximately 1/4 - 1/2 cup)

Sea salt to taste

Freshly cracked black pepper

Freshly chopped coriander leaves

In a mini blender blitz the soaked red chilies, garlic, coriander powder, cumin, turmeric, red chilli powder and lemon juice to a smooth thick paste like consistency (add more water to blitz if necessary). Heat the oil on a medium flame and sauté the onion until it just begins to turn golden in colour. Add the blitzed masala and fry for just a minute. Add the slit green chilies, curry leaves and coconut milk and bring this to a boil. Now pour in the water (1/4 cup to start with - you may like it a bit more soupy if so add more water). Add salt to taste. Gently lower the pieces of fish into the gravy and cook for 10 more minutes. Do not cover the pan at any time during the cooking.  Toss in the ripe mango pieces. Turn off the fire, sprinkle over the freshly cracked black pepper and finely chopped coriander leaves and serve immediately with plain boiled rice or pilaf.