Malayalam celebrities on the best thing about Christmas and the festival menu at their homes

The season of lights, cakes, stars, music, food, and many things that exude joy has arrived. A few celebrities ruminate on the magic of Christmas and the food they relish.

Job Kurian

Singer-composer

Singer-composer Job Kurian
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SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

The best part of Christmas is being with the family. It is also that time when I catch up with friends and cousins whom I may not have met for a long time. If there is a stage show on the same evening, there is nothing better than that. I often remember the Christmas days spent at my mother’s place as a kid, especially the carol groups coming home. There was a phase when I was scared of Santa!

As for the food, the day begins with palappam and mutton stew. For lunch, my mother makes chicken biriyani and a special pineapple pudding, layered with chocolate and vanilla, which is a nostalgic thing for me. And I always prefer the fondant cake. I think only that can give me the Christmas-y feel; it is part of my childhood.

Jis Joy

Director

Filmmaker Jis Joy
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I share my birthday with Jesus Christ and that is the best thing about Christmas! A reason why this is also my favourite season with the lights, stars and a chill in the air. My first movie, Bicycle Thieves, is set in a Christmas season. The first song I wrote was for the movie, ‘Mele vaanile’, which was shot during that time. In fact, I love to feature Christmas in my movies. Coming to the food, once we all are back home after the midnight mass by around 2.30-3 in the morning, we break the fast, usually with appam and stew, and then go to sleep. Instead of breakfast, we have brunch, which is a sumptuous affair — palappam, kallappam, puttu, chicken and beef dishes, cutlets, pickles. Vegetarian dishes are few. In the evening, the family goes out for a drive, catch up with friends and have ice cream.

Stephy Zaviour

Director-costume designer

Stephy Zaviour
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THULASI KAKKAT

Christmas evokes nostalgia and that is the best part of the festival for me. I go back to the simple yet heartwarming festivities at my native place in Wayanad. Like the practice of choosing Christmas friend in school who is revealed only on the day of gift exchange or going around with carol groups in the neighbourhood and getting those eats and treats from the houses we visit. In the last few years, Christmas has been about making yummy food in my kitchen.

Come any festival, the staple at my home in Wayanad is the neychoru (ghee rice) and chicken curry whereas I make biriyani at my place.

Stephen Devassy

Musician

Musician Stephen Devassy
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Family is the first priority in my life and so spending time with them is the best thing about Christmas – my parents, wife, son, sibling, his family… I am what I am because of all of them. I try my best to bring all of them together and also catch up with friends. I love to soak in the vibe of carols. I am also quite nostalgic about the cool breeze that blows during this time back home in Palakkad as I am taken back to the simple joys while growing up.

I am a foodie and relish all kinds of home-made food on Christmas day — appam, stew, the non-vegetarian spread for lunch, cakes etc.

Nithya Mammen

Singer

Nithya Mammen
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It is a magical and musical time of the year. It is all about pure love, joy, the concept of sharing and togetherness. I personally love the festive songs and carols. I start listening to them from November end. To see the world celebrating this season makes the spirit of Christmas more magical. And the food at home is appam and stew. Carrot cinnamon cake also will be there that day.

(With inputs from Shilpa Nair Anand)