"Jingle Bells Jingle Bells,Jingle all the way, Oh,what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh".

This is probably the most popular Christmas carol,sung and played all over the world today. Author James Lord Pierpont who wrote the song,never meant it to be a Christmas carol,rather it was for a thanksgiving program at a church in Georgia. But the song has its own destiny,it was so well accepted by the people that later in 1857 it was recorded and released with the title 'Jingle Bells" and Edison Brown wax Cylinder was the first to give his voice  in 1898. Well,this is a small history behind this song,which I just wanted to share with you all.

Think about Christmas and the first figure that comes to our mind, is of a man with white beard,round big tummy,wears a red color suite and carry a red bag full of chocolates and gifts. We all call him Santa Clause and he rides on a one horse sleigh. The color red and white is very well associated with him and so the Color of this celebration. During the Christmas weeks ,we love to dress ourselves in red and it is always so fun to watch children specially the little ones, wearing Santa caps and play around. Santa Clause is truly is the most loved man in the world and why not after all he brings so much hope and positive energy in our lives. We all love to see him dancing and singing with his bag.

The next fun that we look forward to in Christmas,is decorating the Christmas tree and hanging a big star in it. I have some very fond memories with Christmas celebration. Being studied in a Convent,we were told many stories about lord 'Jesus' and rituals associated with Christianity. Every year we used to act on different stories related to the celebration and had lots of fun. At home too,we celebrated this day with much enthusiasm. My Dad once gifted me a huge Star,which I used to hang on our terrace every Christmas.

Along with fun and decorations, Christmas also means indulgence in lot of baked goodies. My mom was never into baking,though occasionally she used surprised us with yummy cookies and cakes,but those were just to quest her baking skills. In Guwahati (the place where I was born in India,there was a very famous bakery shop called Shaikh Brothers and they used to sell the yummiest cookies,breads and cakes. For us it was almost like a ritual to start our Christmas day with their baked items. God, I am getting so nostalgic.

My little one,has her endless questions and demands these days. Not that I fulfill all her demands but when they are related to food,I often can't say no to them. So,this time when she want me to make something out of her favorite Oreo biscuits,I didn't mind spending an entire afternoon in the kitchen. This time it was more fun because we both participated in the processes and while we were preparing our truffles,I was narrating her some small stories from Jesus birth and why we celebrate Christmas. I want to pass on the same spirit and values to her with which I have grown. That day in the kitchen I realized that we were not only making truffles but also memories ,which she is going to cherish later in her life. In the evening while we were enjoying our Oreo truffles,I could see her eyes gazing at the moon in the clear sky,through our window. Though I am not sure,what exactly her little mind was thinking,but I think she was looking out, of the window with a hope that a red color sleigh might cross the moon,with a big fat man in red,weaving his hand and wishing her 'Merry Christmas'.