rayers, exchange of gifts, cake-cutting, joyful chatter and preparing traditional food at home... This is precisely what the family of Nelson Nabeel and their relatives follow every year as part of Christmas festivities, starting as early as December 1.

Christmas is a family-driven season, says Nabeel, the chief executive officer at a call centre and a resident of Model Town. “The occasion demands that families gather at each other’s places, show love and affection for one another and bid farewell to the outgoing year.”

The celebrations culminate in welcoming the New Year with great fervour and gusto.

For decades, Christian families in this part of the world have been celebrating the festive season with get-togethers as well as by performing religious rites at the local churches. This year, Nabeel is hosting a cousin-brother who recently arrived from Dubai where he had lost his job. This is that time of the year when they would put all their worries aside, Nabeel says.

According to him, the community members go into “Christmas mode” at the beginning of December. “Every day, we have gatherings, we say prayers, bake cakes and enjoy them with our near and dear ones.”

A visit to Bahar Colony, a predominantly Christian area, would show you just that. The area is home to tiny residences, many of them rather shoddy, that overlook the dangerously crowded streets, but celebration remains part of everyone’s life here.

Rukhsana, a resident of Bahar Colony, tells TNS: “We decorate our rooms as well as the Christmas tree with twinkling light bulbs etc we purchased from the Shah Alam Market. Besides, apples, candies, tinsels, balloons and dolls are tucked onto the tree.”

Rukhsana has two sons, who perform a tableau highlighting the nativity. “When I was a kid, I used to stage a tableau; now my children are doing it. Hopefully, the tradition will be passed on to our future generations,” she adds.

No Christmas is complete without shopping. “Normally, I buy clothes and shoes for myself and my family for December 25, but the month-long celebrations means that I must buy an extra few dresses for each of our family member,” she says.

Rukhsana is quick to add that shopping is increasingly becoming an expensive proposition. “To be honest, I begin saving money for Christmas three or four months in advance, no matter how tight our budgets are.”

Bishop Ayub along with other members of the Holy Gospel Ministry in Bahar Colony makes sure they visit one family a night with traditional food gifts. “Christmas is especially looked forward to by our children, as Santa brings them gifts,” he says.

The Bishop also says that a number of ministries have popped up in recent years on almost every street.

Rukhsana said that certain traditions such as saying prayers, exchanging gifts, cake-cutting etc were sure to stand the test of time. One of the traditions from the pre-digital era that she misses the most is “sending [Christmas] cards and postcards!”

Talking about the preparations for Christmas this year, he says that some of the walls have been specially painted. One can see Santa Claus artwork and slogans of Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Justin Minhas of Allama Iqbal Town can’t wait for December 25. He says that he attends the church on December 24 from 10 in the night till 12 midnight for service. Even though he goes to bed late, he manages to get up early on December 25 and rushes back to the church.

A Christmas day is incomplete for most families without sweet dishes like gajrela and kheer. “Gajrela is to us what sewiyyan are to Muslims on an Eid day,” says Justin.

After attending the church service, most families celebrate the rest of the day outdoors — in parks, zoos and other recreational spots.

Christmas is one of the occasion that alerts the law enforcement and security agencies in the city. This year too, the Capital City Police Officer, Additional IG Ghulam Mahmood Dogar has issued standing orders to the police to provide foolproof security to the community in particular and the public in general, on Christmas.

It is learnt that more than 6,000 police officers and other government employees have been deployed at the churches, Christian neighborhoods and parks in the city. On the night of December 24 and throughout the Christmas day, those visiting the churches to attend religious sermons will only be let in after identification and checking.

Vehicles and people will be checked more often at city entrances and exits.

Asghar Zaidi, the acting vice chancellor of the University of the Punjab, says that more than 100 Christians work at the university in a variety of capacities. Public agencies and academic institutions have scheduled holidays for their Christian staff. He says that he had enhanced the special stipend for each Christian employee this year by Rs 1,000 to be awarded ahead of the holiday.

Additionally, foreign diplomats join locals in celebrating the festival. The Christian staff at Lahore Museum and US Consul General William K Makaneole recently started the Christmas celebrations with a cake-cutting ceremony. As Christmas approached, Consul General Makaneole congratulated the audience and wished everyone a happy and safe holiday season, emphasiszing that the purpose of the season was to share love.

Rukhsana, who has attended several Christmas festivities at the American Consulate General in Lahore, said that certain traditions such as saying prayers, exchanging gifts, cake-cutting etc were sure to stand the test of time. One of the traditions from the pre-digital era that she misses the most is “sending [Christmas] cards and postcards!”

The writer is a media  veteran interested in politics, consumer rights and entrepreneurship

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