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India turns into an enormous pleasure house of entertainment and fun on Christmas Eve. In fact, in many parts of the country, Christmas celebrations rock the atmosphere for an entire month. India is known for its diversity in unity and this is the perfect time to see how different communities celebrate the spirit of Christmas. Here are some of the most happening spots for spending Christmas holidays in India.

Mumbai

Mumbai, the glitzy finance capital of India and the abode of numerous film stars of the Indian industry celebrates Christmas with great aplomb. Those booking flights to India this Christmas should definitely keep Mumbai in mind. With a sizable Christian population, the city turns into one big party scene. The innumerable discos get jam packed with revellers and turn into a breeding ground for celebrity hunters. Many of the homes create a nativity scene as well. The true spirit of Christmas also comes alive in Mumbai’s scores of churches, many of them dating back from the Portuguese and Anglican British colonial eras. Some of the most well-known ones are Mount Mary’s Basilica, Gloria Church, St Michael’s Church, St Andrews Church, and St Thomas’s Cathedral.

Goa

Christmas is definitely amongst the biggest, if not the biggest celebration in Goa. Homes, cathedrals, and churches are remarkably done up in Poinsettia flowers and cribs are put up for the baby Jesus. The midnight mass is attended by overflowing throngs of crowds, which finally culminates into joyous handing out of Christmas presents and hearty feasting. Children sing Christmas carols and these melodious notes fill the night air. Like Mumbai, Goa is also well-known for its churches and cathedrals, with some of the most prominent ones being ‘Church of Our Lady of Rosary’, ‘The Rachol Seminary’, ‘Chapel of St. Francis Xavier’, ‘Chapel of St. Catherine’, and ‘Basilica of Bom Jesus’. During Christmas, Goa’s trademark partying scene takes on a new meaning. There are all night beach parties, lip smacking culinary delights, especially sea food, and lots of booze. Many of the restaurants and hotels put up special theme nights. Christmas is a truly gala affair in Goa. Furthermore, Goa is serviced by plenty of cheap flights from Mumbai is the indisputable premiere destination for anyone planning to spend Christmas holidays and New Year Eve 2011 in India.

The North East

The North East comprises the Seven Sister States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura. Teeming with a Christian population and an anglicised culture, the North East ushers in Christmas with a boom. In fact, Nagaland’s Christian tribal communities alone work up a unique atmosphere. Children sing carols in both English and Nagamese and the chanting of carols become a soothing music to the ear. Every church holds midnight masses drawing in huge crowds of devotees. Throughout the day, there are Christmas carnivals and circuses, while the nights culminate into memorable Christmas dinner parties. The mountainous terrain and the raw natural beauty of the North East add its own generous bit of charisma to the celebrations.

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