A different kind of christmas

While not everyone will be marking Christmas on December 25, many people from different traditions will be holding their own celebrations, writes Sarah Taaffe-Maguire

From left: Sabi Verma is pictured at home in Newbridge, Co Kildare, with her sister Shivali, mother Surabhi, and father Sudhansh Pic: Barry Cronin
Ian Kilroy, Buddhist zen priest, pictured at home Pic: Fergal Phillips

Christmas Day is embraced with traditional Indian culture in Sudhansh and Surabhi Verma’s home. Their Hindu Christmas includes Santa, Hindu prayers and a vegetarian traditional Indian dinner. “The kids will also dress up in traditional Indian costume,” he says, “they will put on small traditional dress and saris. It’s very colourful.” Sometimes they travel to their friends and family, sometimes they invite them over. ...