December 20, 2011

Christmas Star

It was a very pretty star. White colour, made of paper, with many little Santas in red laughing all over.

It was a very very pretty star.

We weren’t exactly one of those families who put up a star during Christmas every year. Not because we didn’t believe in Christmas- we are Mallus. We believe in ALL festivals, religion no bar. We just need a reason to celebrate and eat and drink. We just didn’t have a star. The one that was bought even before I was born had lived its full life and had to be thrown away. So I didn’t really have any memories of Acha taking out the star during Christmas and tying it to the light-bulb. But I loved stars. Absolutely loved them. I used to go around the whole apartment admiring my neighbours’ stars. Aren’t they just lovely?


So one Christmas, when I was in college, I pestered Acha to get me one. Off we went one evening, father and daughter, star-shopping. I dragged him along to numerous stores until I found the perfect one. Normally, he would’ve taken whichever star he found first in the first shop and bought it. Not exactly the patient shopper, my dad. But for once, he seemed as excited I was, to buy a star.



Shiny ones, huge ones, small ones, ones with intricate designs- we found loads of varieties. But I didn’t like any of them. I wanted one that, when I looked at it twinkling in my verandah in the evening, would make me smile and appreciate the spirit of Christmas. Not one that would hurt my eye with its glossiness and give me the feeling of being in a very tacky discotheque. Nope, I didn’t want a disco ball.

After a couple of hours of rigorous searching, many rounds of screening and elimination, we finally found one. It was very simple, the simplest of the lot. There was nothing outstanding about it. But the jolly little santas on the white background brought a smile to my lips instantly.

I was like an excited bunny all the way back home. I couldn’t wait to hang it up. I didn’t even let dad change clothes or have a sip of water once we got home. It HAD to be up immediately. And so he pulled out a few wires, found a bulb, and hung it up. I spent the entire evening outside in the corridor, admiring my star. I knocked on my neighbours’ doors, dragged them outside and showed it to them proudly. I just loved the way it lit up our corridor. Before going to bed at night, I went and peeped at it again, said a ‘Goodnight’ to it, and went to bed a happy, excited person.

For the next couple of days, I couldn’t wait for it to be dark outside, so that I could switch on the star-light. I didn’t let Amma or Acha switch it off till late into the night.

One morning, I was standing outside in the corridor, talking to Ritu Didi and Amma, when I felt something amiss. I glanced up at my star- and all I found was a bulb hanging there.

Somebody had stolen my Christmas star.

I don’t know which bastard could do such a cheap thing. A Christmas star, of all things?? And that too such a simple one? Till date, it’s a mystery. Where could my star have gone? No, it could not have got torn and flown away in the wind, because there were no remains of paper or the string on the bulb wire. It had been neatly cut away.

I haven’t bought a Christmas star after that. I was heart-broken. I know it’s over-dramatic to be so dejected over such a simple thing, but to me, that star was special.

Dad bought another star a couple of years back. It’s big and shiny and twinkly and lights up our verandah.

But it’s not as pretty as my Christmas star.

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I didn’t want to write a negative Christmas story, but I wanted to share this with you guys.

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What are your favourite Christmas memories?




P.S: I’m going home on 24th morning. HOME! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!! :) :) :)

Images courtesy Google and The Raw Hen (also goes by the name of Rohan)

18 comments:

  1. Coincidentally, our star went up less than ten minutes back:)

    And who steals a star?!-_-
    But you should really break the curse(?) and get another one this time.
    For putting things past and all that jazz:)

    :D look at the dour Scorpio all happy-jumpy at going home!

    The hen is really REALLY good, tell him.

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  2. If somebody stole the star, it means it was steal worthy.

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  3. I absolutely love those stars.. Christmas or not.. but awesome ones are available only around Christmas time :) And yeah, little things during childhood mean a lot.

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  4. Sorry to hear you lost your star. That's a pretty mean thing to do, steal a symbol of festivity. Although, I wonder why he/she left the bulb behind.

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  5. oiii stealing a x'mas star :O .. what a nasty little thing to do..

    if it would make u feel better..lets just say..some poor old daddy took it to their child..young hungry n whaling..to show him d star...so he would eat..so he would be happy.. and there would be light in their own house :)

    this year go buy a star..take ur time.. this yr yor star will stay :)

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  6. :( I know how it feels to lose simple yet important things. Nothing can entirely replace it. Let us just hope someone stole it or rather took it for a good reason... Maybe some little girl needed that simple star more than you did? Maybe it was her christmas wish to have a simple white star with santas all over and she couldn't afford to buy one.

    Or maybe I just have a wild imagination.. but its okay!

    Buy a new one.. A simple one. A pretty one. Light it up and smile :D

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  7. Awww <3
    So cute, spaceman :D
    We become better humans and do justice to our emotional quotient when we start appreciating the little details in life...like when we did as children!

    I simply adored the way you wrote it!

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  8. Loved your story! My favourite memory is hanging up my stockings on Christmas eve and finding it filled with chocolates and other goodies! :D

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  9. Whoever did that was dumb! It's contrary to the Christmas spirit - in fact, he/she stole your Christmas! Can imagine how that became a deterrent for you; but maybe you need to try with renewed faith. Go buy a star this time! :)

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  10. Well my Christmas memory is I bought a tree this time!! For the very first time..!! I made the exact same tantrums, only thing it was in the shop right infront of the tree being published :P!!! I am sure Amma and Acha agreed only because of the embarrassment :P!!! But I loved decorating it :)!!!

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  11. Same pinch.I've always had the "star-crush" .My dad too has it.The first one he bought me was ugly,"Pink and white with a cricket batsman on it". I bawled.
    During Christmas time,I've enjoyed my bus trips.I used to count the stars that hung in the homes we passed.Counting a 100 was the target.

    You reminded me all that with this post Divya..Hugs and merry christmas wishes to you.

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  12. Sometimes little things bring us such great joy! My favorite Christmas memories include singing carols at school (I spent my primary school days at a convent) and the sisters there would give us yummy plum cake later :)
    Have an awesome time at home, and indulge in your fav rice and fish curry :D

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  13. My favorite Christmas memory is gorging on all the Delicious Plum cake. I was handfed loads of plum cake because " my sisters(neighbours)" were Christians and I was their favorite little brother.

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  14. Awwww...Christmas is all about children and being children for grown ups...may the star you lost then find its manifestations for you now...

    Happy holidays and wish u all the brightness:-)

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  15. Aww...kis kambakht ne churaya? I want to smack that idiot on his head! :/ Once, some thief stole our Christmas lights we had put on our garden plant. :(

    My memories of Christmas are of the Christmas carols from various churches that visit our locality during Christmas late in the night. As late as 1 am sometimes! These carols only go to Christians' houses, so my sister and I would peep through our curtains at the first sound of their drums as they passed our house. It used to be super exciting. :) After her marriage it's different. But a Christmas carol had come to our place yesterday and my sis and nephew were at home. I wanted to see how the lil 7 month old would react to it, but the little one was asleep!

    Merry Christmas Divya, have a lovely Chrsitmas at home. :)

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  16. Who steals a star?! That's such a nasty thing to do -_-
    Buy a star this year no? And light it up =)
    Also yaaaaaaaaaay =d Have fun!!!!
    xx

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  17. Someone stole the star!!! might be they thought stolen things are sweeter than the original things :) :) he he.... This year buy a new one and try to enjoy the Christmas to the fullest :)

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  18. @All: Thank you for the comments, you guys. Sorry I'm not replying individually. I'm down with a bad back sprain, plus the holiday-season laziness.

    Merry christmas, you all. And a happy new year! :)

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