BYOC

I have heard of BYOB, or bring your own bottle to office (and not the bottle you’re thinking about, I know it’s Christmas and that’s the only bottle that comes to mind immediately), last night learned a new concept, BYOC, or bring your own chair, or mats, to church. It may seem novel, or even borderline humorous, but considering the crowd, I can understand why people would get their own chairs (folding ones, obviously) and mats to church.

To say that the Church was packed to the rafter would have been an understatement, cause not only was the Church full (actually didn’t even get in there), the grounds around it was full with people of all ethnicities, a melting pot, but mostly Indians. However, I didn’t see chairs on the ground. Since I’ve been attending mass in Orlem, I know what crowds can be like, but then this was next level crowded.

So you had people in their finery sitting on the grass (or should I call it turf, cause it didn’t feel very grassy), on chairs (which I guess they had brought, BYOC) and upon mats. It may have felt strange, but then considering the situation it seemed pretty practical. But one thing I would commend the ushers and the volunteers coordinating the crowds really very well.

Outside you had vendors selling Christmas Plum cakes, and there were so many of them selling cakes, mostly plum ones, in their peculiar way, it seemed quite funny. There weren’t people selling any traditional sweets like navarees and kal kals or even marzipan, just Christmas Plum Cakes.

Finally went to this place called Denny’s (which I learned had been featured on my favourite show Friends quite a bit, which I was not aware of) for breakfast post mass. Kind of reminded me of the trips we had to Mondegear post the midnight mass in Byculla. So had a huge sumptuous American style breakfast at 3 am. And after that it was back home.

Since Christmas ain’t an official holiday, but just a normal working day, so for those who didn’t take a holiday, it’s back to work. So Christmas ends up being very quiet, unlike the Christmas of old, the ones you have in Mumbai. So you end you end up having a quiet, blue Christmas.