Christmas is a festival of Christ, not crackers. Nowhere in the scriptures are crackers mentioned, or for that matter, there is no mention of glossy gift wrappers and glittery decorations. All that money can be better spent on the poor instead of harming the fragile environment. https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/1334054020890062848

While you cavort yourself with red-and-white pointy hats and overcoats, spare a thought for the poor pets who may be allergic to little strands of thread that are shed by these synthetic clothes. Opt for locally sourced green hats made from environmentally-safer bamboo instead.

It is not necessary to bring in a Christmas tree and decorate it with baubles. It is the spirit that counts, not the ritual itself which has to change with changing times. Even if there is one that you already have, why decorate it with serial lights which are a modern invention?

From candies to cakes and from chocolates to cookies, Christmas is a celebration of sugar.

Stay healthy, avoid artificial colors, and consume cakes and sweets in moderation.

The Ministry has written a missive to Santa Claus that Home-cooked food like dal and roti is the best.

Christmas has nothing to do with Christianity. It is celebrated as Good Governance Day in India and Constitution Day in Taiwan. Some countries in Africa even celebrate December 25 as Children's Day. It would be, therefore, presumptuous to impose any cultural hegemony to this day.

Avoid burning candles as hospitals are kept busy with children who have burns due to molten wax, or who have thrust the thin ones into their noses, or swallowed the stubs. The fumes, further, cause asthma in COVID patients.

Instead, opt for bamboo-based ones which burn cleanly.

Last but not the least, Bollywood and companies such as Eros should respect Christmas as a celebration of divinity, instead of considering it as some saturnalian, bacchanalian feast where the wanton stars shows their satyric side.

What? They don't do that during Christmas? //

wanton stars show*...

For the meaning of saturnalian, bacchanalian, wanton, and satyric, you can check out my podcast which I have not yet recorded.