‘Malaika Arora Khan is back in Mumbai after a hectic work trip in Dubai. As she says, no matter where she is and what she’s doing, she has to be back in her hometown for Christmas as it is the “most awaited day” for her and her family. She shares with us her Christmas plans and what the spirit of Christmas means to her.
“Every year, like a good Catholic, I wait for Christmas. Putting up the lights, decorating the tree, making sweets and then unwrapping gifts on Christmas morning… it’s a tradition my family has followed since I was very little. One of the highlights while growing up was helping mom (Joyce Arora) make sweets like kalkals, guava cheese and milk cream. Another thrill was going for midnight mass because we were allowed to stay up late.
The tradition of going for midnight mass and then having a huge Christmas lunch hasn’t changed. Mom still has a huge, beautifully decorated Christmas tree. The whole family comes together after midnight mass and has the traditional plum cake and wine. We spend the night at mom’s home and in the morning we wake up and open the presents. In the afternoon we sit down to have a traditional Christmas lunch. It’s the most looked-forward-to lunch and is the world’s best spread for us because mom is an outstanding cook.’
‘For me, the spirit of Christmas means being happy and giving freely. It’s a tradition for all the kids in the family to help mom decorate the tree. Christmas is all about family, eating, drinking and making merry. We have stuffed turkey, all the classic gravies, roast chicken, fish and meat of all kinds and various desserts. Everybody brings a special dish. This year, I plan to cook the roast turkey.
One of the best things about living in Bandra is that it’s so bright, festive and Christmas-sy! No matter where I am in the world, I will always be back home for Christmas. My best Christmas gift is yet to come. I can’t wait for next Christmas as that’s when Arbaaz’s and my next production ” Dabangg 2″ releases.”‘
Tags: Malaika Arora
