 "Christmas trees")
Grab a bite and sing along
With its fifth edition this year, Epicentre at Gurgaon will celebrate Christmas through a series of events between December 22 and 25. With its focus on the welfare of street children, Epicentre will feature a carol evening on December 22, where children from NGO Jeevan Jyoti will sing Christmas songs. Christmas eve will feature a special buffet of roast turkey, mulled wine and winter leek soup. The Christmas Carnival on December 24 and 25 will include candle-making and craft workshops, competitions, special rides and storytelling events for children across ages. And there's always the Christmas Bazaar to buy some trinkets and splurge for the New Year.
Of candies, snow and retail therapy
There's nothing like a festive mall-hopping trip, with large Christmas trees vying for a photo op. Select Citywalk brings Candyland this Christmas, with snowflakes, mistletoes and festive trinkets enough to make all the Scrooges and Grinches smile. And nothing adds to the festive cheer like retail therapy. The Christmas market between December 18 and 22 on the first floor balcony, with candles, home accessories, winter apparel and fresh cakes and cookies is ideal for a stroll on a winter afternoon.
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Christmas is incomplete without a carnival. With its third edition this year, the Rajouri Garden Christmas Carnival (December 24-27) at the Rajouri Garden Mall Square has an army of events, shopping stalls and food counters up its alley. It promises special rides and games for children, music and dance performances and competitions to step up the festive frenzy. The carnival also boats of 'India's tallest Santa'
Santa's little elves get to work
Say "Ho! Ho! Ho!" and children will tell you that Santa Claus is on his way with the gifts that they asked for because they've been so good all year. Dastkar, with its Christmas Carnival from December 20 to December 29, is making sure that children learn some useful craft, while also keeping the festive spirit intact. The lineup includes a range of art and craft workshops, activities and competition to keep the young ones busy. And for accompanying adults, there's the bazaar with a variety of products like decoration pieces, pottery items and other knick knacks.
Joy to the gourmets
Winter calls for loading up on calories, especially so when there are a host of special Christmas menus to sample. Restaurants across the city will offer special Christmas eve dinner buffets and brunch menus on December 25. Marriott, The Lalit, The Park and Radisson Blu, all have special menus and Christmas food festivals. Imperial Hotel's restaurant, 1911 at Janpath, will feature an extensive menu of stuffed roast turkey, Scottish salmon and sole fillet, with perfectly matched wines on December 24 (priced at Rs 4,000 plus taxes per person). Indulge in a Spanish-style brunch menu at Imperfecto in Hauz Khas Village which will celebrate Christmas with gifts and surprises.
The average cup of coffee has a special warmth too, with Starbucks dishing out its festive red cups, special coffee roasts and brews.
