A Guide To Christmas In Kolkata: What To See, Eat, And Shop

Christmas is celebrated in Kolkata with the same zeal as Durga Puja. In fact, Christmas is known as "Boro Din," or the Big Day in the City of Joy. From Christmas bazaars to cakes and goodies in pre-Independence era bakeries to a Christmas Carnival with stunning illuminations and gaily decorated churches, Kolkata goes all out for the holiday season.

What To See

Check out the Christmas bazaar that comes up in and around New Market in central Kolkata. Also known as SS Hogg Market, it was built in 1874 to serve British residents. You can find everything here, from clothing and textiles to crockery, and toys, to stunning silver jewellery, a variety of meats, spices, local cheese, and even wigs. During Christmas, people flock here to shop at pop-up stalls selling all kinds of decorations like Christmas tree, Santa Claus dolls, stars and buntings, and even cakes.

Address: 19,Nellie Sen Gupta Sarani, d-twenty three, New Market Area, Taltala, Kolkata

Timings: 10:30 am to 9 pm

Park Street Carnival

The best way to steep yourself in festive spirit is to hit up Park Street which has long been the epicentre of Christmas and New Year's celebrations. The state government has held a Christmas Carnival on a section of road just off Chowringhee since 2011, which lasts until New Year's Day. The entire street is illuminated by fairy lights, and the tiny Allen Park is decked out with Christmas installations and cribs. Evenings feature musical performances.

Besides, there will be food stalls set up by members of different communities residing in the city. Local Anglo-Indian, Parsi, and Chinese families sell delicious home-cooked savouries. Local bakeries, including the well-known Flurys teashop, also set up stalls along the sidewalk. Walk around, pick up devil horns, Santa caps, and reindeer headgear to celebrate the festive vibes. And be prepared for thick crowds and traffic delays.

Kolkata Christmas Festival 2023 will be celebrated in two parts. The Allen Park Festival will take place from December 21 to 23. The Park Street Festival will happen from December 26 to 30. Allen Park will be closed on the December 24 and 25.

Bow Barracks

This block of red brick buildings, once part of military barracks in the Brit era, was home to a large number of Anglo Indian communities. With many Anglo-Indian families migrating abroad, Bow Barracks has become more cosmopolitan. However, the Christmas season draws a large number of visitors. The entire area is decked out in bright lights, stars, and Christmas trees. Residents set up food stalls selling homemade wine and cakes. Read more about the neighbourhood's Christmas celebrations here.

Midnight Mass at Churches

Visit the churches of Kolkata during Christmas for prayer ceremonies and midnight mass. The most popular is St Paul's Cathedral. It was designed in 1847 in the Gothic Revival style with Indo-Saracenic elements. The cathedral and surrounding area are illuminated at Christmas to herald the beautiful Anglican ceremony. Other popular churches include St John's, St Andrew's, St Stephen's, the Portuguese Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, and the Mission Church. Everyone is welcome to join the prayers. However, some churches may have limited seating, so arrive early.

Among other popular Christmas traditions is the annual Christmas Star event, which features music, skits, and good cheer at Park Street's Assembly of God Church. Every year, themes are developed, and the sound and light spectacular begins the season well before Christmas.

What To Eat

Hotels and restaurants in the city are known for putting on some of the best spreads during Christmas–from stuffed turkeys to rum-infused cakes, pies, and eggnog. The Christmas Carnival on Park Street hosts stalls selling homemade cakes and wine, pies, Goan and Anglo-Indian curries, and more. Kolkata's Chinese community also puts up stalls selling sausages and dumplings.

Throughout the city, bakeries prepare a delectable selection of Christmas cakes and treats. For instance, Nahoum & Sons makes which was founded in 1902 by Israel Mordecai, a Baghdadi Jew. The shelves and teakwood and glass display cases showcase their famed rich fruit and plum cakes, cream-filled pastries, rum balls, and walnut and chocolate brownies. You can also hit up Flurys on Park Street. This once dainty tearoom (founded in 1927 by Mr and Mrs J Flury) makes excellent Christmas cakes. Another iconic bakery is Saldanha, which has been run by the same family since it was founded by Goan couple Ignatius and Ubelina Saldanha in 1930. Check here for our list of bakeries in Kolkata to hit up for Christmas goodies.

What To Buy

Shopping during Christmas is one of the joys of the festivities. If you are looking for handcrafted Christmas decor, head to Sasha on Free School Street. You can pick up some cosy lights made of wicker threads or papier mache and cloth tree hangings. This store stocks quality handicrafts from all over India and is also a must-visit for Christmas gifts. Another good place for Christmas gifts is Good Companions on Russell Street. The store, founded in 1934 by a British lady to make products normally found in England available to Brits living in India, sells beautiful kitchen towels, home furnishings, bed linen, and other items. Apart from stores, pop-ups are a great option for Christmas shopping.