noni

What do you do to celebrate New Years Eve and Christmas in Goa?

IndianFriend

Traditionally only Christmas was celebrated in Goa, not really the New Year which was probably added on by tourists and hotels as an extended holiday season. Of course this extended 10+ day celebrations ('season' as some hotels call it) has benefited the local economy.

Goa in Christmas is so beautiful.

Bipat

Last year spent Christmas in Pune, escaped from a pre-mehndi lunch (wedding next day) to go for a wonderful Christmas buffet lunch at the Seasons hotel. Unlimited wine and beer and a turkey.

Usually if in Goa we go down to Karwar as rels will come, I bring a Christmas cake and 'squashed' crackers from UK.
Our taxi driver always brings a large biryani (his wife is a great cook), he brings one if we are there at Eid also.

New year, just on the phone to the children.

noni

One think I will not do is get into a taxi on New Years Eve.

Bipat

No problem in Karwar, -- only 2 alcohol shops, no bars; and our taxi driver just comes to bring the food on Christmas day or Eid.

johnny five

What about "burning the Old Man"?

I was led to believe this was a traditional Goan way of celebrating the New Year?

IndianFriend

Johnny, thats a symbolic ritual thats done almost all over India, symbolic of farewell to the year gone by and ringing in the New Year. I dont know if it is a 'tradition' restricted to Goa.

johnny five

I didn't say it was restricted to Goa?

It is not just celebrated all over India but all over the world, mainly in ex Portuguese and Spanish colonies/conquests and is largely kept going by the Catholicised natives.

A little research suggests that the tradition most likely entered India via Goa, and spread throughout the sub-continent with the eternally migrant Goans.

Funny how historically Goans have migrated throughout India and the world in very large numbers, yet now resent any form of migrant in their own state, be they Indian or "foreigners"

Think how crowded the place would be if all those Goan migrants returned to their beloved Goa.

Reference
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=burning+the+old+man+tradition&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a


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noni

Christmas will be a pool party lunch time, and in the evening a lovely meal with friends.

New Years Eve, something within walking distance of the apartment. Again a meal with friends, then walk to the beach to party and watch the fireworks, although this year it will be such a sad time, as two will be missing. Will be so glad to put this year behind me.

stevebenaulim

Im always happy when Christmas and New Year are over in Goa, the place quietens down as the Savage domestic tourists head back home.

msj5

Never known so many domestic tourists here during the monsoon!

Had a photo shoot with some from Gujarat on Morjim beach last week.

leegrand

so true steve.

noni

If the SunBurn Fest does have an extended period, the domestic tourists will be like ants around the place.

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year.

Bipat

It is their country.

Anyway at least my extended savage family will not again set foot in north goa, I have explained about the attitudes of some of the foreigners there.

(I myself avoid Benaulim now, can't avoid the constant irritating thoughts about 5 year visas)

prestonjohn

After last years traffic jams and being confined to barracks by, first, exorbitant demands for taxi prices, the danger of walking along the roads because the police decided to make it the first slow Grand Prix Circuit in India,Calingute to Bagga and Arpora......! places absolutely full to the gunnels,we are thinking very strongly of going to the East Coast to spend the Christmas week.Missing out on the World War 3 enactment by the News Years eve fireworks displays along the shore.( i was in a shack on Candolim beach when a rocket went straight through the place causing the waiter to hit the deck!) Sunburn Festival and the huge influx of students and yuppies transforming Calingute high street into Oxford street during the sales.We sat outside Anans Bar in Arpora absolutely horrified at the conditions on the roads, also at the reality of missing a party at Mayona Cafe and then Doc Alans afterwards.No trying to enjoy Christmas in Goa is akin to p***ing against the wind, except in Goa it comes back covered in diesel fumes and wrapped in garbage.