I am discovering a new meaning to Christmas this year: Sharmiela Mandre

For as long as she can remember, Sharmiela Mandre has celebrated Christmas at her family’s ancestral home on Lavelle Road, surrounded by cousins, grandparents and extended family. “Everyone knew Christmas lunch would be at this sprawling colonial house. Friends would drop in impromptu, and Grandma always made sure there was more than enough food. Everyone was welcome at her table,” she recalls as she preps for an elaborate lunch that she has planned as an ode to her grandmum.‘THE BIG HOUSE ON LAVELLE ROAD AND THE LAUGHTER AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TABLE’“I’m part Maharashtrian from my father’s side and part Mangaluru Catholic from my mother’s. My maternal grandparents always made sure their Mangalurean roots were honoured, and Christmas lunch was central to that,” says Sharmiela. Christmas Day would begin with the entire family attending mass at St Patrick’s Church, followed by a straight drive to grandma’s house. Her mother, four uncles, their families and cousins would gather unfailingly, no matter where they were coming from. Her grandmother, Aureen Rodricks, planned the menu a month in advance and cooked every dish herself. “From her incredible food and beautiful cutlery to the lace table mats, flower arrangements and a dessert counter with over 15 varieties — it was a visual and culinary feast,” she says. Laughter would spill through the house until dinner, and friends often joined in, knowing it was tradition to be at Lavelle Road on Christmas Day. “It was the one day in the year when we were all together, some thing our busy lives didn’t otherwise allow,” she says. After her grandmother’s passing last year, the family sold the house. “This year is our first Christmas without grandma and away from the family home,” says Sharm iela. “I’ve decided to host Christmas lunch, even though I can never be half as good as grandmum. In a way, this Christmas is my ode to her,” she tells us. ‘CHRISTMAS IS TIME TO BEGIN ANEW’ “My mum recently texted me saying Christmas is a great time to forgive and let go,” she shares. “There’s something about this season that makes you feel softer, happier, more generous. It always feels like the right time to make a quiet resolution or begin anew. That, to me, is the best way to sum up Christmas.” She adds, “I hope everyone has a joyful and positive Christmas.”