Christmas in India and the Subcontinent
Following two years of restricted Christmas travel, 2022 will see a return to holidays abroad for the festive season, and we can’t think of anything better than spending Christmas in India and the Subcontinent.
Whether you want decorations and a traditional Christmas dinner, to soak up the sun or to stomp through the snow, there are plenty of choices as seasonal getaways for Christmas in India and the Subcontinent.
After a few years without travel, this holiday season is extra special, so make sure you book as soon as possible!
Christmas in India and the Subcontinent
Here are our suggestions of where to spend Christmas in India and the Subcontinent:
SOUTH INDIA
Our festive suggestions for Christmas in India begin in the south, where the weather isn’t too hot, and the monsoons have long since vacated. This is peak tourist time, so expect to pay a little more and for it to be busier.
Christmas in Goa
Gorgeous Goa may be well known for its beaches, but it’s also a key destination for spending Christmas in India. Goa has a large Catholic population and the beautiful Portuguese-style churches are bursting with Christmas cheer.
One of the best ways of taking in the lashings of Christmas decorations is on a sunset river cruise on the Mandovi River where the twinkling lights punctuate the skyline. There are plenty of carol service to attend along with Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, which you can attend at one of India’s oldest churches, the Basilica of Bom Jesus.
Homemade chocolate cakes are a Christmas staple in Goa, along with coloured marzipan, and you’ll find many restaurants serving a traditional Christmas turkey dinner.
Finally, to see in the new year, head to Anjuna Beach for an amazing firework show.
Where to stay: The Taj Holiday Village serves up a traditional Christmas buffet.
Christmas in Kerala
The state of Kerala in South India is a great place to spend Christmas in India, with lots of festive activities and a temperature at a maximum of 28 degrees. Although only a quarter of the population of Kerala is Christian, Christmas festivities are widespread with many non-Christians celebrating the festival.
Irrespective of religion, houses are decorated with a Christmas star and the major shopping streets are also illuminated. Carol singing starts weeks before Christmas and churches organise competitions for mangers, carols and Christmas trees. Midnight mass is very well attended on Christmas Eve. When it comes to festive food, you can try beef fry and plum cake, but we definitely recommend duck curry (or duck stew) served with hot appams (rice pancake) for breakfast!
Many hotels and resorts will have celebrations, gala lunches and dinners and will host a variety of entertainment, whilst in Cochin the 10-day long festival features beach bike races, beach football, fire displays and a grand carnival procession lined up with art forms, floats, bands and fancy dress.
Where to stay: The Crowne Plaza in Cochin has a very elaborate Christmas eve dinner plus entertainment programs.
Christmas in Puducherry
Christmas is a great time to visit the former French colony of Puducherry (previously known as Pondicherry). There’s a pleasant nip in the air, twinkling lights all around and a general feeling of goodwill, making it a wonderful place to spend Christmas in India.
There’s such a festive atmosphere with choirs singing carols on the promenade, a French-themed Christmas service at the Eglise Notre Dame des Anges (Our Lady of Angels Church) and there’s even a Christmas market at the French International School where you can treat yourself to mulled wine and traditional yule log cakes.
Head to Mission Street to see the fairy lights, Christmas trees and decorated shop windows where you can glimpse handmade Nativity scenes made by local artisans from neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
Where to stay: You can expect festive decorations and a Christmas Eve dinner at the fabulous Maison Perumal.
South India tour inspiration
NORTH INDIA
Although it is slightly less festive in the north, there are still some great destinations where you can celebrate Christmas in India.
Christmas in Delhi
Delhi may not seem the obvious choice for a Christmas getaway, but there is plenty of festive fun to be had. The shopping malls are filled with Christmas spirit, heart-warming carols and lavish decorations, especially Select Citywalk & DLF Promenade in Saket. If you’re feeling energetic, you can go ice skating on the all-weather ice rink in Gurugram, the perfect Christmas in India activity!
Connaught Place area is awash with excitement in the run-up to Christmas with lashings of Christmas decorations and lights, food stalls and other street vendors. The famous Sacred Heart Cathedral is bedecked with dazzling decorations and hosts carol services, Christmas plays and a very popular Midnight Mass.
Where to stay: The Claridges, New Delhi sells festive hampers and puts on a special Christmas Eve Dinner and Christmas Brunch for guests.
Christmas in Varanasi
Varanasi is one of India’s holiest destinations, so it’s a great choice for a spiritual Christmas in India. Cruise down the Ganges, India’s sacred river, where Christmas spirit blends with the warmth of the winter sun. When the morning mist lifts, you can see small boats bobbing in the water, along with ancient temples, bustling bazaars and the solemn Varanasi fort. A highlight of Varanasi is witnessing the devotees by the water edge undertaking their prayer rituals. The glowing lamps floating along the Ganges are a spectacular sight, especially at Christmas.
Many churches in the city put on Christmas celebrations, and 2021 saw a three-day Christmas Mela (a fair or Hindu festival) organised by the Diocese of Varanasi fill the streets.
Where to stay: The Taj Ganges provides a festive gala dinner
North India tour inspiration
WEST INDIA
West India is a great place to spend Christmas in India, with pleasant temperatures and lots to explore.
Christmas in Mumbai
Mumbai is another great destination for a traditional Christmas in India. The suburb of Bandra in the west is predominantly Catholic, but there are churches dotted around the city, many of which hold Midnight Mass. The Hill Road in Bandra is also full of festive decorations and bakeries offering sumptuous Christmas delights. The annual ‘Carols on Convent Road’ organised by local residents is an ideal way to get that community Christmas feeling.
The Indian Catholic village of Matharpacady is another destination for an enthusiastic Christmas celebration. Beautiful decorations and evening illuminations light up this quaint 200-year-old village in Mazgaon.
Where to stay: The Leela has an impressive Christmas tree in the lobby and serves Christmas goodies including plum cake, plum pudding, mince pies, stollen, gingerbread cookies, as well as their signature Christmas cake.
Christmas in Kolkata
Kolkata is another Indian city big on Christmas celebrations. Venture to Park Street to see the beautiful festive lights and decorations, and to try sumptuous Christmas treats from Flurys gourmet cake shop. The Kolkata Christmas Festival, organised alongside West Bengal Tourism, is a hive of street food and culture stalls, Christmas carols and choirs, culminating in a Christmas parade.
With its Gothic Revival architecture, Kolkata’s magnificent Saint Paul’s Cathedral is a wonderful place to take part in Midnight Mass during Christmas in India.
There are also community celebrations in Bow Barracks (just off Central Avenue) where special festive events take place from 23rd December, where hundreds of people dance on the street until after midnight accompanied by well-known Anglo-Indian singers, bands, and musicians.
Where to stay: The Oberoi Kolkata has decorations, a Christmas brunch and a Christmas Eve dinner.
West and Central India tour inspiration
Christmas on the Indian Subcontinent
Christmas in the Maldives
What better way to spend your Christmas than feasting on delicious food and toasting St Nick with a cocktail by the pool? The Maldives is a great Christmas getaway, with warm temperatures of around 27 degrees. This gorgeous tropical destination in the Indian Ocean will let you swap drab and chilly winter weather for crystal clear waters and pristine beaches. Stay in a villa suspended on stilts above the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, where you can sail or snorkel through the festive season.
On Christmas day, many Maldives hotels offer traditional menus, but you can always swap this for freshly caught seafood.
Where to stay: Siyam World host a fabulous Christmas Eve Gala
Christmas in Nepal
Christmas is celebrated in Nepal, but it isn’t granted as a public holiday by the government. More than 80% of the Nepalese population are Hindu, with Buddhism the next in line, but a number of Christian devotees celebrate Christmas by exchanging presents and praying for world peace and prosperity.
You’ll find Christmas celebrations in the main tourist hub Thamel, the lakeside of Pokhara, Chitwan and a few other tourist destinations. In Kathmandu, you can see Santa hats, decorated trees and glittering lights amongst a backdrop of Hindu temples and Buddhist prayer flags.
If you want to bypass the festivities altogether, December is a great time to trek the Annapurna range, as it is blissfully quiet. The December daytime temperatures and clear skies are perfect for hiking, but at night you’ll need plenty of warmth when the temperatures can dip below freezing.
Accommodation: The Temple Tree, Pokhara serves a traditional turkey dinner, alongside Masala if you’d prefer to try the local food.
Christmas in Sri Lanka
Although only around 7 per cent of the population of Sri Lanka is Christian, Christmas is still celebrated with enthusiasm and passion. European colonies introduced customs and traditions to Sri Lanka from the 16th century to the 20th century, which is how Christmas came to be part of Sri Lankan culture.
Throughout the country, you can find festive markets, complete with lights, decorations and music, where you can purchase seasonal gifts and snacks. Markets are decorated with lights, festive music, and Christmas trees. Two of the most popular are Galle Face Green Fair and Columbus Christmas Street.
Where to stay: The Galle Face Hotel, Colombo puts on a splendid Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day brunch.
Christmas in Bhutan
Beautiful sunny skies paired with a picturesque landscape makes Christmas the ideal time to visit Bhutan. In December there is a wide variety of flora and fauna to spot, and it’s also a popular time for trekkers to traverse the winding mountain paths.
Christmas in Bhutan is celebrated by people of all religions. The festivities are flamboyant, with lights and Christmas trees in all the major cities and miniature Santa Claus figures sold in the shops, along with alluring presents for young and old.
Churches are decorated with fairy lights, flowers and Christmas trees, and the atmosphere is straight off the cover of a Christmas card, accompanied by the smell of baking cakes and cookies and the sound of carols and tingling bells.
Where to stay: The Lemon Tree Hotel, Thimpu celebrates Christmas with decorations and seasonal food and beverages.
We hope this guide to Christmas in India and the Subcontinent has inspired you to ho-ho-hop on a plane to celebrate! We’d love to put together a bespoke festive tour – contact our expert team today for ideas and prices.