Christmas is a festival that transcends religion, as far as I see it. And for good reason. What's not to like about a day filled with fun, family, food, presents? My Christmas memories growing up are these fancy orange-jujup cocktail sticks my aunt would make, plum cakes my father would bring home every single Christmas eve, strolling down a gloriously lit Park Street and the thrill of finding a present under my pillow...

As I have grown up old, my love for Christmas has only multiplied and even though I am away from my family, I have a 10-step plan to make the most of my favourite holiday with loved ones who have become my family in this city.

1. GET INTO THE SPIRIT & DRESS UP!

No, not like a Christmas tree but a little something to add the festive spirit. I've been infusing the Christmas vibe with a red lip here, gold sandals there, with my emerald earrings thrown in the middle. OR go all out and be that girl who rocks a santa cap like a boss. It's christmas after all!

2. DRESS THE SPACE

It ain't Christmas without some green, red and gold! My tree is still under construction and I need to have it up before midnight. I am also yet to put up these amazing golden snowflakes that make me soooo happy! Can't wait to wrap up work and rush home to all this craftiness! 

3. ATTEND MASS

Bandra is home to some of the most beautiful churches in Mumbai. I am hoping to attend a midnight mass at either St. Stanislaus, St. Peter's, St. Andrews or Mount Mary's.

4. BLAST THE CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST

Ho ho ho! Merrry Christmas! It's 25th morning and before I can even think coffee, there will be three things I do: put on my red socks, put on my santa cap, put on my christmas playlist. Somehow and I don't know how, nothing feels like Christmas more than George Michael! 

6. WATCH A HOLIDAY MOVIE

At some point in the day (most likely after the festive lunch we are scheming) I will squeeze in a lazy, sprawled-on-the-couch viewing of either of these two holiday movies...I don't know which yet but just to clarify, I have seen both a million times :D

7. BAKE! 

I was gifted an OTG this October that I have not yet. So with a little help from my visiting bestie, baking will be the last new thing I do before the year ends. So far I am thinking salted caramel cookies but I could be persuaded otherwise. Yesterday I stumbled upon Cup of Jo's chocolate recipes and now my mind is running wild!

8. BE MY OWN SANTA

So Santa doesn't cater to adults...but I am not one to deny myself a good holiday present. I already bought me my christmas pressie and I am in LOVE! Say hi to the newest member of my modest window-sill garden. Isn't she a beauty?

9. SLOW DOWN AND SOAK IT ALL IN

Apparently Mumbai is seeing one of it's coldest winters in a decade, which is perfect for some blanket snuggles, sipping my awesome hot chocolate (yeah, no modesty about my culinary triumphs #sorrynotsorry), nibbling on the aforementioned cookies and enjoying a round or many of Taboo, UNO or Monopoly Deal. #bliss

10. PLAY SANTA

Apart from the obligatory office secret-santa, I haven't gifted anyone for Christmas in years.  So this year I plan to buy a present for someone I love or someone in need. Or maybe both!

Thank you for spending this time here and I wish you and your loved ones a very happy christmas!

CONCEDE

For as long as I can remember, CTM has been an enigma. For the uninitiated, CTM is skincare 101 though I doubt there are many who don't know about it. Blessed with decent genes and lazy bones, I ignored this beauty holy grail until very very recently and now I am a convert. But its not these 3 steps I am talking about. I promised 1 step and that's what it is. 

So as with all good things, my breakout free skin hung up its boots soon after I turned 25 and introduced me to the agony that is called ACNE. Thanks genes! Way to kick a girl in her prime. 

When ignoring didn't make it go away, I went crazy with a facewash trying frenzy, thinking that would be my cure. While I was sort of right with the cleansing idea, trying multiple, drugstore anti-acne facewashes screwed my face into a dry, patchy mess and now I had two problems to deal with! Good time to mention that my once dry to normal skin had now turned somewhat combination, swaying from dry to oily as I combated the other. Fun! 

As you too will also realise one day, girl-talk can solve anything; from bad skin to world peace and that's how I discovered the good thing that is Cetaphil. After patiently hearing me rant one coffee break, my colleague suggested I switch to using a non-soap cleanser like Cetaphil, clearly stating that "...at first, you will thinks it shit and doesn't clean anything but just give it three days..." 

No truer words have ever been spoken.

Word of mouth, two years of trial n error & then a consultation with my dermatologist later, I landed on my current skincare must do and I feel obligated to share this with anyone who'd listen. Basically, the simplest step to good skin, in my experience is cleaning your face, twice. I swear. Its just that simple.

THE MAGIC COMBO

(I wasn't thrilled about this at first because I am a very lazy person but man, am I a convert!) Generic acne facewashes stripped my skin off moisture and I somehow always thought that the dry, tight  and squeaky feeling is a sign of clean skin. But after using Cetaphil and seeing the dirty cotton pad, I realised that I can have clean skin that's soft and not stripped.

DOUBLE CLEANSING

Now, at the end of my day, all I do is I take Cetaphil on a cotton pad and wipe off my (dry) face like I would with cleansing milk. I have tried wetting my face before doing this but I find dry face allows better cleaning than moist face. After I use up both sides of the wipe (which turns disgustingly but satisfyingly dirty), I wash my face using Vichy Normaderm Purifying cleansing gel and I am so glad that I switched up my regular drugstore cleansers to this one.

I have also tried to follow the cleansing process with this toner and its awesome to see specs of brown still come off on the pad. On the negative side, the salcylic acid kinda dries out my face if I use it daily so I am still experimenting with the T part.

I have a feeling that by the end of 2015, I will have my CTM routine down and if this is all I will need to do for good skin, my lazy ass is totally down with it.

P:S : I learnt a cool way to hold cotton pads from this video and it was such a DUH! moment :D

6. You wake up with a key gripped tightly in your hand. How did you get this key? What do you do with this it?

7. Write a compelling argument pushing the worst advice you’ve ever been given.

8. Describe heartbreak.

9. Give 14 pieces of advice to a teen who is graduating high school.

10. Write the autobiography of the life you weren’t brave enough to lead.

11. Write a love story from end to beginning.

12. Pick a person you can’t stand and write a letter describing every wonderful thing about them.

13. Write a love scene from the point of view of your character’s hands.

14. Turn the thing that makes you the angriest into a poem.

15. Write about the way things should have been.

16. Write your own obituary honestly.

17. The person you loved who didn’t love you back.

18. A coffee date with the person you were a year ago.

19. The horrible secret the grocery clerk was hiding.

20. Write a love story starring your algebra teacher.

21. Write a letter to your future self.

22. Write about writing.

23. You approach a stranger on the street and ask them to tell you one thing they have never told anybody. What do they tell you?

24. You only have room for 5 things on your bucket list – what are they?

25. Describe the exact day you just had, but from the point of view of a psychopath.

26. Personify regret.

27. Write the back cover of the fiction novel that is based on your life in high school.

28. Detail the adventures of a day where you say “Yes” to everything.

29. How do you feel about love these days?

Through the course of this very zippy year, something strange has happened to me.

Much like when I was 9 or 10 years old, my brain has once again started reacting to the thrill of finding and using new words. Yes, like reading a new word and going, AH! and then, running to search the dictionary furtively googling the meaning. And then spending the next few days trying to use it.

So there I was, reveling in this renewed sense of discovery,  when BAM! it set off another peculiar trend in motion. While looking up the new words, I suddenly started suspecting whether I was absolutely sure of the words I already knew. Like 100% sure and not using them like a certain Mrs. Khan, if you know what I mean... Anyway, this suspicion was followed by the incident of a friend used the word "stoic" somewhat differently and it set me off on a googling frenzy!

Confession: I googled furtive and peculiar while I was typing this, just to be sure. Yes, it has officially become a behavioural tick. Much like Sheldon Cooper and his knocking.

SO! To put a positive spin on all this, um, weirdness,  I have decided that here onwards, all my new word mining shall be enlisted here with a citation of how I came across it AND how I first used it! This is so PG13! Except its PG28. Anyway!

The first entry, ladies and gentlemen...*drumrolls* is

Pejorative

Phew!

So, what's going on with you?

WHITE SAND DUNES AT HUNDER

PANGONG TSO

This experience also made me realise that a large part of who we think we are, are basically hypothetical. The role of travel is to discover the real you. I'm sure you've read this before but I actually felt it, which was a pretty cool.

• There is no cell reception for the most part. Let friends and family know this so they don't worry themselves silly. At Jispa, friend of mine had to hitch a bike ride and travel 40 mins before finding a functional phone to call her parents
• There, however is free WiFi almost everywhere in Leh city. Go figure.
• The roads are tough. In some stretches they are really, really bad. Its good to be mindful about this. Car sickness medicines, water, puke bags and oddly, camphor help. 
• Food is very basic. Especially when you are travelling from point A to B. Leh however offers multi cuisine choices. 
• You are not allowed cabin baggage on flights out of Leh. We managed to get our cameras though. Pack accordingly.

• Well, there is a lack of oxygen and there is no denying it. The physical ailment comes with the high altitude and its not a challenge to anyone's age or fitness levels. So its best to not get all bullheaded and be prepared. I, with no qualms went to my GP before the trip and got my BP, pulse, oxygen all checked. I discussed the few concerns I had in mind and he prescribed drugs to fight the oxygen issue and something for nausea (from road or height sickness). I didn't need the nausea pill at all and I took the oxygen pill from Day 1 to 9 as prescribed with zero side effects. Frankly, I would not do it any other way, if it means I am able to enjoy the place in good health and not be a burden on my fellows

• Lack of sleep and appetite are normal altitude change symptoms. I never got sound night's sleep but I felt rested by morning, so it made no difference.

• Medical help in Ladakh is administered by the army and they are very used to dealing with tourists. I have never been so proud of our army folks.

• No one said this anywhere, but the place is dusty! I mean, really really DUSTY! If you have allergies, you better brace yourself

• Its a little difficult to gauge yourself, but Ladakh is supremely dehydrating. Drinking water is a must. I was told by three different shopkeepers on different days to shut up and drink water first. Seriously! A no-water drinker like me gulped down upto 6 litres a day! It is also a good idea to supplement with a litre of ORS if you are walking around a lot. Hydration never killed anyone. Or I hope not!

• This one may be silly, but I figured taking smaller steps helped me not wheeze and gasp like an oldie. It was tad embarrassing to be all panting and fretting after an uphill stretch but that's the price you pay for leading a sedentary life :(

• Pangong being higher than Leh is susceptible to give breathing discomfort. On the way down from Pangong is when the AMS hits most people. Don't worry. Just travel to the army camp at ChangLa. They are well equipped to deal with medical emergencies.

• I am yet to find out the science behind it (and belive me, I'm trying) but smelling camphor really helped with the nausea. I had it with me at Khardungla and I sailed through with no sick feeling.