Balinese Life
Season’s Greetings from Bali

The season has changed and year end has come. In the northern hemisphere, winter and snowy rain has arrived to welcome the new season in this December. Decorated leaves of trees or roofs with a smooth white colour as Irving Berlin (1888-1989) wrote in his ‘White Christmas’ song as follows: I’m dreaming of a white Christmas/Just like the ones I used to know/Where the tree-tops glisten/And children listen/To hear sleigh bells in the snow

Lines of the song above imply a dream of its writer to find snow falling or a cold atmosphere coming. This climate will immediately lead our mind to the joy of Christmas Day and delight of children who receive gifts from Santa Claus. Such an image is vivid when everywhere we can hear the strings of songs Jingle Bells and Holy Night, to bring peace to everybody.
However, on the Paradise Island of Bali, as with other tropical destinations that have two seasons, namely dry and wet, also celebrate this annual festivity in no less exuberance even though without white snow granules. Wet or rainy season lasts during October to April and dry one in the course of the remaining months. Nevertheless, winter and rainy seasons have slight similarity, namely they are both equally cold in which represents the atmosphere of this festivity season.
Balinese Christians celebrate this annual festival in remarkable Balinese nuance. Some make food in welcoming Galungan in Hindu holidays. In addition, signature penjors without bamboo shrine are erected gracefully in front gates of the churchs marking the celebration. This reflects its close association with the local roots of tradition in olden times or at least comprising a decoration of local nicety. In the meantime, some others do it differently, in their own style.
At the same time, mothers are busy drawing up a variety of cakes for the celebration and religious service at home. These distinctive Christmas cakes are added with assorted fruit like cherries, pineapples, blue berry or chocolate to make them more special. Another food icon of Christmas is pudding that was originally made in the form of porridge. However, in keeping with the times, people added it with some other ingredients like honey, dried fruits et cetera. In short, it then becomes pudding as that of today. It looks so nice when the cake is garnished with characteristic accessory backdrops of Christmas like snow or flowers. Noteworthis this will become important to share joy, love and bliss with family, relatives and other guests.
Probably, in this year end you have planned to spend Christmas and New Year holidays here in Bali. If so, it is a great opportunity to involve and experience this momentous happening at your hotel by joining Christmas Dinner. So, do not let this point in time pass. This exuberant moment is by and large held in east meet west or Balinese ambience. Some hotels in Bali usually offer dinner to guests that packed exceptionally for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. For detailed information about this festivity, it would be advisable to contact your travel agent. In closing, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
(BTN/029)