We know Christmas is around the corner when the aroma of rum cakes fills the air and jingles stream in the background. The festival calls for togetherness, laughter and lit skies and while euphoria brims in the western countries, the love and ecstasy in Sri Lanka for the day makes Christmas a truly magical experience.
Christmas Date In Sri Lanka
Celebrated on the 25th of December every year, Christmas in Sri Lanka is a massive affair. Though the weather of the country is welcoming throughout the year, the month of December is perfectly warm and serene for a blissful getaway.History of Christmas in Sri Lanka
Back in the 16th and 18th Century the traditions and festivals of Sri Lanka were widely influenced by the European Colonizers and even today despite the Hindu and Buddhist majority, Christmas emerges as the most celebrated festival of the country.From revelling in the Christmas Feasts to strolling on the resplendent beaches, from witnessing the pink hues in the sky to watching the whale and elephant shows, a comprehensive to-do list is a must for concocting a dreamy Sri Lankan Christmas.
Things to do in Sri Lanka for Christmas
1) Relish the Delicious cakes in Colombo
Christmas without cakes is like rain without hues, and the mouth-watering cakes in Colombo certainly can't be missed. Christmas Cakes though are available in all the cafes and bakeries, but the Cake Factory and Butter Boutique in the capital are the classic centres for people with an incessant sweet-tooth.
2) Shop till you drop in markets of the Galle and Colombo
The Galle Face Green Fair and Colombo Christmas market are a shoppers' paradise. The markets are adorned in Christmas lights and are celestial enough to give one the perfect Christmas feels. A quick tip to all the shoppers would be to check multiple stores for getting your hands on the best items with the best quality. Candles, silk sarees, stone and jewellery, are among the most purchased items from the markets.
3) Join the Midnight Mass at St. Lucia's Cathedral in Colombo
The midnight mass starts at 11:30 PM on 24th of December and involves singing carols, offering prayers to the divine. The Cathedral is an ethereal sight in itself and midnight mass the best way to kick start your Christmas festivities.
4) National Parks in Sri Lanka and explore the wilderness
If you are a sucker for wildlife then the National Parks in Sri Lanka are magnificent enough to give you the chills. Celebrating Christmas amidst the wilderness and absorbing the grandiose of the different wild species will turn around the regular Christmas celebration into an eccentric one. Yala National Park famous for Leopards, Udawalawe National Park home to 500 gigantic elephants and Sinharaja Forest reserve is applauded for its unique bird diversity.
5) The Tea-lovers in the house head to the Giragama Tea Factory
The legacy that the Sri Lankan Tea Plantations hold is known to all. For a perfect Sri Lankan Christmas visit the Geragama Tea Factory that has umpteen tea flavors available for tea lovers. The jade-green land at the factory leaves one enthralled and you will get to learn how tea is processed and produced in the factories. Lastly, a soothing cup of tea prepared from freshly plucked tea leaves clubbed with a piece of cake is indeed a delight, isn't it?
6) Surf in style at Mirisa and Hikkaduwa
Christmas in Sri Lanka is a feast for all adventurers at heart. Being a famous surfing spot, the beaches of Sri Lanka call out not just the surfers but denizens willing to dangle with the waves. Hikkaduwa in the Galle District is the most popular surfing spot that attracts loads of people throughout the year. The tinted shoreline with shacks and restaurants around allow the tourists to experience the bohemian lifestyle we all wish to seek once.
7) Christmas on a Sri Lankan Beach
The pristine coastline, the sun-kissed sand and the music rendered from the ocean is enough for a scintillating Christmas in Sri Lanka. The Hiriketiya Beach, the Bentota Beach and the Mirissa Beach are few of the most popular beaches in the Southern part of the country that aren't just sublime but also flood with strings of beautiful hotels and fancy boutiques constructed within vast stretches of palms trees. Also, a load of water activities organized on these beaches will give you a Christmas celebration filled with a splendid adrenaline rush.
8) Witness the splendour of whale watching in Galle and Mirisa
An excellent location for whale watching is the Mirissa Beach located on the Southern Coastline of Sri Lanka. You will spot a variety of aquatic creatures like sperms, dolphins, bryde whale cavorting with the waves that leave all the viewers gasping for more.
More about Sri Lankan Christmas!
Sri Lanka also received the Guinness World Record for creating 'world's tallest artificial Christmas tree' in 2016, and the preparation starts weeks before the Santa Season comes around. Another interesting fact about Sri Lankan Christmas is that 'Santa' is called 'Naththal Seeya' and Christmas is also known by a different name 'Naththala'. The midnight masses are central to celebrating Naththala/ Christmas in Sri Lanka. When the streets dazzle in fairy lights, the firecrackers brighten up the skies to create a tranquil picturesque for the tourists.So now as Christmas 2019 nears, is Sri-Lanka flashing on your list? Let us know.