Meghalaya: Christmas celebrated with festive fervour

Christmas was celebrated in Christian majority Meghalaya with midnight services in churches and people exchanging greetings and gifts with friends and relatives on Monday. 

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma wished the people of the state on the occasion of Christmas. 

"May the spirit of Christmas bring you and your family hope, love and happiness", he said. The CM said, "With a grateful heart for everything that happened this year, I send each of you Christmas and New Year greetings filled with faith, hope and love. May the miracle of Jesus' birth bring miracles in our lives and bless us with a hope-filled 2024". 

The chief minister also attended a Christmas concert in his hometown in Tura at the Baptist Church. The state capital Shillong was all decked up and the streets and thoroughfare were illuminated with lights. 

In the Khyndailad and Laitumkhrah area of the city, the Tourism department lit up the entire area and government and private buildings were decorated with Christmas trees, banners and Christmas festoons. There were traffic snarls at the two localities even at midnight as people thronged to take selfies and thousands of passers-by stopped to click pictures on their mobile phones.

Different Church denominations organised special midnight services in their respective churches. At Shillong Catholic Cathedral, a special midnight service was led by Archbishop Rev Victor Lyngdoh where the faithful received the holy communion. 

On Christmas eve, gospel bands enthralled crowds with traditional Christmas songs like 'Jingle Bells', 'Oh Holy Night' and 'Santa Claus Is Coming to Town' during the carols. Across Meghalaya streets, homes and villages have been decked up with Christmas decorations well ahead of the festive celebrations.