For many of us, Christmas in Goa isn’t just about decorations or parties, but the warmth and togetherness shared around the family kitchen table. It is also the time when generations come together, sharing stories and laughter, as they prepare sweets passed down through the years.
Today, if you visit any Catholic home, you will be served a platter full of sweets—neureos, kulkuls, bebinca, batica, doce, dodol and more. While many of these are now bought from stores or local bakeries, in the past, and even today in many households, people still choose to make their own sweets.
While they taste wonderful, it’s interesting to note that making most of these treats takes hours of painstaking effort, as traditional methods require time and patience.
A bebinca bought from a store or pastry shop may taste sweet, but a homemade one, with the aroma of wood-fire and smoke in every bite, evokes nostalgia.
This sweet-making practice in Goa has evolved into much more than a just culinary tradition; it has become a valuable learning ground with many lessons to imbibe.
Back in the day, and even today, a week or two before Christmas, families would gather at one house. Mothers, grandmothers and aunts would plan the day and quantity of sweets to be prepared. These meetings ensured every detail of the process was discussed.
On the decided day, women would gather with wooden rolling pin board, ready to make neureos and kulkuls. While the process for preparing neureos (a crescent-shaped pastry with filling)—mixing the flour, kneading the dough, preparing the stuffing—sounds simple, it required many skilled hands.
If the process started at 3 pm, it would often go on until 7 or 8 pm before the hot, golden brown neureos were ready. During this time, the women would engage the men of the house and the younger ones, teaching them how to make these traditional sweets.
Those new to the process often produce neureos of the strangest shapes, a sure sign of their learning curve! After years of practice, some of us have become 'design experts' - I think that's a hard-earned title I take great pride in wearing.
Amidst these learning sessions, the air was filled with stories that flowed freely, and we often uncovered exciting family tales or discovered cousins we never knew existed.
During this sweet-making process, when someone messed up or some complained about doing more work, they were reprimanded. But despite the yelling, we found solace in the realisation that we were part of something much bigger—something that had been passed down through generations.
As I was writing this piece on Christmas Eve, I realised how deeply rooted these sweets are in Goan life, embodying the patience, love and authenticity that have shaped our Christmases for generations.
Take dodol, doce or bebinca, for instance. These are a pure labour of love, demanding hours of careful preparation. I’m not sure how women of the past, or even today, find the patience to create them. What I learned from my mother, however, is that it's all about time. In the end, the result is a sweet reflection of the effort you've poured in.
Dodol, for example, takes time and patience. Preparing this sweet, rich in flavour and history, takes hours of careful stirring with a wooden ladle until the ingredients slowly blend into a thick, velvety texture.
I remember how we kids were told to stay away from the fire, realising the danger. While we stood back, the women and men of the house took turns stirring the pot to ensure the sweet came out just right.
So, as we indulge in these delightful treats this Christmas, let us not forget the stories they carry.
Let’s pause and appreciate the love, tradition and memories woven into every bite. In every Goan Christmas sweet lies a connection to our past, a taste of nostalgia and a promise to keep these traditions alive for generations to come.
This Christmas, let’s also reflect on the importance of passing down these traditions, giving the next generation a chance to learn not just how, but why these sweets are prepared.
Also, let Christmas remind us the importance of neighbours and family—the heart of our community. The sweet-making reflects how we support each other and recognise the value of being there for our loved ones when needed.
So, as we celebrate Christmas, it's also time to celebrate our local bakeries by stepping into them and learning the stories of the bakers, who are also at the heart of this great sweet tradition.
By interacting with them and learning their stories, we probably will begin to understand that these sweets are more than food. I am sure, behind the sweetness are living memories, traditions, family history and a dash of love.
And so, here is wishing you all a Merry Christmas and may we always cherish this and other prized festive customs, may they keep us tied to our Goan roots.