There was a time when Christmas preparations began with excitement and ended with tired legs. A casual mention of “Santa cap chahiye” would instantly turn into a family mission. Parents would rush out in the evening traffic, hopping from one crowded shop to another, only to hear the same sentence repeatedly “out of stock”. We’d return home disappointed, frown-faced, sometimes settling for something close enough, sometimes with nothing at all. And yet, years later, those failed hunts are the stories we laugh about the most.
Fast forward to today, and Christmas arrives in under ten minutes
This year, festive needs don’t require planning, bargaining, or running around markets. A Santa cap, a Christmas tree, plum cake, winter decor, Secret Santa gifts everything appears on the phone screen, neatly categorised and beautifully packaged. Before you even finish explaining what you need, the delivery is already on its way. As my father jokingly said during a family discussion, “Itna toh samjhane ya gaadi nikalne mein lag jata hai, jitni der mein delivery ho jaati hai.”
And he’s not wrong.
Fast delivery apps have quietly become the new Santa of urban India. Christmas trees for desks and living rooms, fairy lights, ornaments, baking kits, plum cakes, cake batters, mugs, books, bouquets, winter caps, cute Santa hats even barbecue essentials for year-end parties all delivered in six to ten minutes. What once took hours of effort now takes a few taps.
Food, especially, has turned into a visual and sensory celebration. Bakeries and restaurants have gone all out with Christmas-themed desserts gingerbread doughnuts, snowman treats, tree-shaped cakes, plum cakes packed in festive tins, hot chocolate bombs, cinnamon-spiced goodies. They don’t just look Instagram-worthy; they taste like proper indulgence. Christmas, today, is not just celebrated it’s curated.
Secret Santa gifting, once a stressful last-minute scramble, is now effortlessly sorted. These apps offer curated gift hampers, books at heavy discounts, chocolates, cookies, quirky mugs, scented candles, and festive packaging that makes even a small gift feel thoughtful. The joy of giving hasn’t disappeared it has simply become faster and more convenient.
And yet, somewhere between the efficiency and excitement, something softer feels like it’s slipping away.
The chaos of crowded markets, the shared frustration, the laughter after a failed shopping trip, the long conversations during drives those moments created memories without us realising it. Today, convenience has replaced chaos, and speed has replaced stories. We have everything we need, but fewer reasons to step out together.
Maybe that’s the paradox of modern festivals. They are easier, prettier, and perfectly timed but also quieter in their own way.
Christmas still arrives with joy. It just comes riding on a delivery bike now, instead of tired parents returning home with shopping bags and stories that lasted a lifetime.
And perhaps, this year, the real magic lies in balancing both – enjoying the six-minute miracles, while still holding on to the memories that took hours to create.