UK Konkans Christmas Celebrations 2024
The UK Konkans community gathered on 15th December 2024 to celebrate the joyous occasion of Christmas celebrating 20th Anniversary at the Addlestone Community Centre. The event was a grand success, bringing together families, friends, and members to enjoy cultural performances, games, music, and delicious food.
The stage was beautifully decorated by Gratian & Sheela, featuring a stunning handmade star crafted from pallet wood, which added a unique and artistic touch to the event’s ambiance. The centrepiece table décor, expertly designed by Beena, stood out as a stunning focal point adding a touch of elegance. The crib was handmade using recycled pallet wood, showcasing creativity and sustainability. UK Konkans has an ongoing crib competition. The results will be shared shortly.
The event began at 11:15 am with guest registration. For our 20th anniversary celebrations guests were welcomed with Champagne & Cake served by Clara and Edgar creating a festive and joyous mood.
Families took their pictures at the photo booth led by Lloyd D’Sa and Sylvester DSouza. This has been a unique event for several years and our guests enjoy capturing Christmas festive moments with their family.
The Carols singing, led by Violet and her group, captivated the audience and kept everyone rhythmically swaying to their melodious tunes. The Nativity Play with little children beautifully dressed as nativity characters with Arina DSouza captivating the audience reciting the event, and Eva Ronad rendered a beautiful Christmas carol.
UK Konkans’ introduced a new MC for this event – Gaywin Lasrado! Gaywin kept the crowd thoroughly entertained with his distinct voice, charm, and interaction. Gaywin’s witty commentary and energetic presence ensured the program flowed smoothly and left the audience cheering throughout. Gaywin kept the crowd entertained with various games and spot prizes. Well done Gaywin!
UK Konkan’s president Kevin Madtha welcomed the gathering with a warm and inspiring speech. Kevin acknowledged the efforts of the organizing committee for their hard work and dedication in putting together such a grand celebration. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Ex-Presidents, appreciating their leadership and contributions in shaping the UK Konkan community over the years. Kevin extended a warm welcome to the new arrivals. He set a positive and unifying tone, emphasizing the importance of togetherness, tradition, and celebrating milestones like the 20th anniversary of the association.
The DJ for the event was DJ-Ken! His talent and endless energy kept the guests dancing to his beats. Ken set the stage on fire, filling the hall with excitement. The audience then enthusiastically joined in, with their moves adding to the electrifying vibe of the celebration. The bar was opened to the audience providing a selection of different beverages.
Drithi, the talented daughter of Roopa and Sunil Shetty, delivered a mesmerizing solo performance to the song “Chuttumalle Song”. Adora and Amelia lit up the stage with their vibrant Bollywood dance performance choreographed by Renita and Caroline. Lavita and Sinatra, along with kids Kian, Aldrin, Aviya performed a delightful group dance to the lively song “Kudchi Madathapetti”. The performance beautifully blended family bonding with cultural pride, earning loud applause from the audience.
Fr. Mylin Noronha led the gathering in a heartfelt prayer, offering gratitude for the food and blessings of the day. UK Konkans volunteers served a delicious and authentic Mangalorean meal. Highlights included homemade pickle, Sanna, Dukramaas, Raita, Chana-tendli, and Sheera for dessert. The meal offered attendees a delightful taste of traditional Mangalorean cuisine.
The lunch break was lively with live musical performances by Sheryl, Alfred, Gratian, Eva, and Eric. Calvin showcased his energetic dance moves, captivating everyone and making the lunchtime truly enjoyable.
Every year UK Konkans sell homemade kuswar for charity. This year charity was collected for Fr. Anil Crasta – St Paul’s mission in Gulbarga. Kuswar, a traditional homemade variety of sweets and savouries brought a special touch and evoked fond memories of Mangalorean culture and nostalgic feeling.
Kevin Madtha felicitated our sponsors Mrs. Christine and Mr. Richard Lobo, Mrs. Shanthi and Mr. Vincent Menezes of Diamond Kitchens, Mr. Maninder from First Call Builders, Mrs. Caroline and Mr. Jeevan Lobo, Mr. Peter D’Sa, Mr. Ramesh Acharya, and an Anonymous sponsor for their continued support and generosity. Mrs. and Mr. Lobo added an extra touch and distributed chocolate boxes to little children – UK Konkans’ very own Santa 😊.
Santa Claus made a joyful entrance accompanied by lively music, instantly filling the space with excitement and cheer. The children were thrilled to see Santa, their faces lighting up with pure happiness. Santa lovingly distributed sweets to all the kids, spreading festive joy and creating unforgettable memories.
Tom, and Eric presented a hilarious Konkani skit called- Kamacho Valli that had the audience burst in fits of laughter with their punch, timing and witty dialogues. Their lighthearted performance added a dose of fun and laughter to the event, perfectly complementing the festive mood and Mangalorean touch.
The couples Matilda & Raphael, Alice & Eric, Gratian & Sheela, Kevin & Mini, James & Cheryl, Anil & Renita and sisters Analisa & Anastasia lit the stage on fire with their dance on Govinda’s song medley. The medley was apt for our 20th Anniversary as it had members of all ages showcasing talent over the generations.
The lucky winner for the raffle gift hamper was Dr. Ashton DSouza & family, and gifts were distributed to winners of games and spot prizes.
The final segment featured a DJ Dance with Baila, where guests came together to celebrate on the dance floor.
Lloyd displayed his photography skills capturing stunning stills. Meanwhile Beena and Shanthi skillfully managed the videography for the program, ensuring every moment was captured.
The guests had a surprise in store! They were presented a framed photo of their family portrait that was captured at the photo booth as a memento to commemorate 20th Anniversary Celebration. The guests were delighted and the surprise element got them smiling as they were winding up the celebration.
The UK Konkans’ Christmas Celebrations along with their 20th Anniversary event successfully united the community in a day filled with festive joy, cultural pride, and memorable performances. The dedication of volunteers, performers, and organizers made this a truly special occasion.
The event not only celebrated Christmas but also marked 20 years of Unity, Cultural preservation, and Togetherness for the UK Konkan community.
The videos of the celebration is available in the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvHU3QJRnZ5wSPEp2C-M9k7_NvpLYHpJj
The organising committee wishes all our members and their families a MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR 2025
