Sing for joy 

KOCHI: It’s time to sing the songs of joy. “We started practising carols from October, meeting every week, working on different songs. Apart from traditional songs we sing modern Christmas songs mixing Malayalam with western music,” said Asha Johny a choir member, St Mary’s Forane Church, Kanjoor. 
The Ernakulam YMCA and YWCA organises Western, traditional and contemporary church songs.

Fr Vinod George, vicar of St Thomas Dayara, Vettickal has been with the choir for the past two years. “We have all-new melodies not of any popping variety, but that which has beauty and vibrancy,” he said. 
Yuletide is a time for celebration and merriment, where friends and family come together for sharing and caring. “But everything has changed in the past 10 years,” said OJ Jose, who used to work in the Indian Air Force.