What Team Verve Wants This Christmas

Sadaf Shaikh – Junior Digital Writer
My fascination with dragons first began when I read Eragon from Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle. Saphira’s blue scales, calm temperament and fierce friendship struck a chord with me, and I never looked at the eggs in my refrigerator the same way again, always hoping that one of them held a baby dragon that would hatch to pick me as its rider. While that never came to pass, my fascination with dragons soon turned into somewhat of an obsession and I was reading up studiously on them — learning to tell the difference between dragons and wyverns, researching their various powers, the source of their strength and their Achilles Heel. Subsequently, I got my hands on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice And Fire and was introduced to Daenerys Targaryen’s fearsome trio of dragons — Drogon, Viserion and Rhaegal who were loyal as they were powerful. Then came Hiccup’s adorable Toothless in How To Train Your Dragon and the eloquent Smaug in The Hobbit trilogy and dragons were suddenly the hot topic about town. The only wish I want to put out into the universe is that if dragons do exist, (and that isn’t more preposterous than believing in aliens), let one of them be mine. A little AC/DC playing in the background while I fight crime alongside both, the Avengers and The Justice League on my fire-breathing Smithereens (yes, I’ve thought of dragon names) wouldn’t hurt either.

Shubham Ladha – Junior Digital Writer
Good company, but that’s easily attainable, no? Perhaps not the kind I’d like. Maybe cabaret at Moulin Rouge and then a walk along Paris’ moonlit cobbled streets, bantering with other literary figures at one of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s lavish parties, sing alongside Judy Garland or with Julie Andrews atop the hills and the likes, waltz like Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire…. In essence, I wish to live lives I’ve only witnessed or read or heard about and let nostalgia not stay nostalgic, if only for a brief moment in time.

Ojas Kolvankar – Junior Fashion Stylist
This Christmas, all I would wish is to spread/create is an atmosphere of inclusivity and acceptance. It would be truly magical to live in a world without homophobia, transphobia or any discrimination based on gender and sexuality. After all, isn’t celebrating one’s own self, the true Christmas spirit?

Saumya Sinha – Junior Writer
They say don’t judge a book by its cover but my heart skips a beat when I look at a beautifully illustrated cover of Pride and Prejudice, the Puffin in Bloom series of Anne of Green Gables and Little Women, and they make me want to stop and stare and admire them for a while. Over the years, my list of books with engaging covers – that tell quite the story on their own – has grown longer and the bookshelves seem to have shrunk a tad further. So this holiday season, dear Santa, shake things up a bit in your literary department because all I want for Christmas is a lifetime supply of special edition books with the most beautifully illustrated novels from all the corners of the world and oh, while we’re at it, a visit to the Shakespeare and Company, Paris won’t hurt….

Tina Dastur – Junior Writer
All I want for Christmas is…a Polar Express experience! Not because I don’t believe in Santa, but because I believe a little too much – it’s unhealthy! Think: Tom Hanks sticking his head out of the Polar Express, booming “All aboard”, ushering me inside the plush interiors and showing me to my seat before finally handing me my very own golden ticket to the North Pole, where Santa and his elves await! Then, because tradition mandates, drinking numerous refills of steaming hot chocolate – no, make that piping hot black coffee instead – while gazing out at the stunning landscapes, exotic animal species and absolutely breathtaking Northern Lights en route from my window seat. Sigh. Upon finally reaching the North Pole (after journeying for at least a week because anything less would be completely unacceptable), I’d be totally awestruck by Santa’s secret abode, which, at its heart, is home to a majestic Christmas tree, decorated abundantly with the prettiest, most adorable Christmasy ornaments. Being generous, I will, of course, avert my eyes from the spectacle to assist Santa’s little helpers, who are naturally all-too-busy scurrying around trying to work out gift logistics…all the while trying to sneakily spot my name on a gift tag. After which, I would obviously expect to be the ‘chosen one’ – the one who gets to sit beside Santa on his sleigh as he does the rounds of cities, helping him drop off presents and yanking him out of chimneys, where he invariably gets stuck upside-down. And once we’re done, and I’m dropped off safely back home, I fully expect to wake up on Christmas morning to the best gift ever – a book cabinet stocked with every imaginable edition of Tolkien classics Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit. Just because, well, neither the Crosswords of the city nor the Fountain booksellers have enough to satiate my yearnings. That’s all. Oh, if wishes were reindeer…

Zaral Shah – Junior Writer & Coordinator
To be able to observe Earth over New Year’s Eve from the International Space Station. You probably get a top view of the fireworks, there’s no overcrowding and you can celebrate the New Year with every passing time zone. If you’re lucky, you can also catch a glimpse of our fellow planets in the Milky Way! Best view ever!
Quick disclaimer – I don’t know how possible or scientifically accurate this wish is; but hey, if you’re shooting, might as well shoot for the stars!

Huzan Tata – Senior Writer
What I would like for Christmas, would undoubtedly be a free trip around the world! Nothing excites, liberates, scares and satisfies me more than picking up my passport and escaping from the daily grind for a while, and what would be better than getting to see the whole world along the way? As a student of history, I have always been fascinated by different cultures, traditions, and lives, and the only way to experience all these first-hand is by crossing borders. So if anyone’s listening, my current passport is valid for another two years, and I still have 180 countries left to see!

Faye Remedios – Associate Editor
A lot of people end up gifting furry animals, the kind found in pet shops and not toy shops, only to discard them when the novelty ends. Bringing an animal home is a commitment to a dependent being that needs time, money and love. I wish people would not encourage or indulge in this unless certain that the animal is actually wanted. And I would think it would be one step closer to being a perfect world if a lot of people could give the gift of a loving home to a helpless, abandoned animal this Christmas.

Aparrna Gupta – Contributing Beauty Editor
I wish to escape to a fairyland where unconditional love is the norm.  A place which is a sensory treat with gorgeous scented blossoms (lavender, roses, cherry blossoms and peonies) leading to white sand beaches.  In real life, I will settle for a glittering experience of the dazzling New York City winter wonderland – discover Central Park, leave my footprints in the snow, and of course, kiss under the mistletoe.

Ranjabati Das – Copy Editor
I wish I had more time on my hands, to do all that I want to do. I would watch more films, read more books, see more of the world and have more time for my family. More, more, more. Is it just me or is time moving a bit too quickly these days – at a breakneck speed — passing us by, leaving us in a blur? If I were ever granted a wish, a real wish, I’d wish I could apparate (Harry Potter speak) to any destination from past travels. (Not a new place though — that would be too easy). With a free pass to go anywhere I have ever been to, I could go back to the Colossus or the Pantheon, when I need a dose of inspiration, or Edinburgh, when I feel like a walk or miss my good friend Tony. We’d reminisce about past days that began with the heartiest Scottish breakfasts (thanks to the husband) and ended with scouring for the finest pint of local ale (priorities). The next instant I could be in Kolkata for dinner, savouring a plate of top-class biryani–and family time. So much to do, so little time.

Shraddha Jahagirdar-Saxena – Executive Editor
This is a long-cherished desire whose time perhaps has still not come. Wishing peace, health and happiness for the world at large–and that includes my friends and family too– in the future, I see myself in a cottage on a hill, far away from the hustle and bustle of civilization. But this, only after I am convinced that my Gen Next is firmly standing on its own feet and can run their daily routines without me, so I can retire – literally and metaphorically – into a bibliophile’s paradise. So, the cottage would need to be equipped with – apart from the necessities – books, books and more books! No Kindle in sight, for I love the smell of paper and enjoy seeing words in print. A rocking chair to relax in with a small, comfortable stool to put my feet up, both in front of a blazing fire to keep out the cold, a mug of hot chocolate by my side. And a phone on the table to ensure that all is well with the world and mine! Ah, bliss!

Shirin Mehta – Fashion Features & Lifestyle Editor
My Christmas wish would be to view our wonderful world from a spaceship that is circling so that I can see every continent, country and city. It would have to be a cloudless day or a day with just a few puffs of clouds around to add to the scenic beauty. The green of forests, the blue of oceans, the brown of mountains are all so unique to Mother Earth that this would certainly be a sight to behold – a visual as well as a spiritual wonder!