Faith, family and inclusivity: British Deputy High Commissioner Andrew Fleming’s Christmas in Kolkata

As Kolkata celebrates Christmas, Andrew Fleming, British deputy high commissioner for East and North East India, marks the season in a city that reshaped how he experienced the festival. Having lived outside the UK for much of the past 18 years, Christmas, he said, had always travelled with him. “Wherever I am in the world, Christmas, for me, is about the religious festival, family and those less fortunate,” Andrew said. “I like to embrace each element.”

Faith, family and familiarity

At its core, Christmas remains a deeply religious occasion for Andrew. Attending midnight mass has been a constant across postings, and Kolkata has allowed him to continue that tradition. “As such, I am able to attend midnight mass as I always like to do,” he said, adding that the season would also be spent with immediate family and close friends.

What stands out most is the way Kolkata celebrates not just Christmas, but every religious festival. “Each city I’ve lived in offers different opportunities,” Andrew said, “but Kolkata is unique in how it celebrates Christmas and indeed every other religious festival.” That openness, he noted, made the season feel shared, rather than confined to one community.

Giving at the heart of the season

Charity lies at the centre of Andrew’s Christmas this year. He supported the work of Khelo Rugby and New Light Foundation, both of which work closely with vulnerable communities.

Speaking about Khelo Rugby’s Christmas camps, Andrew said the experience had moved him deeply. Held on the Maidan and across parts of West Bengal and Jharkhand, the camps bring together hundreds of children each day. “Most of the participants are from the poorest of communities,” he said. “Seeing them running around playing, as every child has a right to, and then enjoying a good breakfast touches my heart.” The scale of the effort, he added, was striking, with hundreds of children participating on Christmas Day alone.

Another experience that stayed with him was a recent visit to St Catherine’s Home for the elderly. Joining the home’s Christmas party earlier this month carried special meaning in a year marked by personal loss. “It made a deep impression on me in the year I lost my father,” Andrew said, describing the visit as both humbling and emotionally grounding.

A city defined by inclusivity

Asked what makes Christmas in Kolkata most meaningful, Andrew pointed to the city’s inclusivity. “The inclusivity and the many examples of it stand out most for me,” he said. One image, in particular, captures that spirit. “Hindus standing in line to buy Christmas cake from a Jewish bakery made by a Muslim baker to celebrate a Christian festival is surely unique,” he said, referring to Nahoum & Sons. In today’s world, he added, it was “perhaps something we should all learn from”.

Traditions, food and festive discovery

Andrew said he does not consciously bring many British traditions into his celebrations here. “Every place I live is a new experience and I want to mostly imbibe and learn from that,” he said. Still, small touches from home remain. His wife, who is Buddhist, had a fondness for mince pies and taught their chef to make them this year. She also enjoys decorating their residence, though Andrew laughed that Kolkata set a formidable benchmark. “Is there anywhere, even in central London, to match Park Street?” he asked.

Food, inevitably, plays its part. With nearly 20 invitations already lined up, Andrew said the dining table at home might remain largely untouched. “If we were to cook,” he said, “it would be a starter like a pâté or prawn cocktail, a roast dinner with all the trimmings, and Christmas pudding set alight with whisky.”

For Andrew, Christmas in Kolkata is not about changing traditions, but about seeing them through a wider lens. Rooted in faith, enriched by generosity and shaped by a city that celebrates difference with ease, it becomes a season that feels both familiar and quietly transformative.