Ranchi, Dec. 25: Santa Claus has missed the flight to the capital yet again. Their demand for direct flight to different destinations made at the annual get-together of Santa Claus at Copenhagen has remained unfulfilled, much to the disappointment of children.

The children here love Christmas and the revelry associated with the festival. But Santa Claus does not enter their houses through chimneys or some hidden entrance and fill their socks with gifts.

“I have never received a gift from Santa Claus nor have I seen one. Yesterday, I saw two Santa Claus at GEL Church shopping complex in front of a children’s toy shop,” says Ben Arpan Ekka, of Patahlkuduwa, son of Rev. D.K. Ekka of Rajasthan Bible Institute, affiliated to CNI church.

Ben’s little sister Sheeba also did not get anything from Santa Claus.

“In this locality, the Santa Claus fad has not caught on like in other metropolitan cities,” says Reuben Agrawal, who has spent more than a decade at Pathalkuduwa. “We have Chirstmas gatherings, where gifts are also exchanged if one wishes to. But Santa Claus does not come quietly at night to drop gifts for children,” Reuben adds.

“I got a dress, cake and sweets this Christmas,” says Phulmani, of Old Hazaribagh road near Ranchi Railway station with K.K. Guria, a retired defence account personnel. When asked what Santa Claus gave her, Guria’s first reaction was the girl might not know about Santa and his gifts as she comes from a village.

On Puruliya road, close to the Archbishop’s residence, Rising Star club members of Barhitoli made a tableau depicting birth of Jesus Christ. This segment is dominated by Roman Catholics. Club member Sandeep Kerketta, a Roman Catholic, said, “Yesterday, two Santa Claus moved about on Purulia road wishing everyone a merry Christmas. But the concept of distributing gifts is not in vogue here.”