Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio cuts a cake at a pre-Christmas bash in Dimapur last week

Dec. 24: Santa is here with the goodies but has he brought with him peace?

The Northeast wished for that one gift it requires the most — peace — as the warmth of celebration and prayer overcame the winter chill on Christmas eve and the aroma of freshly-baked cakes seemed to remove the smell of gunpowder in the air, at least temporarily.

In Aizawl, hundreds of Mizo youths gathered around the Temple Square, the heart of the capital town, for the fourth edition of the popular Coffee Nite. The fun and frolic begins just after the midnight mass and ends just before sunrise.

“This is the best time of the year and what better way to celebrate than make merry under the open skies and around bonfires,” said Parteii Zorampari, a young state government employee.

Members of Aizawl’s famous bikers’ group — Aizawl Thunder — rode on their Bullets to various villages today and distributed gifts among children.

In Meghalaya, the capital city of Shillong was a blaze of colours and lights. Thousands thronged the markets for last-minute shopping.

“This Christmas will hopefully bring more economic empowerment to the people of Meghalaya,” said home minister R.G. Lyngdoh.

For the past few days, young boys and girls in Tura have been busy doing just that — ensuring their own little economic empowerment to hold a community feast in style. In Christmas style.

They have been going from door to door, singing Christmas carols in return for small donations, which will be used for the gala community party.

Powercuts and the biting cold — the mercury plunged to six degrees Celsius in Kohima today — did threaten to mar the beginning of the celebrations in Nagaland, but the overwhelming festive spirit ensured that there was enough light to welcome the Lord.

The local ground in the heart of Kohima turned into an impromptu market complex with thousands buying everything from trees to clothes to meat for the grand celebration tomorrow.

With the National Games in Assam a little over a month away, the organisers did not lose the opportunity to dress Rongmon — the mascot — as Santa to fuel the Yuletide spirit in Guwahati.

But Santa has a tough job this Christmas. Tonight, the Northeast will hang the stockings and hope that Santa quietly slips in peace along with the other goodies.

Or, perhaps, a little benevolence.