It's that time of the year again, when trees with colourful lights go up, presents are exchanged, families come together and feasts are made. In the UK, for many British Asians, celebrating Christmas has become a part of their integrated culture. Not just as conventional gift giving or baking a pie customs, but some British Asians, inspite of being non-Christian, embrace the spirit of the real Christmas- of charity and humanity. Such is the story of 'Meet & Deep' Newsagents, a 128 year old convenience store on Hampton Road, Twickenham.
Bought over 35 years ago by Pallavi Patel (from Vaso-Alindra, Gujarat, India) and Shashikant Patel (from Uganda), they are helped by sons Deepen and Meeten on the weekends and sometimes on the weekdays to run the store efficiently. Every Christmas for the last six years they have hosted a party with free biscuits and mince pies, to bring on the Christmas cheer. The shop as usual has been dressed up with Christmas decorations and a board outside reads, “We are open on Christmas Day from 12-2pm. If you are alone, pop in for a hug and a mince pie. You don't have to buy anything. We are family.”
Deepen Patel, in his 30s is single and has his own retail business, is a style advisor and a speech therapist. His brother Meeten is a Senior Project Manager in IT for the pizza chain Prezzo. Both boys help parents to plan this Christmas party for years now. Speaking to Asian Voice exclusively, Deepen said, “We started our Christmas party six years back, when an elderly person in the locality got robbed. We bought her presents and celebrated Christmas with her. There are many people who are old, lonely and disowned by their family. This is our way of giving back to the society. Last year neighbours baked pies and donated them for our party. Our Christmas day party brings the community together in a very special way. My parents dress up as father and mother Xmas.”
When his parents took over this shop three decades ago, they were not accepted as a part of the local community. There was a bit of racism involved and they were left isolated. But over the years they have become an integral part of this locality and society and Deepen and Meeten feel like they are family to their old neighbours. “We helped someone to decorate his tree last year, because he could not physically do that after falling ill. People treat us as their own and we celebrate the community spirit by doing small things for each other. We are Hindus by birth, but that does not mean we cannot celebrate Christmas. It is as much as part of our culture and dharma as British Asians as anything else in this country,” he added.
