Mumbaikars' wishlist for Santa Claus: Here's what they want this Christmas

Representation pic

A breath of fresh air

Kehimkar (in red) guides visitors through his newly inaugurated butterfly garden in Karjat. Pic courtesy/Facebook

I would ask for nothing more than clean air in the city. While Mumbai is not as bad as other cities, it is something we could do more of. So, I would ask Santa to rid Mumbai of the noxious fumes and give us a crisp, clean winter.
Isaac Kehimkar, naturalist

Chance for peace

In the times we live in, to ask for material things feels a little silly. I know this might sound cliché but I would like to ask for world peace. I just want children around the world and everywhere to have a normal Christmas, where they can wake up without being afraid and anxious of being inside their own homes. If we could have that, it would be a good Christmas.
Ehsaan Noorani, musician

Success and contentment

Manish Mehrotra

At the moment, all I would ask for is a successful 2025. I plan to start on quite a few projects in 2025, and hopefully a new restaurant of my own. I have not yet decided on the cuisine or the location, but I will begin work on them soon. So, I would ask for success and contentment in the year to come.
Chef Manish Mehrotra, former culinary director, Indian Accent

New blocks in the city

Quasar Thakore Padamsee (left) in discussion

I do not have a lot of wishes for the city apart from the basic need of the moment - clean air. If one has to add to it, I would ask for more new and improved performance spaces around the city. That is all a theatre maker can dream of, and ask for.
Quasar Thakore Padamsee, theatre artiste

No avocado on toast

Irfan Pabaney

I would like peace to all mankind this season. On a personal note, I wish for more interesting things in food and cuisine. I wish they would stop putting avocado on toast. Although I know it is impossible, there are so many more interesting variations to try. For instance, I'd love to see more experiments with good ol' French toast on breakfast tables.
Chef Irfan Pabaney, country head, SodaBottle OpenerWala

Clean air and good food

If Santa is listening, I'd keep my wishes simple yet impactful - clean air; something as basic as the right to breathe without harming our health; honest food, real, pure food that nourishes rather than misleads; clean water, because no one should have to fight for something so essential. And if Santa could grant just one more wish, I'd ask for a ban on celebrities endorsing junk food. Imagine the ripple effect if that influence were used to promote healthier, holistic, and mindful choices instead. Lastly, I'd wish for love and peace to flow through the city because when we have that everything else will fall into place. Simple wishes, but ones that could truly change how we live and thrive in this beautiful city.
Luke Coutinho, nutritionist

Get Mumbai back on track

Sahil Shah

I keep hearing Santa Claus is coming to town, but I'm genuinely concerned about how he's going to make it to town with all the dug-up roads this year. Perhaps, there's a reason he travels up above us in the skies. This year, I'm asking Santa for the city I was born and brought up in to finally reach completion. As a stand-up comedian and a performing artiste, this year has been quite fulfilling with a lot more people coming out to our shows. Next year, I'm hoping for more performance spaces and stages to pop up so we can accommodate this rekindled interest.
Sahil Shah, comedian