Media Release

London, Dec 13: The Christmas dinner and dance was a grand finale to a very successful year for SKA. This was held on Sunday December 11 from 12 pm to 6 pm at the sumptuous banquet hall of Clay Oven Alperton.

240 members and guests attended, making it, thus far, the best attended Christmas party for SKA. It was a sunny, crisp cold Sunday morning with all guests attired in their Sunday best, determined to enjoy themselves.

The entrance had a lovely Christmas tree with Father Christmas greeting the guests and amidst a beautifully inviting backdrop for guests to pose for family pictures. The hall was beautifully decked with Christmas crackers on the table, poinsettias as table centrepieces and white chairs with red sashes, which set the right ambience for the whole afternoon.

Jason Saldanha, MC for the event, before beginning the proceedings spoke about the sad demise of a founding father of the association (Felix D’Souza) and a minute’s silence was observed as tribute. Thereafter, Jason held the crowd captive and was kept busy organising children’s games with an unusual combination of parents' involvement. The adults in turn, enjoyed two elimination games. Unique Konkani carol singing was a great entertainment and filled the guests were filled with nostalgia. The Christmas pageant was enacted by the children. Father Christmas duly made his appearance and enthralled the children with his prancing and dancing around the hall distributing gifts to the children.

A very entertaining Konkani skit was then enacted by the new president, Sunil and Pius Menezes, Olivia. Sunil D’Cunha, the new president of SKA gave the vote of thanks and thanked the committee for their help and support. He also thanked Ron Rodrigues, the outgoing president for his hard work and achievements over the past six years.

In Ron’s absence, his wife Violet was called to receive a bouquet of flowers and a special thank you award from the association for his dedication. Brolin Rodrigues, spoke on behalf of his father Ron to thank the association and wish it every success.

Marita Crasta prepared beautifully wrapped kuswar boxes filled with homemade kuswar like kokisan, kulkuls, rawa ladoos, rice ladoos, gulios. These literally went like hot cakes and were sold out by the end of the afternoon.

Clay Oven’s starters and food were truly delicious and enjoyed by everyone, young and old alike with plenty to go around. It was a tightly packed schedule and all involved ensured that the proceedings set off on time. The popular raffle was very eagerly awaited with great prizes and as luck would have it, winners were picked from each part of the room. The association thanked Eugene Dias who donated his 'Meal for Two meals' voucher at his Charlotte Street Palms of Goa branch.

It was then time for the inimitable DJ Chicco who sensed the mood of the guests and kept them entertained with English, Hindi, and Konkani songs. The dance floor was filled with guests for the entire afternoon, who could not have enough of the music. The mando music literally brought every guest onto the floor.

The committee organised have done themselves proud by organised the programme in a slick manner which went smoothly and was truly enjoyable. All those who were involved are thanked for their hard work and enthusiasm.