A Basoli Holiday Story: From My First Christmas in Canada to Today — With Gratitude

Every year as the holidays approach, I’m reminded of the very first time I ever experienced Christmas — a memory that still fills me with warmth, humility, and deep gratitude for how far life has brought me.

Growing up in India, Christmas wasn’t something my family knew about. I hadn’t heard the word, let alone seen a decorated tree. But everything changed when we moved to Canada. Suddenly, the world felt bright in a way I had never seen before.

I still remember walking home from school that December, absolutely mesmerized by the houses glowing with twinkling lights. It felt like stepping into a magical land — a place where warmth and wonder lived outside every door. At school, the kids talked about presents, Christmas dinners, and decorating their homes. I listened with wide eyes, trying to understand a world that was brand new to me.

That afternoon, I rushed home and excitedly told my mother everything I had learned. I begged her to let us have our own Christmas Eve dinner, even though we didn’t know exactly what Christmas meant. But like mothers do, she created something beautiful from what we had.

Our home filled with the comfort of Indian cooking — creamy Butter Chicken, my father’s Malai Chicken made in honour of my grandmother, lentils with rice, cauliflower with potatoes, and fresh homemade roti. It wasn’t a traditional Christmas meal, but it was filled with love, warmth, and the excitement of creating something new together.

We didn’t have a Christmas tree, so we made one.
A large plastic house plant became our holiday centrepiece.
My brothers collected little trinkets and scraps from around the house and decorated it with so much pride.

And under that improvised tree were a few small gifts from our family. I’ll never forget opening a small doll — my very first store-bought toy. In India, we made dolls from leftover cloth, so holding something new felt unbelievably special. My brothers received small trucks, and together we spent that evening laughing, celebrating, and creating a tradition of our own.

That simple, humble Christmas in our small Canadian home shaped something deep in me. It taught me that holidays aren’t about what you have — they’re about what you create, who you share it with, and the love that fills the room.

And today, all these years later, as I stand behind Basoli — cooking, creating, selling at markets, meeting families, sharing meals — I am overwhelmed with gratitude.

Gratitude for where I started.
Gratitude for every step in between.
And gratitude for where Basoli is today — because of you.

From a little girl discovering Christmas for the first time…
to a woman building a brand rooted in family, culture, and food…<