Christmas is still a season of love…

by Zanita Careem

In the new normal, Christmas is still a season of love… from a distance. Christmas this season will be different but that does not mean that it cannot be celebrated. We should feel the joy and the spirit of giving From Santa bubbles to drive though Christmas decorations, is socially distanced year like no other is giving us a masked Christmas

We spoke to Otara Gunawardena to find how she feels about X’mas this year upended by the Coronavirus pandemic. She said the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has taught us to truly appreciate the little things in life. This X’mas is different from the rest but nonetheless, this year should be for counting our blessings.

Otara needs no introduction, the founder of Odel, Luv SL, a tourist shop and ‘Embark,’ an organisation dedicated to improving the wellbeing of street dogs. A fashion icon and trendsetter, Otara’s journey was one of determination and passion where she ensured that her business would be global ly known and a landmark in Sri Lanka.

Q Covid has dampened the spirit of the season how do you feel about it this year?

A

It was a quiet Christmas with family at home. I believe Covid was a lesson to teach us to be with ourselves and our families without always looking for distractions from events and outings like we were usually engaged in.

It was a time to keep things simple and be happy and grateful for all that we have.

Q Your experience in the past and the challenges now A- I think we are all experiencing verydifficult times compared to how things were in the past.

The challenges and the outcome is based on how we handle ourselves during this situation.

Q You are into many social projects. Did you plan any thing special for this season. 

A

I just launched a platform to sell products from small businesses in Sri Lanka and I have been very busy with that. I am pleased to be able to create this platform as it is something I have been wanting to do for the last few years.

Q Do you think we should have a quieter feel this year without all that glitter and glamour or do we need to celebrate without dampening our festive spirit 

A

What dampens our spirit depends on what we need to make it bright. No matter what the situationis if we are happy, peaceful and content within, we can still be joyful and happy, no matter what happens around us.

Q As a icon and a public figure are you engaged in any new projects this year  –

A

I hope to work on growing ” Who We Are” and also continuing my work with Embark and advocacy for animal welfare and environment protection.

Q Chistmas and New Year come once a year it is time for rejoicing and to help each other

How do you account for this?

A

Yes it is but it is also something that we have to continue throughout the year. Christmas is just a reminder for the need for good values to continue through the year.