The Christian community nationwide will welcome the birth of the Saviour Jesus Christ, son of God, at midnight mass tonight. A canopy of green, red and white decorations along with a flourish of golden stars seem to shower heavenly blessing, finds Bella Jaisinghani.Holy Family Church, ChakalaThis church in Andheri East has been beautifully decorated in the colours of Christmas. Fr Dean Fernandes SJ says an annual Bal Mela was held for street children apart from the parish triduum and feast whose theme was ‘Making good families better’. A night vigil with many activities was a highlight. Parishioners distributed food hampers to the housebound and a special Christmas Eve mass will be held for them. On Dec 24, carol singing at 10.00 pm will be followed by mass at 10.30 pm on the school grounds.St Michael’s Church, MahimChristmas parties for children and youth, and an X’Mas ball, reflect the season of joy at St Michael. Asst priest Fr Cliffton Mendonca said, “The theme of Christmas and Advent is ‘One Heart, Many Joys’. This includes 12 events starting with ‘The Joy of’. Our youth have gone all out with decorations using streamers, lights and balls. The church facade has a big silhouette light display of the holy family travelling upon a donkey. We have natural and artificial X’Mas trees, and three cribs — Past, Present and Future.” Ration was donated to150 families and an outreach to transgenders is on schedule. Midnight mass Dec 24 is at 11.00 pm after carols at 10.30 pm. Christmas Day masses in English, Hindi and Konkani will begin at 6.30 am.Our Lady of Victories Church, MahimHistory and spectacle come alive at Victoria Church. Fr Calistus Fernandes said, “Christmas is God’s loving visit to humanity, a conspiracy of love, prepared through the season of Advent. Through the Advent wreath initiative, nearly 75 wreaths were formed by small clusters of families who gather weekly for prayer, symbolising God’s visit among homes. Parishioners also observe a Secret Santa devotion through silent prayer, while children prepare home cribs and go carol singing. These simple initiatives help the parish joyfully welcome the Christ Child.” Midnight mass is indoors at 10.00 pm Dec 24. An hour of carol singing by the church choir will begin at 9.00 pm. Christmas Day masses start 7.00 am.Robinson Methodist Marathi Central Church, BycullaThis historic church enters its centenary year. Rev Santosh Shere said, “Our church completed 99 years on Dec 12 so we are celebrating our centenary. We have 256 families, and our members include doctors, nurses, teachers, IT technicians and businessmen. Some are working in the film industry as musicians and composers.” Music instills fellowship through carol singing and competitions. Gifts of food, blankets and other essentials were presented to poor and homeless people, old age homes, daycare centres and hostels in villages. Robinson Church invites the poor in on Christmas Day and felicitates police officers.St Anne’s Church, MazgaonAlways a visual delight at Christmastime, St Anne’s came alive early with the theme ‘Being Christ to the World’. The church grounds are beautifully adorned with stars, lights, Christmas tree and holy crib. Fr John Lobo, parish priest, said a community event Yuletide @Annes was a resounding success Dec 6. Young parishioners went carol singing Dec 13, and 40 children attended a Christmas party Dec 14. St Anne’s distributed hampers and financial support to 30 families, and gift hampers to 50 homebound parishioners. Christmas mass is at 10.00 pm in the open ground, with 900 people expected. Mass in English will be interspersed with readings and hymns in Konkani, Marathi and Hindi.

In a historic return to the domestic circuit, Virat Kohli etched his name deeper into the record books on Wednesday, December 24 during Vijay Hazare 2025-26 game between Delhi and Andhra Pradesh.

Virat Kohli matches Sachin Tendulkar’s remarkable milestone legendary feat in his Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 return

Representing Delhi against Andhra Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the 37-year-old batting icon became only the second Indian in history to cross the monumental 16,000-run mark in List A cricket. Playing in his first List A game since 2013 and his first fixture in this tournament in 15 years, Kohli achieved the feat during a 299-run chase at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. This milestone further solidifies his status as a giant of the 50-over format, following closely in the footsteps of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

As Kohli steps back into the Delhi dressing room under the captaincy of Rishabh Pant, his presence has sparked immense domestic interest. While the match was played behind closed doors, the Kohli effect was felt across social media as fans tracked every run of his historic comeback.

• The Milestone Moment: Kohli needed just one run to reach the 16,000 mark.5 He secured it in the very first over of Delhi’s chase after the fall of opener Arpit Rana.
• The Partnership: For this domestic stint, Kohli is batting alongside young talents like Priyansh Arya, showing a mix of seasoned mastery and fresh aggression.
• A Familiar Foe: Before this game, Kohli acknowledged the challenge posed by Andhra’s bowlers, specifically noting the competitive spirit of the domestic grind.
• The “Second to One” Club: He joins Sachin Tendulkar as the only other Indian to breach this barrier, with Tendulkar sitting at the top of the mountain with 21,999 runs.

Also READ: EXPLAINED: Why Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 games won’t be telecast live

Kohli’s statistical dominance and the List A elite

Virat Kohli’s entry into the 16,000-run club makes him the 9th player overall in the history of the game to achieve this feat. His career average remains the highest among the top ten run-getters, a testament to his unparalleled consistency over nearly two decades.

Kohli’s 2025 season has been nothing short of spectacular. Prior to the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he was named Player of the Series in India’s 2-1 ODI win over South Africa, where he smashed two centuries and a half-century in just three innings. With 53 ODI hundreds already to his name, he currently leads the world in international 50-over centuries and is using this domestic window to prepare for the upcoming home series against New Zealand starting January 11, 2026.

Also WATCH: Fans chant ‘Mumbai cha Raja’ as Rohit Sharma’s domestic return electrifies Vijay Hazare Trophy

As Christmas approaches, churches citywide lare putting the final touches to their Christmas tree and holy crib, stringing festoons and lights to welcome the faithful. Bandra, in particular, makes a pretty picture, reports Bella JaisinghaniHoly Name Cathedral, ColabaThe mother church of the Roman Catholic faith is undergoing extensive structural restoration. In fact the community is being invited to contribute resources. During the festive season, Advent wreath services were held on all Sundays since Nov 30. Christmas carols were followed by a concert by the Cathedral choir. On Dec 24, carol singing at 9.00 pm will be followed by midnight mass at 9.30 pm. The mass will be live streamed over the church’s social media handles. On Dec 25, Christmas mass will be held in Konkani and English from 7.00 am onwards.St Thomas Cathedral, FortThe cathedral, seat of the CNI Bishop of Bombay, is at the heart of the Anglican faith. It was inaugurated by governor Charles Boone on Christmas Day in 1718. Its stained glass paintings are an architectural highlight. The four Sundays of Advent saw the lighting of the candles of hope, peace, joy and love. The Cathedral choir performed Dec 14, and the choir of Cathedral and John Connon School sang carols Dec 17. Wild Voices performed Dec 20. On Dec 24 festive music at 10.00 pm will be followed by mass at 10.30 pm. The blessing of the crib and the lighting of the Christ candle are highlights. Christmas morning mass is at 9.00 am.Mount Mary Basilica, BandraChristmas at Mount Mary Basilica is a picture perfect celebration thanks to the beautifully restored premises and well lit facade. Youngsters and families are flocking to click selfies. Vice rector Fr Sunder Albuquerque said, “The season of Advent is a time to look back to the first coming of Jesus in history. It also looks forward to Jesus’ second coming at the end of history.” Weekend choir performances Dec 13-14 drew hundreds of faithful. On Christmas Eve, midnight mass will be held outdoors at 10.00 pm. Morning masses on Dec 25 begin at 6.30 am.St Anne’s Church, BandraThis beautiful church in Pali Hill has been decorated with winged angels flying overhead. St Anne’s began as a chapel in 1858 and served the villages of Malla, Sherly, Rajan, Kantwadi, Pali, Chuim, apart from the Europeans of Pali Hill. It celebrated 150 years in 2008. This year’s Christmas theme is ‘Jesus: The Everlasting Light’, said parish priest Mario Mendes. The Goldies Group aged above 60 had their annual Christmas party Dec 10. The crib is being built using natural grass and plant waste. On Dec 24 the parish choir will sing Christmas carols at 9.30 pm, and midnight mass in the church lawns is at 10.00 pm.St Andrew’s Church, BandraThe newly restored church was rededicated to the parish by Oswald Cardinal Gracias on Dec 7. St Andrew was built in 1575, at the dawn of Christianity in the city. This season a Christmas novena is being held from Dec 16-24. The neo-catechumen group is praying the Lauds (morning prayer) during Advent at 6.00 am. A special healing adoration is scheduled Dec 23. Christmas Eve Mass is at St Andrew’s school grounds with carols at 10:00 pm followed by mass at 10:30 pm. Christmas Day masses are at 7.00 am, 8.15 am and 9.30 am.

ICAI proposes that married couples be given the option to file a single, joint return. (AI image)

Pre-budget suggestions are pouring in, in the North Block. As the government gears up to present the 2026 budget, one proposal stands out for its potential impact on millions of households: optional joint taxation for married couples. It has been suggested by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and if adopted by the Ministry of Finance (MoF), it could mark a significant shift in how personal income tax is structured — and how families plan their finances.What is the proposal about?Currently, under the Indian tax system, every individual — married or not — is taxed separately. Each spouse must file their own income tax return, even if they have shared income or joint expensesICAI proposes that married couples be given the option to file a single, joint return — combining their incomes and deductions — instead of two separate ones. In other words: a married couple could choose what makes financial sense for them each year — file individually, or jointly.Why ICAI recommends joint taxationAccording to ICAI’s submission:

How joint taxation might work (proposed model)The couple would file a single consolidated Income tax return (ITR) under the joint-filing option.

What needs careful design — and possible concernsThe idea is attractive, but implementing joint taxation in India isn’t just a technical tweak. There are challenges to consider:

What could this mean for Indian households — a few scenarios

Why this proposal matters — beyond tax savings

ConclusionThe proposal for optional joint taxation of married couples — as submitted by ICAI in its pre-Budget 2026-27 memorandum — represents a potential paradigm shift in India’s personal tax framework. It seeks not just to ease compliance, but to recognise households (not just individuals) as fundamental economic units.For many Indian families — especially those with a single earner, homemaker spouse, children, home-loan or shared expenses — this could translate into lighter tax burden, improved financial well-being, and simpler tax compliance. On the policy side, it could bring India a step closer to global practices and make the tax system more equitable, transparent, and modern.