This year as Diwali holidays spilled over into November, I was reminded of why the month always held a special place in my childhood memories. For one, it was just a month away from Christmastime, and all the revelry, gifts and family gatherings that were integral to the festival. Secondly, the build-up to it – be it shopping for gifts and decorations (and the Christmas tree), sending Christmas cards via snail mail, was so much fun. November was also the time when the planners executed their Christmas dress to ensure they were midnight-mass-ready.

The lazy and ‘bindaas’ folk let November slip by and would wake up by mid-December. How they still turned up, all sparkly for the big ticket service, will require a separate column. But this is about the early birds and their saviours. Come November, and we bachchas would be privy to chit-chat among the older cousins, our parents and aunts about which tailor was trending that year and when would be the appropriate time to make that arduous journey to a corner of the city, braving packed locals and bumpy auto rickshaw rides. Commitment and resilience was key for this critical mission.