The festive season is onto us and we cannot wait for the city to be painted in the Christmas cheer. Rejoicing in the festival marking the birth of Jesus Christ, resplendently decked up churches reverberate with carols and hot chocolate and rum cakes sell the best throughout town. It surely is the most beautiful time of the year!

With that, we're also always on the look-out for exciting things to do during Christmas and New Year. If you're a Lucknowite, roaming around the vivacious streets on Hazratganj will always be on the list, right? So, this is your gospel of the cool stuff you can do in the stupendous market-place during these endearing holidays!

The age-old and renowned restaurant, Marksmen, is celebrating Christmas in style, starting with a glorious pizza festival. We're talking 10 inches of fresh dough hand-tossed slices of heaven, people!

Take your fam out for a scrumptious meal at Marksmen and give a great start to the festive season. Choose from their different cuisines or go for the signature frankies and burgers and you're good to go for your Hazratganj haul!

You must have heard your parents and even grandparents use the popular phrase, "ganj-ing", and that is exactly how ageless and iconic Hazratganj is! One of the very first shopping areas in the city, the flourishing Hazratganj is almost a century old and has been revamped dozens of times.

Sheltering countless shops and stalls, Ganj has every popular label there can be. And let us tell you that the age-old homogonous market looks beautiful during Christmas. Glistening in lights, with jingle bells and other décor adorning most shops, 'Ganjing' is a must during these festive times.

Since Christmas is more than merely jingle bells, mistletoes and plum cakes, experiencing the birth of Christ by attending the midnight holy mass at St. Cathedral in Lucknow is what will actually fulfill your celebrations.

We don't have to elaborate the beauty of the carol singing, prayer services, plays and skits, and the general communal harmony in the air, for you must be aware of the rich history of this iconic and age-old church in Hazratganj. Nuf said! Being at Cathedral during Christmas is an incomparable emotion that one must experience!

Visit the long-standing Universal Booksellers in Hazratganj and get engrossed in vintage books after you're exhausted from all the shopping and eating!

Now, while we know this is an all Christmas-themed listicle, looking at the pretty sight of innumerable books, consuming the fragrance of the pages, and skimming through antique books is something you can always, always do and still never get tired of. Right? Right!

If you're on the roads of Ganj, you obviously cannot miss Janpath bazaar in the corner. One of the favourite market-places for shopaholics, Janpath has from ethnic sarees, Chikan garments, and footwear to jewellery, perfume shops, and tattoo places! The perfect blend of the old and new worlds, this is also the perfect place for bargaining in Ganj.

So, whether you wanna end the year with a new tattoo or buy some Old Lucknavi-charmed itrs, Janpath has got your back!

Winter has made a full-fledged spot amongst us and is going to stay for the next few months with us. So, why not take advantage of it? Let's don our coziest of woollens, collect our people, and head to Hazratganj to indulge in a smoking hot cup of Hot Chocolate from the pop Hazelnut Factory!

Sounds like a plan, eh? THF is renowned for its desserts but a mug of their rich, silky, thick, and delicious hot chocolate is sure to warm you up good!

While Ganj-ing is on your mind and you're at the market, be on the lookout for street performances, too. You might be lucky to be entertained by some while you're here!

With COVID casting a shadow on most of the glorious celebrations taking place in Lucknow lately, this year is special in the manner that it is all merry and cheerful after a hiatus of two years!

Location: It's Hazratganj, you guys!