It's been an unmerry X'mas this year, what with high prices and cash crunch many households had to opt for more sober celebration. The 50-day period announced by the Prime Minister being still three days away from the promised relief, people had to make do with a smaller budget.

The time needed to get the cakes baked and prepare other goodies was taken up by standing in long queues in front of banks and post offices and the housewife irritated by long delays in getting things done.

"Season of merriment,my foot," grumbled Mrs Ashley,who missed buying enough flowers for her drawing room.

"We are all like old miser Scrooge, depicted by Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol," said Williamson."I missed Mass on two consecutive Advent Sundays, when Christians prepare for the coming of the Lord, as I was standing in the ATM queue.

The paltry "gulabi" 2,000-rupee note that I managed to get was too little and too late for buying clothes and other necessities, he lamented. "Even the joy bells sounded harsh," the old-timer added with a shrug of his stooping shoulders.

In many parishes in Delhi, the padres agreed to accept cheques for X'mas celebrations, limited to just tea-coffee-biscuits and, in some places, frugal cakes and smaller pieces for parishioners. "No paisa, no bakshish," was the mournful refrain that greeted year-end hangers-on.

"Even in the World War years, things were not so bad," regretted Dora Aunty, who couldn't make the usual Baradin pakwan of gujas, khajoors, kacchoris and bajre-ki-tikkia. She had to make do with only sankein (fried maida salt sticks). "We are hoping New Year's Day will bring some respite from the cash crunch," she said with a rueful smile.

Just imagine how Dickens would have mourned in his masterpiece had England gone bankrupt during a 19th century Yuletide and Santa turned Scrooge, with just half a bag full of gifts for hundreds of expectant children.