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The festive season is here and, with that, it’s time to host people and have some nice get-togethers that will make you forget all your worries. But before you start welcoming guests, why not ensure your home reflects the festive spirit? Here are three nifty ways you can change the look of your space to lend it a celebratory vibe.

Use fun fabrics

You can’t go around changing all your upholstery but you can give them a quick facelift by covering them with fabrics that signify the festivities. Floral or ikat prints and patterns work wonderfully to give your living space a holiday cheer. Simply drape some fabric over the armrest of your couches or use them as throws. You can use old sarees to cover your cushions too or buy some inexpensive ones at one of the many stores that are offering holiday discounts at the moment. Check out Kaapa in Kupondole, Lalitpur or Cotton Co Nepal in Baneshwor Height in Kathmandu.

Decorate with flowers

One of the easiest and inexpensive ways of doing up your space involves decorating with flowers. You can use any glassware or ceramics you have around the house to create some stunning displays with flowers. Buy a few bunches of flowers and just put them up on the dining area or the coffee table. You can also choose to cut some long stems from trees and create a stunning display with leaves. Alternatively, you can add some battery-operated string lights to these to create a visually appealing setup. Though we don’t recommend fake flowers, we must admit there are some pretty real-looking ones available in the market these days. Try to play around with some but don’t go overboard with these as it can end up looking tacky.

Rotate your knickknacks

Our homes start looking boring because of the sameness of the décor day in and day out. Consider rotating your décor items to give your space a fresh appeal. Simply switching things up can change Take out your holiday decorations like the ‘panas’ (traditional oil lamps) and brass/bronze ‘khadkulo’ and use them as centerpieces on the dining table or on top of a console in the entryway. You can fill the khadkulo with water and place flowers or water petals and floating candles on it. Add a few drops of essential oil to the water to give your space a nice fragrance as well. The panas can be used in place of candlesticks or simply as décor items. If you are feeling especially quirky and creative, you can repurpose items around the house as festive décor. For instance, a brass puja ‘thali’ can be used as a coffee table tray. There is no rule here, just do what you feel works for you.

‘Europe has to grow out of the mindset that Europe’s problems are the world’s problems, but the world’s problems are not Europe’s problems.’- S Jaishankar 

Foreign Minister of India, an oriental country (“rest” from the “west”), probably had not forgotten how Churchill’s exploitation of the word “barbarians” to fuel ‘western war’ in 1943 led to a devastating famine causing the death of nearly 3m people, including children, women and elderly. A decade later, he was awarded with the Nobel Prize in Literature, for his biographical description about defending human values. This is an irony of eurocentrism. Eurocentrism is rooted in a colonial mind-set that is poised on the idea that the knowledge, culture and civilization of Europe, including its extension to America and other former white colonies, are superior and the remaining as savage. As Jaishankar stated, Europe’s problems and its policies have always been presented as the global problems and policies, without considering the relevance for the whole world. 

The concept of global world, i.e. globalization of politics, economics and culture have derived its roots from the ideas of the western world, as opposed to ‘Vasudhaiba Kutumbakam’, meaning, the world is one family. It is the same mind-set that the western lens dominates what we think globally. Academic fields favor European perspectives, restricting global understanding and fostering ethnocentrism, leading to stereotyping and discrimination against non-European cultures. Today, extensive Eurocentric social theories have blended with neoliberalism that determines our vision of globality. Neo-liberal ideas claim to champion prosperity and development, pointing to calibrating numbers as indicators of progress. However, a question arises: is this growth a result of continuous human progression or the influence of neoliberalism? Even the term ‘sustainability’ derives its origin from the Western concept. After Europe and the United States had submitted benefitting from the development driven by industrialization, they popularized the principle to mean to protect the earth and its environment for the future generation. 

Now, when it comes to saying that human life has improved and we're moving towards sustainable development, my take is a bit nuanced. Certainly, technology, healthcare, and education have brought positive changes for certain sections of society. But are those changes accessible to all sections of society? While the champions of neoliberal economies are organizing the feast of prosperity, one large section is uninvited and another large section is struggling to appear at the table. The opulence and resources of the feast were one time or another expropriated from those who are not at the table today. 

The uncontrolled spread of neo-liberalism and globalization in South Asian countries is causing havoc, particularly in the realm of economic competition. The flood of inexpensive imported products from dominant market economies has overtaken our locally made goods, resulting in a trade deficit and creating further dependence on external markets. When eurocentrism historically has created a huge global economic imbalance, how can there be fair competition among first world economies and third world economies? 

The flagbearer of neoliberalism, Bretton Woods System, probably was the first of the Eurocentric policies presented to the East as a magic wand for development. The preconditions of structural adjustment to obtain monetary aids caused malfunctioning of the existing governance mechanism leading to perpetual political instability in the developing countries. The peculiarities of the Asiatic society were blatantly ignored to glamify the European idea of development. 

In South Asia, this has resulted in further marginalization of vulnerable populations, increasing economic disparity, limited access to essential services, and displacement due to market-driven policies. Privatization of essential services like healthcare, education, and utilities lead to a further exclusion of the marginalized. Agricultural sectors in South Asia are also vulnerable to the effects of neo-liberal policies. Market-oriented reforms have caused disadvantage to small farmers, sustenance agriculture based economies contributing to rural distress and migration. 

Multinational companies, the new Trojan horse have penetrated underdeveloped countries through neo-liberal policies starting to exploit natural and human resources right from their onset. Climate change, degradation of biodiversity, and social disparities persist as pressing challenges at a global scale. Indigenous people, once at the forefront in making truce with nature are likely to suffer from the climate disaster- mainly a result of neoliberalism, while others enjoyed the fruits. The crisis on food security is one of the evident and major failures of the Euro-centric idea of development. The production of hybrid and genetically modified seeds by multinational companies like Monsanto take over the entire agricultural system, a direct hegemony forced over indigenous scientific knowledge which has resisted unsuccessfully through food sovereignty movements. 

Addressing the problems associated with neoliberalism outside Europe, requires a careful consideration of the social, economic, and environmental impacts of market-oriented policies. Europe needs to realize that the Oriental societies are not the experimentation ground for the Eurocentric ideas of neoliberalism. Plus, the Orient societies do not require a European-meter to curate their progress. Although global challenges require global efforts of mitigation and prevention, the peculiarities of the Orient societies should never be meddled with. 

It is true that the world has made progress in recent times in numerous aspects, but Europe is not the cause of the improved human condition. Rather it is the opposite. Before European colonialism came to the Oriental Societies, civilization was thriving. Asia constituted the majority of the world’s wealth and prosperity. The ongoing major thirty eight conflicts continue to further deteriorate living conditions—which are either the problems Europe created or are the remnant of the Eurocentric idea of superiority mastered through imperialism. Only after the fall of colonies, the world’s societies have been progressing towards an improved human condition. Europe can only be credited for the progress towards sustainable development in one way, i.e., its colonial downfall. Moreover, it is now high-time that the Oriental and Indigenous ideas of governance should be credited for the progress towards sustainable development.

During our visit to America in 2008, my brother Lokdarshan Shrestha, a resident of Fairfax, Virginia, took us on a sightseeing trip to his workplace in Baltimore, Maryland, and to Washington DC, the capital of the United States. By the time of our 2017 visit, he had legally become a permanent resident of Virginia. He was excited to share his happiness with me, as we had always been close. Keeping us in suspense without revealing any details, he surprised us by taking us to Mount Vernon—an iconic landmark I had never heard of before. Mount Vernon is actually the residence of America’s first president, George Washington. When I first heard the name, I imagined it to be a towering mountain. But to my surprise, it was simply an estate set on slightly elevated land.

Spread over a large area, Mount Vernon is managed by volunteers from a cooperative established for its preservation. The estate is open to the public for viewing, and at the entrance, there was a notice informing visitors that they could leave the entrance fee in a donation box at their discretion. The house where President George Washington and his wife Martha (not Mary, as I mistakenly thought) lived is small but beautiful. The atmosphere within the estate made us feel as though they might still be watching over the place from somewhere nearby.

The various exhibits and activities displayed throughout the grounds made it clear that George Washington was a wealthy landowner during his time. The Potomac River flows along the southern side of the estate, adding to the serene beauty of the environment. It is said that Washington would supervise his vineyards and other agricultural activities, often traveling by boat. He even used to commute by boat between Mount Vernon and Washington DC, the nation's capital. Interestingly, the pond at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington DC is fed by water from the Potomac River.

Our visit to Mount Vernon allowed us to witness a glimpse of how a self-sustaining economy operated in the 17th and 18th centuries. It was fascinating to see how people produced what they needed and traded for goods they didn't have through the barter system. Even though it was a reenactment for visitors, we watched demonstrations of various traditional crafts and skills. We saw rooms where workers spun yarn, wove cloth, crafted iron goods, and extracted oil. In addition, we observed farming activities, including the cultivation of fruits and vegetables, within the compound. We even saw the living quarters of workers and slaves from that time, along with stables for the horses used to pull carriages. The security personnel were dressed in period uniforms, adding to the authentic feel of the experience.

Later, we visited the tomb of President George Washington and his wife Martha, located about a hundred meters below the house. Standing before their final resting place, it felt as though they were still watching over the estate and its visitors. This visit to Mount Vernon made my trip to America truly meaningful, and I believe every enlightened visitor to Washington DC should also make time to visit this historic site.

Our second round of exploration at Mount Vernon took us to the museum located on the western side of the estate. The museum displays various artifacts from George Washington's life, including items he used in his work, the weapons he used in battle, and the clothes he wore. There are also several theaters screening documentaries about his life and the American Revolutionary War, two of which we had the chance to watch.

George Washington led the American Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1783. After the war ended, he became the first president of the United States, serving two terms from 1789 to 1797. If he had wished, he could have become an emperor, a dictator, or even president for life. But he voluntarily stepped down, returning to private life, and in doing so, he became a guide and inspiration for future generations. To this day, America seems to follow the example he set, with no interruption.

Dashain is the biggest festival for Hindus and it signifies different things for different people. Most people have a favorite memory and lament that things are no longer the same. ApEx spoke to some people to find out what Dashain means to them and how they think it has evolved over the years.

Sumit Kumar Shah, 18

For Nepalis, Dashain is a major holiday that is observed for several days. The celebrations include getting together with friends and family, worshiping the gods, and exchanging good wishes. I enjoy the vibe of this festival but I think that the Dashain that we celebrate now and the one that we used to celebrate a few years ago are two very different things. Traditionally, people would gather and celebrate Dashain. They would make it a point to come home. These days, we can see people celebrating virtually via video calls. There are even provisions to send ‘dakshina’ digitally via money transfers.

Khusbu Nisha, 27

Since everyone in Nepal celebrates Dashain with a lot of aplomb, I think it’s a powerful festival. I’m a Muslim and I don’t celebrate the festival but I have witnessed a lot of my neighbors enjoying the holiday season. I’ve been working in Bhaktapur for ten years, and during that time I’ve seen a lot of changes. A few years ago, Dashain was marked by a significant increase of shoppers out on the streets. There would be sales and huge crowds in the market. But these days, there is much difference between Dashain and other regular times. People have migrated to online shopping and there is that sense of hustle and bustle that marked Dashain.

Dhan Bahadur Tuitui, 80

I have many things to do before Dashain but I’m not working at the moment and I don’t have much money to indulge in the festivities. There was a time when Dashain meant a lot of traditions and rituals. Most of them are limited to memories today. We used to celebrate Dashain by slaughtering goats, ducks, and hens. There used to be a lot of fanfare about it. We don’t do it anymore and I miss those days when Dashain meant being surrounded by my family and friends. I want to be able to do things like we did when I was young, like cooking meat in clay pots, over a traditional stove. Things have changed and not all changes are good.