The Covid-19 pandemic made a lot of people take up new hobbies that they probably had at the back of their mind but never really pursued due to the lack of time. One of the many is Dadar-based Sharon D’sylva. The 34-year-old's parents used to make wine throughout the year, but she had never really taken the initiative herself till the pandemic to make it on her own. She explains, “I started making wine during the lockdown in 2020 because I had free time. I grew up watching my parents always make grape wine. It is something that is very common and done in most Catholic homes and served to guests during Christmas.”

Along with cake-mixing, winemaking is one tradition that many people from Mumbai’s Catholic community take up throughout the year but more during this time to indulge in the festive spirit. As Christmas is around the corner, many Mumbaikars are busy getting their wine ready for the day. While some have been doing it for many years, there are others like D’sylva, who have only taken it up recently and are enjoying every part of the process.