Christmas
24–25 December
Christianity came to Kalimpong with the Church of Scotland mission. Rev. William Macfarlane opened schools here in the early 1870s, and the Macfarlane Memorial Church, built in 1890, still stands near the town centre, its grey stone tower visible from the main road. In 1900 Rev. John Anderson Graham founded the cottage homes for children that became Dr. Graham's Homes on Deolo. Catholic missions followed, and churches dot the town and the villages around Pedong. Kalimpong's schools, many founded by missions, also hold carol services before the winter break.
Christmas services are held on the night of 24 December and the morning of 25 December, with carol singing in Nepali and English. Groups of carollers visit Christian homes in the week before. Bakeries and homes turn out fruit cake, and you will find the town's well-known Kalimpong cheese and lollipops in every shop. Lights go up along the main roads and around the churches. Even non-Christian families in town often join in the cake and the lights, and the mood is warm and open.
For visitors, Christmas week is festive but busy. From about 22 December to New Year, families from Kolkata and the plains fill hotels and prices reach their winter peak. Weather is cold and clear, about 8–17 °C in town. If you want quiet and lower rates, come in the first half of December, when skies are just as clear. Weekday rates then are among the lowest of the cool season.
How to do it well
- Visitors are welcome at services; arrive early, sit at the back and keep phones silent.
- Book Christmas and New Year rooms by October, especially in Kalimpong town and Lava.
- Buy fruit cake from a local bakery and Kalimpong cheese from the market for gifts to take home.
Questions people ask
Good to know
Can tourists attend Christmas mass in Kalimpong
Yes. Kalimpong's churches, including the Macfarlane Memorial Church, usually welcome visitors at Christmas services on the night of 24 December and the morning of 25 December. Arrive early, as seats fill with the local congregation. Dress modestly and warmly, keep phones silent and do not photograph during prayers without permission.
How old is the Macfarlane Memorial Church in Kalimpong
The Macfarlane Memorial Church was built in 1890 by the Church of Scotland mission, in memory of Rev. William Macfarlane, who began the mission's work in Kalimpong in the early 1870s. Its stone tower is one of the town's landmarks. It remains an active church today, with services in Nepali and English.
Is Kalimpong crowded at Christmas and New Year
Yes, the last week of December is one of the busiest weeks of the year. Families from Kolkata and the plains arrive for the school holidays, hotels and homestays fill, and rates are at their winter peak. Book by October, or visit in early December, when the weather is just as clear and the town is quiet.
How cold is Kalimpong at Christmas
Expect about 8–17 °C in Kalimpong town in late December, with clear, dry days and cold nights. Lava and Rishyap, higher up, drop near or below freezing and occasionally see snow. Pack a warm jacket, thermals and a woolly hat, as many homestays and older hotels have limited heating.