CSS Group wishes you and your families a joyous Christmas and prosperous New Year 2011!

Origin
Self-made cards with goodwill verses have been sent by hand or by post, for centuries. The first that’s recognizable as what we now think of as a Christmas card, i.e. a printed card sent by post, was sent at Christmas 1843.

Sir Henry Cole, the founder of the London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, had sent many handwritten cards previously but that year he commissioned John Calcott Horsley to paint a card showing the feeding and clothing of the poor.

“A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You” was printed on the first Christmas card.

Since then the billions of cards that have been sent almost all contain a printed verse. Many of these are culled from religious or sentimental texts, notably from Victorian authors such as Charles Dickens.

Here’s a selection of the numerous verses and rhymes that have been used as source material by Christmas card writers – from the touching and profound to the comic and cynical:

A Christmas candle is a lovely thing; 
It makes no noise at all, 
But softly gives itself away; 
While quite unselfish, it grows small. – Eva K. Logue

A Christmas gambol oft could cheer 
The poor man’s heart through half the year. – Walter Scott

Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world – stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death – and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love? Then you can keep Christmas. – Henry Van Dyke

As the Holiday Season is upon us, we find ourselves reflecting on the past year and on those who have helped to shape our business in a most significant way. We value our relationship with you and look forward to working with you in the year to come. We wish you a very happy Holiday Season and a New Year filled with peace and prosperity.

At Christmas play and make good cheer, 
For Christmas comes but once a year – Thomas Tusser

Best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year.

Bless us Lord, this Christmas, with quietness of mind; 
Teach us to be patient and always to be kind. – Helen Steiner Rice

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love! – Hamilton Wright Mabie

Christmas – that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance – a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved.  – Augusta E. Rundel


Christmas … is not an eternal event at all, but a piece of one’s home that one carries in one’s heart. – Freya Stark

Christmas Eve was a night of song that wrapped itself about you like a shawl. But it warmed more than your body. It warmed your heart… filled it, too, with a melody that would last forever. – Bess Streeter Aldrich

Christmas is a race to see which gives out first – your money or your feet.

Christmas is a time when everybody wants his past forgotten and his present remembered. What I don’t like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day. – Phyllis Diller

Christmas is a time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell the government what they want and their kids pay for it. – Richard Lamm

Christmas is a time when you get homesick – even when you’re home. – Carol Nelson

Christmas is for children. But it is for grown-ups too. Even if it is a headache, a chore, and nightmare, it is a period of necessary defrosting of chill and hide-bound hearts. – Lenora Mattingly Weber

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. – Calvin Coolidge

When music showered…

Stars came down to earth to bestow a feast of music!!

It was truly momentous when the world renowned musicians gathered on one stage for a rare combination of musical fusion, the recent past had ever witnessed in Kerala.

The musical evening was part of a private function organized by the CSS Group Chairman T. S. Kaladharan at his residence, Devas Farm house in Thrikkunnappuzha. The fusion team which consisted of percussion maestro Sivamani enthralled a crowd of around 250 invitees, who came to attend the function. U. Rajesh on Mandolin, Stefan Devassy on Key board, Mattannor Sankarankutty Marar on Chenda, Karunamurthy on Thavil, and Balabhaskar on Violin created a mesmerizing ambiance.

The programme started with renowned singer Naresh Aiyer, singing his favorites from Tamil and Hindi films. Naresh set the stage on fire with his famous Tamil songs, as there were groups in motion with rhythmic steps to accompany his music.  Then the instrumentalists took over the stage for solo performances. The mood reached its zenith when combinations started unfolding. The brisk passages of notes from Stefan supported the combinations with ease and dexterity. U. Rajesh created ripples with his mandolin on a jugalbandhi with Balabhaskar. It was a memorable evening for each and everyone who were present for the function.

Onakkazhcha

On Friday September 24th, 2010, Devas Holidays & Travel Services India Pvt. Ltd. a division of CSS Group was honoured to be the associate sponsor of the AKCAF Onakkazhcha 2010 where Padmashree Dr. ONV Kurup the chief guest of the event was felicitated for winning the highest literary award in India, ‘Njaanapeedam (Jnanpith) Award’ for the year 2007 and 2008. Since its inception 11 years ago AKCAF has been one of the largest organizations engaged in various social empowerment activities. Onakkazhcha 2010 was a celebration of the harvest festival, Onam for Keralites worldwide. The day gave a number of surprises for the nonresident Indian community in UAE; the traditional procession competition was one among them. With a variety of Kerala art forms like Theyyam (Popular Hindu Ritual for Worship), Chenda Melam (Kerala Drums), Kavadiyattam (a ritualistic dance form of Kerala), Shinkari Melam, Pulikali (a dance form with Tiger’s costume) etc showcased by the 50 member college alumnus affiliated to AKCAF made up a splendid evening.

Followed by the procession a public meeting was held which was inaugurated by His Excellency Sanjay Verma, Consul General of India in Dubai with other dignitaries Padmashree Dr. ONV Kurup, Saroji, Padma Shri Mattanur Shankaran Kutty Marar and Dr. Roy C J. As a token of sincere gratitude towards the love and affection for one of the greatest Indian poet, AKACF honored him by presenting a Memento and ‘Ponnada’. As part of the AKCAF Onakkazhcha an Athapookkalam (Flower Carpet) competition held on 17th September, the prizes were given away for the winners of these competitions. The evening entertainment was followed by the musical fusion extravaganza led by the renowned percussionist Padmashree Mattanur Shankarankutty Marar, piano wizard Stephen Devassy, violin maestro Balabhaskar and Thavil (barrel shaped percussion instrument) expert Karunamurthy enthralled the audience.

CSS is proud to be a part of this celebration and auspicious occasion of the harvest festival which crossed the borders and entered the life of the Non Resident Indian Community in UAE.

Oh! Spectacular, Amazing, Unbelievable

Those were the words that came out from one of the British ladies who were one amongst the innumerable tourists who have boarded the banks of Lake Punnamada to witness the mesmerizing boat race for the prestigious Nehru trophy. It was truly amazing, the world’s biggest team event, the snake boat race. A real feast for the thousands gathered around the venue. Nehru trophy 2010 was inaugurated by the first lady of India, H.E. Smt. Prathibha Devisingh Patil on the 14th of August at Punnamada Back waters in Alleppy. “Devas” Snake boat, made its debut and finished first in the Second Finalists. The performance of Devas paddled by the St. George boat club team was well noted.

The boat captain Swan Chacko of CSS Group and the team captain Karthikeyan were amongst the oarsmen encouraging and guiding them at the race. A 40 meter long snake boat can carry up to 111 people including the oarsmen, cheerleaders and the direction controllers. Devas Snake boat is one of the very few boats, who made an impressive performance in its first appearance. In the women’s category, “Devas thekkan odi” retained its title, defeating its challengers. Cheerleaders for Devas consisted of the CSS Group staff members, their friends, well wishers and the Group Chairman, T S Kaladharan himself.

CSR at CSS AKCAF Onakkazhcha 2010

CSS has always been committed towards social welfare and empowerment of the Indian community residing in the UAE. AKCAF Onakkazhcha 2010 is the recent CSR event sponsored by Devas Holidays & Travel Services India Private Limited, a division of CSS Group. Hosted by the All Kerala Colleges Alumni Forum, UAE (AKCAF), Onakkazhcha 2010 is a celebration of the harvest festival: Onam, for Keralites worldwide. Onam is the biggest festival in the South Indian state of Kerala; it unites people from various walks of lives, irrespective of creed, caste, religion and political ideology. This harvest festival crossed borders and entered into the social life of the non-resident Indian community in the Gulf, especially in UAE. Several cultural events like traditional Onam feast, design of decorated flower carpets and wearing of traditional attire make the Onam season very special.

Affiliated to the Indian Community Welfare Committee (ICWC), AKCAF UAE was established in the year 1998, under the patronage of the Consulate General of India, Dubai. It is an integrated apex body of about 50 active alumni associations of Kerala colleges, possibly the largest socio-professional organization functioning in the UAE.

AKCAF Onakkazhcha 2010 will feature Athapookkalam (Flower Carpet) Competition on Friday, 17th September at Millineium School, Al Ghusais and Onam Grand Finale will be held on the following Friday, 24th September, 2010 at Al Nasr LeisureLand, Dubai. The Grand Finale will comprise vivid cultural events, traditional Ona-sadhya, procession, public function in the presence of celebrity guests like Padmashri O.N.V.Kurup, Padmashri Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar, Stephen Devassy, Balabhaskar, Karunamoorthy, Ajeesh, Rejiya, Thari from Kerala and Consul General of India for Dubai, H.E. Sanjay Verma.

CSS Group is delighted to be a part of this auspicious celebration and wishes AKCAF Onakkazhcha 2010 great success.