India, Dec. 20 -- Punjabi folk songs, vibrant rangoli and Jishu Pujo all mark Christmas in India.

In the villages of Nagaland, where Christmas cakes were once baked in repurposed ammunition boxes left behind by British troops (they conduct heat well, and therefore served as a substitute for the oven), the tins still survive as family heirlooms; but what's more, the cakes do too.

A seasonal highlight in this region are the inter-ward cake races held on Christmas Eve. These generally start at the town square and are run along the main road, before circling back to the starting point. Why "cake race"? The prize, apart from bragging rights, is a fluffy dessert.

This dense, floury treat - a new concept to many communities in the country - w...