Childhood vacations were more than just holidays — they were moments of pure joy, creativity, and togetherness. In the long two months of school break, every day carried a new adventure. From building a house with coconut leaves to fishing in the canals, going to the hill for fruits, and watching movies on Doordarshan, our vacation days were filled with simple pleasures that remain unforgettable.
Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory
1. Building a House with Coconut Leaves
The highlight of our summer break was creating a little house made of coconut leaves. This was our resting place during the two months of vacation. The hut had two different rooms — one served as a kitchen and the other as a resting area.
Leema Chechi was the main architect of this masterpiece. We experimented with simple cooking inside the hut, turning it into our secret home. After completion, we proudly invited our sister aunty (our grandfather’s sister) for a “quality check.” Her approval made our efforts feel real, and our house with coconut leaves became the heart of our summer adventures.
2. Fishing in the Canals
Fishing was another big part of our vacation fun. We gathered at one cousin’s house and decided our plan for the day. With the traditional Kerala thorthu (hand towel) in hand, we set out to the canal. We splashed, laughed, and worked hard to find fishes hiding in the water.
After all the effort, we managed to catch just two or three tiny golden fishes — but the joy of the moment was priceless. We placed them carefully in a pot, proud of our little achievement. It wasn’t about the number of fishes, but the excitement and teamwork that made it special.
3. Going to the Hills for Korandippazham
Behind our home stood a hill — our ancestral land, filled with stories of the past. Leopards were known to have roamed the area in the past. Some areas were covered with wild trees, making it feel like an adventure each time we climbed.
One of our favorite discoveries was korandippazham, a small fruit found in the hilly regions of Kerala. The fruit had a sweet and sour taste, starting green, then turning yellow, and finally red when ripe. But ripened ones were rare to find because birds and animals would eat them first. Still, the search itself was thrilling, and every trip to the hill made us feel like explorers.
4. Watching Movies in Vacation Days
Today, movies are available everywhere — in theaters, on streaming platforms, and on mobile screens. But back then, watching a film during holidays was a luxury. One of the only options was the Sunday movie shows on Doordarshan at 4 PM. Another was buying cassettes of films, though we couldn’t afford them often.
Our secret trick was convincing our grandmother to buy movie cassettes. Being a big fan of Mammootty, or “Mammokka,” she happily gave in at times. Those afternoons of watching movies together became one of the warmest memories of our vacation with movies.
Conclusion: Where the Journey Begins
Looking back, these moments — building huts with coconut leaves, fishing in canals, exploring hills, and watching movies — shaped our personalities and bonded us as cousins. These childhood memories remind us that happiness lies in the simplest of things.
Even today, whenever I think of vacations, I return to those days where creativity, laughter, and togetherness made life magical.