Christmas in New Zealand and Australia sees the beginning of six weeks or more of summer holidays for school children and a lot of peoples annual holidays, so instead of curled up all toasty in front of a fire we are off toasting in the sun.
Traditions here are similar to the Northern Hemisphere, well, they did mostly all come from there with the early settlers to both countries, but new immigrants have also brought their traditions with them which we have taken on board as our own, so Christmas Day could be anything from the traditional hot roast turkey and all the trimmings cooked on a 30C plus day, to cold meats and salads in a camping ground by the beach or seafood cooked on the barbie by the pool.
All this, regardless of the food chosen, is washed down with copious amounts of beer and champagne, followed by a game of backyard or beach cricket.
Christmas Eve most places will have a Carols by Candlelight, or more recently, Carols by Glowstick!, service at a church or park, followed by Midnight Mass , then home to put the pillowcases by your bed, a beer or glass of milk and fruitcake or mince pie out for Santa and carrots on the grass for the reindeer, which are always gone by morning!
How the rest of the day passes changes from house to house, family to family, but like everywhere , involves far too much food,and good cheer, and Christmas Carols about snow and chestnuts on roaring fires while trying to find room in an already overcrowded fridge!
Turkey, hot or cold ham and pork, hot vegetables or salads, prawns, oysters,lobsters or even just a chop and a sausage can be found on our Christmas tables, followed by fruits salads, trifles and pavlovas. A few still stick to hot puddings.Christmas crackers and the wearing of silly hats is of course not negotiable!
Boxing Day sees all the leftovers brought to life again for a repeat performance and also the grueling Sydney to Hobart Yacht race and the Boxing Day Cricket Tests .
Most places are closed Christmas Day, garages and small corner stores can remain open, buy Boxing Day is the start of the sales and once again the merry jingle of cash registers is heard.
So, perhaps, our Christmas traditions are not set in stone, but changeable and moldable from one year to the next , as families needs change and grow. Some are kept for a lifetime, some are discarded , but all are special.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I wondered how Christmas was celebrated in Australia and now I know! very interesting.
It is snowing like made here, so it was a nice diversion reading about food on the barbie
next to the pool. LOL!
Best wishes for the New Year!
~kimme
Happy New Year Kimme!
We too have lots of snow. Having BBQ weather somewhat appeals now but I don’t know if I fancy having a warm Christmas really.
I like the idea of lobster for Christmas but not sure I could handle a turkey dinner in that weather!
.-= Sarah, Maison Cupcake´s last blog ..Postcard from… Lyon: Galette des Rois =-.
I certainly couldn’t eat a full turkey dinner in that kind of heat; for me Christmas has to be cold and ‘wintery’. Must feel so odd to all the British ex-pats who move out there and have a really hot December.
Lovely to read about other peoples culture & to see guest posts
Thank you