My favorite
season of the year is Christmas. I go over the top and then some more to make
every Christmas very special for my family. This year however, I am struggling
terribly with finding that special Christmas spirit. Sure, there are some
half-hearted efforts in the shopping malls to create a festive ambiance but
there is no Christmas music as background music or anyone with a Santa hat
saying ”ho-ho-ho”. Nothing on the radio and nothing on TV. For the Australians,
this time of the year seems to be more about summer, sunshine and vacation and
Christmas is just something that is happening on some of the days, nothing
special. It is painful for a conservative traditionalist like myself. When I’ve
asked a couple of local Aussies how they celebrate Christmas they are quite
vague: ”ahhh, we meet up with family, have turkey or ham. Maybe go to the
beach. Have a barbie”. No, they are not referring to Mattel’s disproportionate
doll. They mean barbecue and it is pronounced ”baaaahhhbiiie”.
Where's the snow? And the sledge? This is just wrong....
In my efforts
of embracing our host country I cooked a turkey dinner on the 23rd of December
last year. It came out very well and we decided to make it part of our family’s
tradition. We celebrate Christmas on the 24th and I refuse to incorporate any modernity
to our traditional, Swedish smörgåsbord. I am however open to try some
Aussiefied food on the 25th, which we consider to be a rather sleepy day
between Christmas and the Great Sale of the Year. I went to the Boxing Day sale
at the fashionable mall Chadstone last year, quite by mistake I admit. I’ll be
sure not to do that ever again.
The 2012 edition of our family Christmas dinner
Otherwise I
have not gotten around go buy all my Christmas presents yet. The Daughters have
put their wish lists on the fridge and my Husband mentions some things every
now and then. I’ll know where to go and what to get when I hit the shops next
week. What do I want you may wonder? Peace and quiet, a good night’s sleep, love
and happiness to last me a lifetime. Immaterial but priceless gifts.
Merry Christmas from us Down Under!
