11 December, 2011

What do you do to make it seem like Christmas?

Tiny bit homesick today. Been baking my Mum's Christmas cake while listening to my husband talk to his Dad on Skype (with his broad country Queensland accent). My dad-in-law was watching the cricket at the time and they discussed their beloved sport. Actually, one of the things I miss most about an Australia Christmas is kicking back and watching (and listening to) the cricket.


Today we had an American ask us about what we feel like doing as Aussies, to make it feel like Christmas. One is that yearning to listen to cricket. it was possible for a few years, via broadband, but now they've put in place all these regional restrictions, which means that unless you're in Australia or a couple of other countries in the world, you cannot listen to it via the internet. :-(


We might take the cricket bat down to the local park and play some "backyard" cricket. It isn't quite the same, however, without the grass and the heat.


No, we don't particularly feel like going for a swim. Both of us spent have spent all our lives in inland places at Christmas time, so we don't really personally associate the beach with Christmas Day. Neither of our families have pools, so neither of us really have swimming as a personal association. Running through the sprinkler, maybe. But that has been taboo in recent years due to water restrictions in Australia.


I don't really miss the long distances of travel that I've done routinely, especially since I started hanging out with David all those long years ago. Instead we're currently arranging "Skype" appointments and will stay home to talk to family. Thankfully this time most of them will be in only two spots. This year Christmas is a Sunday, so we'll be at church in the morning too, which will delay the present unwrapping frenzy somewhat! 


Food we miss includes Mum's plum pudding, hot-weather food like pavlova (Australian meringue dessert), jelly (US=jello), fruit mince pies, punch, potato salad etc. Oh and the boys always miss Weetbix, no matter the season!


I don't miss the Boxing Day sales (for non-Commonwealth citzens, that is the day after Christmas, explanation here, the sales are somewhat similar to Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving that the US "celebrates"). I've rarely gotten involved in these. Often on Boxing Day we've been driving from Central Queensland to Toowoomba on lonely country roads or the reverse, a whole day's drive. No time for shopping when you have family so distantly situated. Not that I enjoy shopping in frantic crowds. Never mind the sales, I find sales at other times of year!


Nor do I miss watching the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Cricket is much more interesting!


But truly, we've developed this bi-cultural, bi-hemispherical Christmas in our family. When we're in Australia, we do the "Australian" version of Christmas. It mostly involves visiting family and driving. In Japan we have just us, no family to run around and visit. So we have a very simple day (after frantic present unwrapping, with David saying, "take your time") with a hot midday meal, and Skyping with family. And some Australian Christmas fruitcake. Which reminds me, I'd better go and check the cake in the oven.

5 comments:

KarenKTeachCamb said...

I think church on Christmas Day is a must for me to really make it seem like Christmas. Playing Christmas carol CDs (especially an Aussie one), and just vegging out. these days a Skype call to the family down under is essential as well. Not having kids of my own, it's a bit hard to get really excited about it, and since I don't have young families that I'm closely associated it's almost a non-event apart from church unless I really push myself. I did enjoy one Christmas concert last weekend and am looking forward to another next Friday night, and to spending some time with a friend, but that's about it.

KarenKTeachCamb said...

Oops, forgot to say I miss the cricket too! Definitely something missing there!

Betsy de Cruz said...

To make it seem more like Christmas, I light an advent wreath every night with my family and we read and sing a song. I make a holiday dinner for my family on the 24th, and we invite a few close friends over. Low key, but having a few guests makes it "feel more like Christmas" for me, gives a family feeling.

May the Lord bless you while you're missing cricket!

Hippomanic Jen said...

yes, the cricket is in full swing. I'd be happy to swap with you temporarily, though - not much of a fan recently (school/uni holidays required to keep up with it) All my heroes have stopped playing.

Footprints Australia said...

Making Christmas goodies, and going to Carols by Candlelight, plus wearing my Christmas earrings, or red and green, or my Christmas tshirt as much as possible!!!