Christmas in the middle of Summer is just plain wrong. All the imagery and mythology around Christmas (or at least its precursor,Yuletide) is based on the depths of winter: chestnuts roasting on an open fire, footprints in snow, little robin redbreasts, stockings hung above the hearth, reindeer, sleighs etc. It makes sense, in the midst of the winter solstice to go chop down a tree, drag it inside the house and string it with colourful lights. Its the darkest time of the year and you need the lights to keep you going through the long nights. But Santa Claus in sunshine? Tinsel against perfect blue skies? Chestnuts and ice cream? No no no!
This is my second Christmas in Australia and I'm only slowly adapting. In fact I keep forgetting it's Christmas, especially when its over 30C outside and the Summer holidays are just beginning. I did my Christmas shopping in the searing heat the other day, with the sun beating off fake snowmen and poor Santa's boiling head. Because its just been the Summer solstice, I feel I should be getting up at dawn to roll in the dew and dance with the fairies or something. But no - it's Christmas, whether its 35C outside or not. We've got the idea in the UK that Aussies all go to the beach on Christmas day to cook prawns on the barbie but its not true. They like a traditional roast turkey and ham on Christmas day with all the trappings, just like we do. Though interestingly, here they have meat and 3 veg, whereas back home its meat and 2 veg. Fascinating I know. They do have a lot of fresh sea food on Christmas day as well, and I'm looking forward to big prawns and maybe even crayfish.
Despite the heat, things are actually much the same as far as the day itself goes - opening presents and eating far too much then sleeping it off in the afternoon. In some ways its similar due to the heat - if it's too hot you can't do much except stay inside with the air-conditioning on, watching old movies and stuffing your face. Tomorrow we will be having Christmas dinner at Julia's sister - Simone's - house, and I'm really looking forward to it. It should be pretty relaxed.
That's probably the best thing I've discovered about having Christmas in the Summer - just how relaxed everyone is because, for a lot of people, it's the start of the summer holidays and trips to the beach and eating outside on warm evenings. There is still the usual stress about the day itself and family issues and getting all the shopping done but it does not seem to be cranked up to the semi-hysterical levels it is in the UK. The adverts on TV only start in December, not in October, and there's not quite the same level of violence involved in Christmas shopping.
And there is a quiet magic to having Christmas in the Summer. Julia and I went for a walk last night to look at the Christmas lights round our suburb. There was a cool and pleasant breeze that carried the scent of eucalyptus and gardinia. Bats flitted through the branches of trees above us. It was still warm enough to walk about in shorts and thongs. And the strings and strings of fairy lights, the luminous reindeer, the flashing Santas and glittering Christmas trees that decorated the neighbour's houses were beautifully impossible. It didn't need to make sense to be enjoyed. It's Christmas!
To everyone back in Scotland and to those in Spain, have a wonderful, happy, over-indulgent Christmas Day. We're missing you all lots and lots. Hopefully we'll speak to you all soon and perhaps even see some of you in the not too distant future.
Love David and Julia x x x
And thank you for the Christmas cards!
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