Would be very interested in how your Christmas routine compares / contrasts now you are away from home, so remind us where you will be this Christmas, what traditions you have carried with you, what new ones you have adopted etc.
Very different here in Oz, AFKA, especially up here in the tropics of Queensland.
We get daylight here in summertime at 4.30AM so the kids will be awake before 5AM, you can put your house on that, and all the presents will be done well before 6AM whilst most civilised folk are still sound asleep.
Big difference here is obviously the weather, its scorching hot here now so we'll all be in the pool well before 8AM trying to knacker the kids out so they have a nap at lunchtime
Because its light so early here everyone starts the day much earlier than in the UK so a lot of people have Christmas breakfasts here with a lot of the family coming round or going to someones house which usualy goes on till about midday.
A lot of husbands/wives who both have family in the same place will often do breakfast at one set of parents and then lunch at the other set, its very common although not popular with the husbands who have to curtail their drinking because they have to drive.
I have tried to convince my missus that drinking a bottle of port at Christmas breakfast is perfectly acceptable behaviour but she remains deeply against my behaviour in this regard.
Lunch is normally around 2PM-3PM and very few people here still do the UK-style roast turkey, its just too hot, so most people do seafood (especially prawns, oysters, crabs, bugs) and cold meats and salads.
People will go back and pig out some more at about 5PM for their tea before all the smelly seafood leftovers are put in plastic bags and put in the freezer till garbage collection day to prevent a dreadful smell in the bins.
Things normally wind down about 6.30PM-7PM and people head home because they have, quite literally, been up since the crack of dawn and are knackered, especially with the heat being well over 100 degrees.
There is no tradition here at all about having really great Christmas Night TV or about having a big party on Christmas Night, very different to the UK in that regard.
Also, lots of people get away from home for Christmas and rent an apartment on the coast although that gets quite expensive because of the high demand and most places are packed out.
Overall, its a very, very different Christmas experience to that in the UK and takes a couple of years to get used to the difference.
I must say that the UK style Christmas is probably better because it fits better into the romantic perspective of cold weather, dark nights and boozy evenings with all the family and, especially, the Boxing Day football.
In complete contrast to Ormiston, we WILL spend Christmas surrounded by piles & piles of snow - it is more Christmas-y than you can imagine where we are, with the lakes, forests, reindeer & snow. It is also bone chillingly cold at -30 - so stumbling out of the pub & getting lost is fatal.
However as my little corner of Canada is more British than most of London, things are very similar - Turkey, Mince Pies, Boxing Day, crap TV & The Pub are all staples.
The only tradition we have adopted over here is skiing on Boxing Day - will probably be going to Lake Louise with the kids.
[cite]Posted By: Oakster[/cite]In complete contrast to Ormiston, weWILLspend Christmas surrounded by piles & piles of snow - it is more Christmas-y than you can imagine where we are, with the lakes, forests, reindeer & snow. It is also bone chillingly cold at -30 - so stumbling out of the pub & getting lost is fatal.
However as my little corner of Canada is more British than most of London, things are very similar - Turkey, Mince Pies, Boxing Day, crap TV & The Pub are all staples.
The only tradition we have adopted over here is skiing on Boxing Day - will probably be going to Lake Louise with the kids.
Ditto Oakster - My in laws insist on mashed potato rather than roast which is the only difference I can think of and like Oakster I will be skiing either Christmas Eve or Boxing day. Looks like snow in Vancouver this Christmas as well.
I do miss the pub with my dad and granddad at lunchtime though and Charlton of course.
Orminston is spot on with the xmas in Queensland.....
We usually go up to Surfers Paradise to see my girls side of the family. And is exactly as orminston says, loads of champagne before you have shaken the sllep out of you and in the pool, as someone barbecues the onions and mushrooms, then its just a seafood extravaganza, lobster, prawns, moreton bay bugs(amazing), and then a massive christmas ham off the bone, salmon, you name it... fantastic...... totally over the top and bloody brilliant.
more booze, getting totally and utterly sun burnt in the 40degree plus heat... aparently if you can see your shadow at the bottom of the pool, your in serious danger of catching alight....
and of course the classic trditional christmas, Ive had tooooo much booze, argument.... now my girl is half Italian so when the italians get going there is no stopping them, a couple of classics over the years..
all in great... still miss doing the xmas rounds back home the cold, the fire places, the turkey, and all the xmas specials and of course the football......
the pros outway the cons over here, but xmas is a big miss.....
I agree with Ormiston mainly, though my kids are all parents now and I end up going to their houses on Christmas Day. One of the great traditions in Australia is the Boxing Day Test Match. This year Australia are playing South Africa and its recovery time in front of the TV, aircon on full bore, coldies within arms reach and a great relaxing day.
Wherever you are, have a great Christmas and New Year, and lets hope for some Christmas cheer from the Valley.
[cite]Posted By: addick2000[/cite]I agree with Ormiston mainly, though my kids are all parents now and I end up going to their houses on Christmas Day. One of the great traditions in Australia is the Boxing Day Test Match. This year Australia are playing South Africa and its recovery time in front of the TV, aircon on full bore, coldies within arms reach and a great relaxing day.
Wherever you are, have a great Christmas and New Year, and lets hope for some Christmas cheer from the Valley.
Yeah mate, agree about the importance of the Boxing Day Test for the Aussies but I can't stand watching them beat all comers and gloat about it.....I stay in the pool and down the coldies in there.
The shopping centres are bedecked with Christmas trees, Christmas songs are played but for the Thais December 25th is a regular working day.
Some of the tourist restaurants have Christmas dinners and the big hotels have extortionately priced gala dinners.
My three year old daughter will get presents from a visiting Santa (a swedish tourist) on the evening of the 24th plus more on Christmas morning in the English way. She is expecting snow! I'll let her off school that day.
This will be the first time I have been away for xmas! Im currently in Australia and left home after the Reading game, so its been tough seeing Charlton in the situation they are in.
Xmas will be strange. It doesnt feel like Christmas and its getting hot! for me xmas is all about being cold or wet and dark days - not sun and BBQ's!! will be spending it with friends and will keep the tradition of plenty of Pints! (they drink pots here - half pints!)
No xmas football! going to the MCG to see the cricket instead!
'jimmymelrose' lives in France, near the Swiss border in the mountains, but has swapped the snow for 100 degrees and a visit to his in-laws in Argentina. The only person he'll be able to understand is his wife as his Spanish is poor and their English non-existent.
Here in Czech, Christmas is celebrated on the 24th in the evening rather than on the 25th. I think quite a few central European countries do it that way. Families tend to gather in much the same way as in the UK, though as evening approaches on the 24th people change into formal/smart dress. The traditional meal is carp with potato salad – preceded by fish soup made from the same carp. Can’t say it’s my favourite to be honest! After the meal the presents are opened. For the kids, presents are brought not by Father Christmas but by Ježíšhek (the Child Jesus). They have St. Nicholas too (Mikoláš) but he brings sweets on 6th December. Once the kids get to bed it’s time for the real drinking to start
The 25th itself isn’t really a big deal for Czechs, just involves lots of drinking and eating and visiting family. Boxing day is also a holiday here – St. Stephen’s Day. (It’s odd they have a lot of saints and Child Jesus involved at Christmas, because Czech Republic is mostly an atheist nation.) We try to mix Czech and English Christmas, usually celebrating both 24th evening and 25th. We tell our two girls that both Ježíšhek and Father Christmas bring presents, and keep some for them to open on each day. When we’re in Czech (like this year) we emphasise the Czech way, with just a few presents and a Christmas dinner on 25th, and when we’re in Britain, we emphasise the British way – a couple of presents and nice meal on 24th evening and then the usual routine on Christmas Day.
Weather-wise winter here is similar to Britain but usually a little colder. A couple of years ago it reached -30 but that’s not common; -5 to -10 is more normal but it’s mild this year, around 2 at the moment and expecting snow next week, so we’ll see.
Like the other expats I do miss the Boxing Day footie – but then I miss English football and especially going to The Valley all the time so it won’t feel much different from a normal Saturday match day.
Its quite funny as the Thai people have no idea what us xp are doing buying presents for each other, In a large shopping centre here in Pattaya they have a giant santa and my girlfriend thinks its our Buddha.
[cite]Posted By: Colin in Thailand.[/cite]Its quite funny as the Thai people have no idea what us xp are doing buying presents for each other,
In a large shopping centre here in Pattaya they have a giant santa and my girlfriend thinks its our Buddha.
What does she say, " I can't believe its not Buddha?"
Will have a traditional English Christmas dinner....its become a bit of a tradition here in Sydney.....Turkey, Leg of Pork and a chicken, roast potatoes, cranberry sauce, sprouts etc.....Will have my two step kids over (albeit they are adults now) with partners and also two of mine....Bart arrives Xmas eve and Greig flies in on Xmas day. Will be calling my daughter at home in Kemsing and hopefully my youngest who will be in Turkey with his mum. Boxing day, we do a bbq with lots of seafood and some Balmain bugs......all washed down with lots of cold beers.
Just like to wish all a very merry Xmas and a happy and prosperous new year.
In Thailand a few years ago I was wished a happy new years day on Christmas day.
In Germany, as in the Czech Republic the tradition is to celebrate it on Christmas eve "Heilege nacht" and the local tradition in south west Germany is to eat a joint of pork taht has been soaked in brine for a good month and then boiled. As you can imagine it's incredibly salty and therefore needs consuming with a liberal supply of beer.
In the run-up to Christmas every town/city and village has a christmas market (usually called something like the Weihnacthsmarkt, ot the Christkindl market. In the towns and cities these are open every day from 11Am or so until late, but in the villages they usually open once or twice a week.
had a bar inPattaya for 3 crimbos ------------ allthe footie types used to do a huge buffet. bar was open once for 3 days without shutting.
one year all opened clear spirits (vodka/gin/countreau) went into a huge tin bath ,then wine coolers and loads of ice finished off with orange juice called --------CHEER UP ! everyone who came in n Xmas day had a glass on us ----------------God was it messy.
Another year we has 20 Royal Marines with us and about 15 RUC men 5 doors up ---dear dear that was fun. 30 odd peeps trying to fire rockets (hand held) from my bar into the French bar over the road!
always got a tad homesick when my mums "red cross" parcel arrived about a week before with my cheese balls, twiglets etc etc in it.
[cite]Posted By: Colin in Thailand.[/cite]Its quite funny as the Thai people have no idea what us xp are doing buying presents for each other,
In a large shopping centre here in Pattaya they have a giant santa and my girlfriend thinks its our Buddha.
Ah, Pattaya........stayed there '94...is there a bar still going called 'The Classroom' ?....staff dressed up in school uniform.Got detention there many a night.
im in honduras and as ive been here for all of 3days its hard to say. but being the spritely age of 23 it is a very strange concept hearing xmas records sung in spanish in a 40degree heat whilst getting bitten to shit by malaria carrying mosquitos. i miss xmas in england, most of all the boxing day footie, but i look forward to seeing how people behave this xmas day, and will report back then! merry xmas lifers!!!
The Portuguese also have their main celebration tonight, which will be a meal at home with the extended family. The rest of Christmas is very similar to the UK, trees, presents, lights in the street, cards, man in a red suit etc. A few days ago we had the annual bikers santas parade, hundreds of them all dressed as St. Nick driving around town making lots of noise (as the Portuguese love to do). It's quite odd here in the South, where there has not been snow for half a century, that all the cards etc still depict the same winter scenes we are used to in Northern Europe!
We will be doing the Brit thing, open tonight and tomorrow lunchtime, then out with 15-20 mates in the evening for a slap up Christmas dinner at a local hotel. Then upearly boxing day to prepare for the onslaught... I wish!
It's warmed up here (now a balmy -7c) so we're going tobogganing after pressie opening and then turkey and red wine overdose from late afternoon onwards. Overall very similar to the UK, the CBC carries the queens speech and all the usual re-run films are on the box.....
I've been waiting until the end of Christmas day to report on my first Christmas in Argentina.
Actually I needn't have waited because nothing much happened! Not on Xmas Day at any rate.
Xmas Eve was the big feast although for me I ate very little because I couldn't face eating any of the pig that had spent the day on the garden table. I don't normally eat meat anyway but I can do so (out of politeness or pure lack of anything else on offer) if I imagine it's something else. From about ten to midnight to half past, everyone in the town set off fireworks which was quite a surprise and I was astounded that our 8 month old boy slept through it especially as a family opposite insisted on throwing bangers virtually onto our porch. The kids opened their presents around this time and the adults at about 1am. We finally got to bed at about 2.30 but loads of people in the neighbourhood were still celebrating.
Today's been a bit crap. My family ate more pig and I ate very little (rice, raw carrot, tomato). After lunch we went to the lake which is 'nice' except that its dirty and loads of people play blaring crap music all the time. When we got home I gave up on the idea of getting anything decent to eat so went to eat at a restaurant alone. Then I came to this internet cafe for want of anything else to do.
Right now I'd kill for some Xmas TV, a good moan from Golfy about subtitles, Large complaining about his lack of sleep during waking moments, and an argument about whether or not to play Pit. At least with my family I know what to expect.
Don't think I want to come here again. And Large says that he can't sleep and has problems with his mother in law.............
Comments
We get daylight here in summertime at 4.30AM so the kids will be awake before 5AM, you can put your house on that, and all the presents will be done well before 6AM whilst most civilised folk are still sound asleep.
Big difference here is obviously the weather, its scorching hot here now so we'll all be in the pool well before 8AM trying to knacker the kids out so they have a nap at lunchtime
Because its light so early here everyone starts the day much earlier than in the UK so a lot of people have Christmas breakfasts here with a lot of the family coming round or going to someones house which usualy goes on till about midday.
A lot of husbands/wives who both have family in the same place will often do breakfast at one set of parents and then lunch at the other set, its very common although not popular with the husbands who have to curtail their drinking because they have to drive.
I have tried to convince my missus that drinking a bottle of port at Christmas breakfast is perfectly acceptable behaviour but she remains deeply against my behaviour in this regard.
Lunch is normally around 2PM-3PM and very few people here still do the UK-style roast turkey, its just too hot, so most people do seafood (especially prawns, oysters, crabs, bugs) and cold meats and salads.
People will go back and pig out some more at about 5PM for their tea before all the smelly seafood leftovers are put in plastic bags and put in the freezer till garbage collection day to prevent a dreadful smell in the bins.
Things normally wind down about 6.30PM-7PM and people head home because they have, quite literally, been up since the crack of dawn and are knackered, especially with the heat being well over 100 degrees.
There is no tradition here at all about having really great Christmas Night TV or about having a big party on Christmas Night, very different to the UK in that regard.
Also, lots of people get away from home for Christmas and rent an apartment on the coast although that gets quite expensive because of the high demand and most places are packed out.
Overall, its a very, very different Christmas experience to that in the UK and takes a couple of years to get used to the difference.
I must say that the UK style Christmas is probably better because it fits better into the romantic perspective of cold weather, dark nights and boozy evenings with all the family and, especially, the Boxing Day football.
However as my little corner of Canada is more British than most of London, things are very similar - Turkey, Mince Pies, Boxing Day, crap TV & The Pub are all staples.
The only tradition we have adopted over here is skiing on Boxing Day - will probably be going to Lake Louise with the kids.
Ditto Oakster - My in laws insist on mashed potato rather than roast which is the only difference I can think of and like Oakster I will be skiing either Christmas Eve or Boxing day. Looks like snow in Vancouver this Christmas as well.
I do miss the pub with my dad and granddad at lunchtime though and Charlton of course.
We usually go up to Surfers Paradise to see my girls side of the family. And is exactly as orminston says, loads of champagne before you have shaken the sllep out of you and in the pool, as someone barbecues the onions and mushrooms, then its just a seafood extravaganza, lobster, prawns, moreton bay bugs(amazing), and then a massive christmas ham off the bone, salmon, you name it... fantastic...... totally over the top and bloody brilliant.
more booze, getting totally and utterly sun burnt in the 40degree plus heat... aparently if you can see your shadow at the bottom of the pool, your in serious danger of catching alight....
and of course the classic trditional christmas, Ive had tooooo much booze, argument.... now my girl is half Italian so when the italians get going there is no stopping them, a couple of classics over the years..
all in great... still miss doing the xmas rounds back home the cold, the fire places, the turkey, and all the xmas specials and of course the football......
the pros outway the cons over here, but xmas is a big miss.....
Wherever you are, have a great Christmas and New Year, and lets hope for some Christmas cheer from the Valley.
Yeah mate, agree about the importance of the Boxing Day Test for the Aussies but I can't stand watching them beat all comers and gloat about it.....I stay in the pool and down the coldies in there.
The shopping centres are bedecked with Christmas trees, Christmas songs are played but for the Thais December 25th is a regular working day.
Some of the tourist restaurants have Christmas dinners and the big hotels have extortionately priced gala dinners.
My three year old daughter will get presents from a visiting Santa (a swedish tourist) on the evening of the 24th plus more on Christmas morning in the English way. She is expecting snow! I'll let her off school that day.
But other than that it is work as usual.
Xmas will be strange. It doesnt feel like Christmas and its getting hot! for me xmas is all about being cold or wet and dark days - not sun and BBQ's!! will be spending it with friends and will keep the tradition of plenty of Pints! (they drink pots here - half pints!)
No xmas football! going to the MCG to see the cricket instead!
The 25th itself isn’t really a big deal for Czechs, just involves lots of drinking and eating and visiting family. Boxing day is also a holiday here – St. Stephen’s Day. (It’s odd they have a lot of saints and Child Jesus involved at Christmas, because Czech Republic is mostly an atheist nation.) We try to mix Czech and English Christmas, usually celebrating both 24th evening and 25th. We tell our two girls that both Ježíšhek and Father Christmas bring presents, and keep some for them to open on each day. When we’re in Czech (like this year) we emphasise the Czech way, with just a few presents and a Christmas dinner on 25th, and when we’re in Britain, we emphasise the British way – a couple of presents and nice meal on 24th evening and then the usual routine on Christmas Day.
Weather-wise winter here is similar to Britain but usually a little colder. A couple of years ago it reached -30 but that’s not common; -5 to -10 is more normal but it’s mild this year, around 2 at the moment and expecting snow next week, so we’ll see.
Like the other expats I do miss the Boxing Day footie – but then I miss English football and especially going to The Valley all the time so it won’t feel much different from a normal Saturday match day.
In a large shopping centre here in Pattaya they have a giant santa and my girlfriend thinks its our Buddha.
What does she say, " I can't believe its not Buddha?"
Just like to wish all a very merry Xmas and a happy and prosperous new year.
In Germany, as in the Czech Republic the tradition is to celebrate it on Christmas eve "Heilege nacht" and the local tradition in south west Germany is to eat a joint of pork taht has been soaked in brine for a good month and then boiled. As you can imagine it's incredibly salty and therefore needs consuming with a liberal supply of beer.
In the run-up to Christmas every town/city and village has a christmas market (usually called something like the Weihnacthsmarkt, ot the Christkindl market. In the towns and cities these are open every day from 11Am or so until late, but in the villages they usually open once or twice a week.
one year all opened clear spirits (vodka/gin/countreau) went into a huge tin bath ,then wine coolers and loads of ice finished off with orange juice called --------CHEER UP ! everyone who came in n Xmas day had a glass on us ----------------God was it messy.
Another year we has 20 Royal Marines with us and about 15 RUC men 5 doors up ---dear dear that was fun. 30 odd peeps trying to fire rockets (hand held) from my bar into the French bar over the road!
always got a tad homesick when my mums "red cross" parcel arrived about a week before with my cheese balls, twiglets etc etc in it.
Ah, Pattaya........stayed there '94...is there a bar still going called 'The Classroom' ?....staff dressed up in school uniform.Got detention there many a night.
Boxing day I will be playing golf cant beat it.
merry xmas lifers!!!
We will be doing the Brit thing, open tonight and tomorrow lunchtime, then out with 15-20 mates in the evening for a slap up Christmas dinner at a local hotel. Then upearly boxing day to prepare for the onslaught... I wish!
turkey and red wine overdose from late afternoon onwards. Overall very similar to the UK, the
CBC carries the queens speech and all the usual re-run films are on the box.....
Actually I needn't have waited because nothing much happened! Not on Xmas Day at any rate.
Xmas Eve was the big feast although for me I ate very little because I couldn't face eating any of the pig that had spent the day on the garden table. I don't normally eat meat anyway but I can do so (out of politeness or pure lack of anything else on offer) if I imagine it's something else. From about ten to midnight to half past, everyone in the town set off fireworks which was quite a surprise and I was astounded that our 8 month old boy slept through it especially as a family opposite insisted on throwing bangers virtually onto our porch. The kids opened their presents around this time and the adults at about 1am. We finally got to bed at about 2.30 but loads of people in the neighbourhood were still celebrating.
Today's been a bit crap. My family ate more pig and I ate very little (rice, raw carrot, tomato). After lunch we went to the lake which is 'nice' except that its dirty and loads of people play blaring crap music all the time. When we got home I gave up on the idea of getting anything decent to eat so went to eat at a restaurant alone. Then I came to this internet cafe for want of anything else to do.
Right now I'd kill for some Xmas TV, a good moan from Golfy about subtitles, Large complaining about his lack of sleep during waking moments, and an argument about whether or not to play Pit. At least with my family I know what to expect.
Don't think I want to come here again. And Large says that he can't sleep and has problems with his mother in law.............