Brisbane, QLD


Wednesday, December 23, 2009

An Australian Christmas

I have been sorting old photos to put them into a scrap book. I came across this Christmas photo of my second Christmas in Australia.

Notice that I have a summer dress and he has his winter suit. For many years Australians have continued to celebrate Christmas in the traditional British way. I suppose because the majority of migrants were British. However, in recent years we have started to realise we need our own Aussie type of Christmas and we are starting to do away with the old country traditions which are unsuitable for a summer Christmas. Many of us now have outside BBQ's and usually with loads of seafood; prawns, oysters, mussells, lobsters, Moreton Bay Bugs and fish. To go with this we have salads of all kinds and for dessert pavlova and fruit salad and ice-cream, or fruit platters with mangoes, stone fruit, and especially cherries. We finish off with Christmas cake and cheese and crackers. We also have mince pies and chocolates if you can eat them before they melt. (Mind you many still stick to the traditional fair, which is OK if you are in airconditioning). I'm glad to see many Christmas cards now have Australian Christmas scenes rather than snow and open fires. I still cringe when I see artificial snow, usually cotton wool, decorating the store windows.

17 comments:

  1. Love that dress. I had one similar white with little red raised dots.

    My post tomorrow is similar to what you have written today. Except me being me, I put it all down to cultural imperialism.

    Yours is more fun!

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  2. That is such a darling photo of you! I love hearing about your Aussie Christmas. Exactly right! Everyone should have their own traditions and celebrate the way that is meaningful for them

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  3. OYSTERS I can agree with, but your ordinary finned fish with the cold, staring eye (s) .... no thanks, Diane and Billy B.
    Eat fish twice a week only as part of a cholesterol-lowering diet. Never as a preference.
    We'll stick with our turkey and ham Xmas dinner and hope eldest daughter, a prof. chef, has the roast pork and crackling to add as well on Friday.
    Just as well we didn't send you and BB the robin red breast festive season card we bought at St. Martins In The Fields' giftshop, adjacent to Trafalgar Square in London, last month.
    Richard and Judyth.

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  4. Beautiful story, and
    Merry Christmas!
    Elisabeth

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  5. I really agree with you Diane. It is so much better for people to celebrate in a way that suits them. My daughter is in Sydney this year and really looking forward to her Barbie on the Beach.
    Wishing you a very happy Christmas. Have fun!
    Elcmae

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  6. Hi Diane! Always thought that Santa's Christmas didn't fit into tropics and summer... Thought it was just my idea, but it seems it's making its own way... ;)

    Blogtrotter is waiting for you in London! Enjoy and have a great holiday season!

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  7. Sounds good to me. I love fruit salad too. Have a good one, whatever way you and Bill may celebrate it.

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  8. Cute Diane, You all just need to have your own traditions down there---leaving out the snow and wintery stuff!!!!! Your BBQ sounds fabulous for your Summer Christmas.

    Love the picture of you and Santa... CUTE!!!!

    Have a very Merry Christmas.
    Lots of Hugs,
    Betsy

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  9. You're so pretty! And what a GREAT photo! I enjoyed the poem and your header, but I REALLY want to know about the Moreton Bay Bugs ??

    Merry Warm & Wonderful Christmas to you and hubbs!

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  10. What a lovely photo of you Diane and the poem was great, along with your header. Yes I can imagine you needed to create your own traditions with the temperatures being way up there this time of year. Lucky you :) Merry Christmas and A Very Happy New Year.

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  11. Great poem and so true. Celebrating with our own identity. I always thinkt it so funny when people bring the Christmas tree to the beach. When the wind is strong it is not always a success, but lots of fun. The photo is lovely.

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  12. Thank you for that wish, Diane. I wish you love and laughter tomorrow and on into the New Year.

    I have found the photograph of me in a similar dress to the one you are wearing above. If it rains in Sydney as forecast for the next 4 days, I might get it scanned and up on Plumbing.

    All the best to you and yer fella ...

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  13. Brings back memories of my time in Australia. Moreton Bay Bugs are the best! Dipped in garlic butter.
    Warm winter coats are the thing right now where I am in Utah, USA. Would love to visit again sometime befor I am too old ;)

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  14. G'day,
    Nothing like eating Pavlova, or a bbq prawn.
    All the best for 2010

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  15. Lovely old photo! You were so beautiful little girl.
    Merry Christmas to you and to your family and best wishes for a great New 2010 Year!

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  16. That's right, it's a little ridiculous to see snow and a father Christmas in a winter dress, while you are running around in shorts and T-shirts, lol !
    I loved to celebrate Christmas in warm countries where the palm trees where decorated like Christmas trees and Santa was sitting on a camel, lol (that was in Egypt)

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  17. Santa beards look fluffier today. Regarding the Australianising of Christmas I wonder if we aren't jumping into a whole new set of cliches which don't actually relate to reality ... like for example, how many of us really have anything to do with dingo fences, acubras and koalas or why eat fish if you live nowhere near the sea?

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