diddy

Hi,

I have posted our dilema before - but here goes again and wondered if anyone can help.. We have got our pr visas and are looking to go to Brisbane -however mr d has to give three months notice to work - which means would would be in Oz late novemeber to early december - now the the problem is tyhis what would you do as family with two three year olds and no family or friends in the area - what are the options for christmas - the twins are already excited about it and they are still wearing shorts and paddling in their pool - has anyone else spent christmas totally alone - are there any trips you can do on xmas day - or do you guys reckon we should hold off till mid january =-- although this seems mighty long time away

Cheers
guys Diddy

jayr

We arrived on 15 December 2002 and were staying in temporary accommodation, so did not have the facilities to cook anything Christmassy. Our kids were 2 and 5 at the time.

We bought a mini plastic tree and some lights and that was it for the decos. Relaising everywhere might be booked, I phoned around loads of hotels and they were (booked that is).

Depending on where you are staying, you may find the Regatta Boatshed at Toowong worth a visit, you should be able to get a table there as it is big and does a few sittings. We did and we probably booked after 20th.

In the morning, go for a breakfast picnic at South Bank beach. Take breakky and drinks and everything with you. Your 3 yr olds will love it and there'll be quite a few others there. There are also BBQs if you wanted snags or bacon or similar.

Depending on whether they are all booked or not, there are loads of restaurants and one pub at South Bank where you may be able to get lunch.

You could of course pack your own lunch, I would suggest prawns (about $25/kilo) and other cold stuff and stay at South Bank all day. That way you can have your first Australian Christmas on the beach (even if it is man made).

Here's a link to the Regatta Boatshed, including normal menu. You could email or phone to check out Christmas Day.

http://www.regattahotel.com.au/boatshed.html

And here's a picture of South Bank beach:

mlbonner

Hey Nic,

I was here last Christmas, and to be completely honest for me it did not feel Christmasey at all I think after 20+ years of associating Christmas with the cold, going the pub to meet friends at lunch and having a roast turkey anything else is going to feel strange, just natural. I spent the day in the pool, it was about 34C. We had seafood and salad for lunch and I was still sat in the pool drinking beer at about 8pm in the evening. Being away from my friends and family left me feeling quite sad. I think its something you'll get used to though and there is no real way around it. So whilst it might be nice for you to spend a last Christmas at home, you'll end up here eventually. I'm planning on making the most of my warm Christmases here and we're hoping to go to the UK in 2007 with my boyf little girl, so they can have their first cold christmas ever!!!

Southbank is a really good idea, reckon the twins would love it down there, and you know, you'd all be more than welcome to come sit in our pool and have a few beers if you dont want to be alone anyway

rudo1ph

We were really looking forwards to our first Xmas here.....have 3 children 7, 5 and 2.........

Then my hubby broke his arm on Xmas eve and ended up in hospital until boxing day!!! I spent Xmas eve at the hospital, got home REALLY late and still had to make sure Father Xmas visited!!! My 2 year old (who was 1 then) would not go to bed, so she helped play Father Xmas with me until 3am!! We spent some of the day at the Hospital on Xmas day and the rest catching up on sleep.

Not the best Xmas ever, but we had our second Xmas a few days later.

I reckon the excitement of being here will get you through - you could go to the beach and take a picnic. If it was me, I'd opt for a nice hot Xmas over the cold anyday!!!!

Rudi

Peter

Can't get used to being cold in December. Doesn't feel right. Looking forward to getting my antipodean senses back on track.

Probably head down to Casino to see my Dad for Christmas this year.

renth

I'm spending this crimbo in the UK

Peter

What a lot of British are probably doing this Christmas.
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums...ic.php?t=22049

Fight the good fight ladies and gentlemen.

Don

Xmas 2003 in soggy Dunedin without a friend in sight having only just moved in (even ol' Southerner had gone up to Nelson to see his rellies). Rather empty house!

Dug up a massive Xmas tree myself from a pick-your-own, deccos looked good, kids @ just 3 and nearly 1 still a tad too young to really 'get' it, nice cake, penguin watching on the beach and some of the best meat I've ever cooked.

Immediate family more important to have around you than a load of rellies and friends.

bridiej

Dont know if I would get used to the idea of Xmas being hot rather than freezing!!

Peter

My wife, who's American, agrees with you.

Pollyana

I would love to spend this Christmas back in the UK, but can't realistically afford it, maybe next year. Last year didn't feel like Christmas at all, as Michelle says - just didn't feel right, and all my inlaws kept on about it being nice having the family together, which didn't help.
Might try and escape to a hotel or something this year, maybe up the Sunshine Coast - just the two of us

Monkey

In article <[email protected]> ,
member23218@british_expats.com (diddy) wrote:

    >
    > Hi,
    >
    > I have posted our dilema before - but here goes again and wondered if
    > anyone can help.. We have got our pr visas and are looking to go to
    > Brisbane -however mr d has to give three months notice to work - which
    > means would would be in Oz late novemeber to early december - now the
    > the problem is tyhis what would you do as family with two three year
    > olds and no family or friends in the area - what are the options for
    > christmas - the twins are already excited about it and they are still
    > wearing shorts and paddling in their pool - has anyone else spent
    > christmas totally alone - are there any trips you can do on xmas day -
    > or do you guys reckon we should hold off till mid january =-- although
    > this seems mighty long time away
    >
    > Cheers
    > guys Diddy
    >
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com
    >

To be honest I would wait until January. Christmas is said to be the peak
time for homesickness - have a last Christmas here, see everyone,enjoy,
and plan to go mid-Jan.



Paul

pockygoes

Hi

We were in the same dilema. We have our visas & wanted to get to Perth in time for our twin boys to start the new academic year at the end of January. We thought about it long & hard & have decided to do Xmas & new year in the UK (so we can spend some quality time with folks & friends) & then head off on 3/4 January & start our new life. We figured that it was so close to Xmas that it would be a shame not to stay & too upsetting to go just before. We will have a humdinger of a xmas & new year & then get our breath back for the long slog ahead.

We did spend the Xmas before last in Sydney with a really close friend. It was fantastic - we spent all day around the pool, had seafood on the BBQ & cocktails. Then at night we put floating candles in the pool & sat on the veranda. Wonderful. However we thought that as we would not be back for a few years at Xmas time that we would make it a truly family Xmas & next year my mum, brother & family, & my friend & her family from Sydney are all coming for our first Xmas - that will give all the family in the UK time to save. It will be a really full house & garden but at least we are having the best of both worlds.

Hope this helps
Pockygoes

cresta57

We had the same problem last year before we flew to Brissie. We left UK Nov 7th.
Answer was we had Christmas in October with all our family in the Uk and then again in December in Oz. It didn't stop the home sickness but it took the edge off a little.
Not so sure what we're gonna do this year maybe throw a huge expats xmas party. So we can all be homesick together

spalen

For what its worth, and its probably been covered already... We've spent christmass with our kids away from family in Florida, and other far away places and its a revelation.

You get to spend the whole time being with your kids, doing what you want, to your schedule, not worrying about who's coming round in 5 minutes, where you have to go in 30 minutes , what to buy for dinner for 50 people etc. Its great. Very relaxing indeed and entirely stress free.

The downside of not seeing other people soon passes. I think if we were about to leave before christmass I'd rather go - than run the risk of a very 'emotional' last christmass with relatives and family. But that depends on your relationships and your experiences of christmass.

Plus the kids'll get lots of aussie bought toys just after they get into their new home - and that will help their integration to the new life tremendously. I can remember our kids phoning grandparents very excitedly to tell them they'd been swimming on christmass morning and were going to the beach (oh and about the crocodile in the river behind the house but thats another story).