Re: Christmas in Oz
 

Welcome to Christmas Down Under. It still feels weird after 6.5 years!! Not really dark enough for the lights, and seeing people in bikinis and shorts is just wrong when the shops are belting out the carols.

I was going to do something different this year- salmon instead of Turkey- but we got invited to friend's on the Day itself, so it will be an Aussie Christmas, which consists of all sorts of different meats- ham, turkey and pork all on the same table. Try the "Turducken" which is chicken inside duck inside turkey. I think you can get them at local butchers, or go for a supermarket stuffed breast of turkey for simplicity.

I still do gammon on christmas Eve, and trifle on Boxing Day.

And don't forget, we also have Christmas in July, when it is colder and darker. Can't get much better than 2 Christmases!

Re: Christmas in Oz
 

Thanks everyone for your replies. It's good to know I'm not alone.

I am trying very hard to make things right for the family, and I am trying very hard to accept the differences. I am ok some of the time, then something will happen and it will set me off.

The worst thing is, we have invited friends round for Christmas dinner, and I was looking forward to it. But they have just dropped the bombshell that they are returning home in April and it's left me feeling so upset.

I don't know why I feel so upset as I don't want to go back to the UK. It's just this time of year. I wish I could pop back for a week :(

Re: Christmas in Oz
 

I think you have identified it correctly......it is the time of year as much as anything.
One of our friends have gone back too after being here for 10 years although they weren't close friends.

Don't live their lives though. Live your own. ;)

Re: Christmas in Oz
 

Do people do that here ? I have never heard of people doing that, defeats the purpose I reckon as it is supposed to be cold at Christmas.

Re: Christmas in Oz
 

Never got used to, let alone like Hot Christmas.

Most years we went overseas, My kids had a white xmas most years. OMG Soooo expensive from OZ for 5 in peak season :eek:

The aussie one the kids all remember, I bought them a huge pool banana, L fell off, smashed his face on side of pool, we ended up covered in blood in ER :lol:

We also have some pictures of obviously very sweaty people, everyone basically wearing just underwear ( normal when its that bloody hot, but very weird family snaps for extended family from overseas ) :lol:

We had the turkey dinner, it just happened that everyone was free one weekend couple weeks back when we had that one day of low 20's, did turkey roast, crackers, gifts and got it over with.

Re: Christmas in Oz
 

What an amazing co incidence,I've never heard of one of those until trudging around Kogarah an hour so so ago and so one advertised in the butchers window. Seams a strange concoction to me though ! :ohmy:

Re: Christmas in Oz
 

It's my fourth Christmas in the southern hemisphere. All I've really done is get used to it. Same roast dinner as we would normally have had.

Although the Christmas Eve bbq is nice.

Re: Christmas in Oz
 

Do people get pissed at christmas and go for a seafood BBQ? Hell yes! Just visit a shop with a fish counter at the moment if you don't believe me. Makes more sense than a turkey when the temp is 30C.

I did my version of a Turducken a few years back (although I took the breasts off a turkey carcase, meld them to breasts from duck and chicken, and then recreated a frankenstein turkey with these and the legs :lol:)

Re: Christmas in Oz
 

Sounds exquisite !:blink:

Re: Christmas in Oz
 

Are you for real? Of course people do it! I thought you were born here! if you didn't realise that you either have been living under a bridge somewhere :sneaky: or have a lot of research to do before you move back :ohmy:

Re: Christmas in Oz
 

Twelfth Christmas. They don't get any better.
I remember one when my best mate was living here and we just talked and drank and chilled out, that one was probably the best.

This year I have managed to get myself on a row of night shifts over Christmas, and another row over new year. Pure heaven, I can just go to work by night, sleep all day and ignore the world for a whole fortnight. :thumbup:

Re: Christmas in Oz
 

This is what I suspect.

You've got a good strategy for ignoring it all by working though !

(At least in Britain there's the summer to look forward to in the coming year. It's weird having autumn after Christmas in the southern hemisphere.)

Re: Christmas in Oz
 

Apart from the loneliness, I hate the heat and humidity of Christmas in Brisbane, and my job is my saviour - and probably the only reason I am still here. I wish they had cyclones back home, then I could move!!
Back home in July next year, my first trip in the English summer since I came out here. i usually go in spring or autumn. Be interesting to see how I feel about being there in ( hopefully ) hot weather.........

Re: Christmas in Oz
 

After 11 years still weird to have "sunny" xmas. Wife asked me what do you want for xmas dinner I jokingly said Egg and Chips would be nice, and guess what I'm getting ,still did specify xmas pudding for afters so OK for that. Seasons greetings to all.

Re: Christmas in Oz
 

For me, it's about missing family. Our eldest is still in the UK and that's hard for us.

Christmas is also the most expensive time of year for family to visit or for us to go back.

I guess it's the main downside to living in this beautiful country and something a lot of us struggle with.