An Aussie Christmas

This will be our second Christmas celebrated in Australia. Last year, John and Shawn on Active Transport spent the holiday aboard with us in Sydney. This year they're in South Africa and we're in Hobart. Unlike Australians who realize that Christmas is a summer holiday down under, we're still northern hemisphere traditionalists and it's hard to dispel old ways of thinking that have been ingrained for decades. We're not hoping for snow or anything, but we like the big midday turkey feast and presents under the tree ... I mean, the mast, on Christmas morning.

Most Australians we know tend to celebrate the holiday at the beach with a picnic or have a big outdoor barbie. Several folks from the marina have taken off for a week or two to go sailing or camping over the holidays. It's summertime ... outdoor activities seem the right thing to do. We're told, it has become traditional for international visitors who are in Sydney at Christmas to go to Bondi Beach where up to 40,000 people visit on Christmas Day. Wouldn't that be a fun experience? (NOT!)

Christmas shopping is done in shorts and t-shirts instead of all bundled up in parkas, mittens and snow boots. Though I've seen poinsettias, the local red proteas or the native Christmas Bush with its bright red flowers, seem more appropriate. I've seen artificial trees, but no lots full of real Christmas trees for sale. Santa might be just as likely to arrive at the beach on a surfboard or in a dinghy as in a sleigh … and the white boomers readily replaced the tired reindeer without hesitation for Santa's inland Australian run last night … or so we heard.

Perhaps if we were from California or Florida, the beach thing would be appealing. But we're not...we're from cold and snow country and being at the beach on Christmas … well, it's just not right! We should be shoveling snow or making snowmen or snow forts...having snowballs fights, but definitely not laying on a beach. It was cool and overcast today in Hobart. Not a good beach day at all … but not good for snowballs either.

So, how did we celebrate Christmas? We planned to go to midnight service at St. David's Cathedral, but it was cold, dark, windy and misty at 11pm and we were already in bed. So much for that plan.

We were up early this morning drinking mimosas (champagne and OJ) and singing Christmas songs while getting the turkey stuffed and in the oven for our traditional afternoon feast. We gratefully declined offers made by friends and opted to spend Christmas with just the two of us this year. We like each others' company a lot plus more leftover turkey for the crew.

We cooked and chatted and opened our presents. We had cinnamon coffee cake for breakfast...washed down with yet more mimosas. We watched a romantic movie (Love, Actually) and it was time to eat. The turkey was roasted to perfection. The aroma had driven us crazy for hours. The table was set with our best linen and china (as if!). Hours of preparation led to a leisurely, sumptuous dinner. Everything was delicious including the blueberry/raspberry crisp for dessert (a close second to cranberry pudding). A fine day celebrating what we love most … each other.

We'll Skype our family in the States and Brennan and Hannah in Rome tomorrow when they have their holiday celebration.

Wishing you and yours a happy Christmas from Nine of Cups.

Carols by Candlelight

We saw a banner mounted above the entrance to St. David's Park one day: Carols by Candlelight … 15 and 16 December...Free tickets. Didn't that just make my heart stop? I googled to find out more and sure enough, they were handing out free entry tickets at the info booth on Elizabeth Street Mall.

Reading up a bit on this Australian Christmas tradition, I learned that it seems to have originated in southeastern Australia in the 19th century. According to Wiki, one of the earliest origins of this tradition began in the 19th century, when Cornish miners in Moonta, South Australia would gather on Christmas Eve to sing carols, their mining hats aglow with candles stuck to the brims. It's popular throughout Australia now, but especially so in Melbourne where it's even televised on Christmas Eve. The tradition, which has since spread around the world, gathers people together at the holidays in public venues to sing carols by candlelight. We saw it as an opportunity to congregate with the community and enjoy some Christmas spirit.

We read that there had been quite an issue concerning this year's Candlelight celebration in Hobart. The City Council had cut the budget substantially and moved the venue from Sandy Bay. St. David's Park could only accommodate half the number of people who had attended last year. I can understand the frustration of those who had worked hard to insure a big turnout in previous years, only to have their efforts thwarted by diminished budgets and a significantly smaller venue. We felt a bit guilty about using two tickets that might have been more appropriately given to locals who wanted to attend. We waited till near the end of the doling out of tickets, reasoning if people really wanted to attend, they'd snatch up the tickets early.

This year's Carols by Candlelight in Hobart was in its 63rd year, first occurring on 24 December 1949. The on-line information told us we could bring blankets and cushions, small amounts of wine/alcohol, a raincoat (if you bring it, you won't need it) and, of course, our best singing voices and Christmas spirit. The spirit wouldn't be hard, the voices? I didn't think they'd throw us out, but perhaps we wouldn't sing as loudly as we do when we're singing karaoke on the boat. We were advised not to bring pets, tents, eskies (coolers), large umbrellas or fireworks. Good, we had none of these things. No worries.

The day was windy, raw and rainy and we wondered how wet and uncomfortable it would be sitting on the cold ground to watch the festivities. We had planned to take a bottle of wine to share, but it was so chilly, we took a thermos of hot chocolate instead. It may be summer here, but it's still Tasmania. We found a good place to lay our plastic tarp and a blanket on top. I brought an extra blanket to snuggle up in. We bought candles and I couldn't help but think of the candlelight vigils being held all around the US now, not in celebration of Christmas, but rather in remembrance of the children and adults recently slain in Newtown, Connecticut. Sad thoughts don't mingle well with Christmas cheer.

The 90 minute program was small-townish and fun. The Lord Mayor of Hobart welcomed us. Local entertainers led us in song accompanied by the Hobart City Band and the Ogilvie High Concert Choir. Midst a sea of red Santa hats and reindeer antlers, we waited for the sky to darken to light our candles. It doesn't get dark here till well after 9pm now.

We knew most of the lyrics, but the tunes were significantly different for some songs. I know two versions of Away in a Manger, but the version they played wasn't close to either of them. We sang traditonal carols like Deck the Halls and more modern songs like Rudolph and White Christmas. It didn't seem to bother anyone that a “white Christmas” is neither expected nor dreamed of here. I looked around; everyone seemed to know all the lyrics.

Santa showed up. He was a bit frazzled being so close to Christmas with lots of work still to be done. His reindeer were “having a feed on the Domain lawns”, he said. He also explained that the hot Australian weather (farther north, for sure) was tough on the reindeer. When he makes his Australia run, he uses white boomers...big white kangaroos, the subject of a uniquely Aussie Christmas song.

We sipped our hot chocolate, snuggled up and enjoyed the evening. We were hoarse from singing when we left St. David's Park in good spirits and ready for Christmas.

Christmas Shopping

It's mid-December. Is your Christmas shopping done yet? Just a few more stocking stuffers to buy? Or are you a last minute shopper waiting till Christmas Eve to get the deed done (this describes David). I bought candy canes today and some proper English Christmas crackers...the kind that explode and cascade with trinkets and a silly crepe paper crown when you pull the tabs on the ends.

I haven't done Christmas shopping in over a decade. It's odd that while other people are running around crazy, spending big bucks and getting all verklempt, we're oblivious to it all. We send checks to the kids and grandkids and gift cards to the moms. That's it … all done in 10 minutes.

Truth be told though, sometimes I miss the Christmas shopping frenzy. Anyone reading this and stressing out is probably ready to brain me. I miss the hustle, bustle and hurry-scurry associated with the holidays. I like wandering around admiring all the store windows and ducking into the stores to see all the holiday displays and novelties even if I'm not buying. I do not miss the Visa bills afterward.

I especially miss finding that particularly clever and appropriate gift for someone, knowing that they'll be overtly pleased and I'll feel great inside for having chosen it. For sure, the shopping experience seems more frenzied in the US where Christmas seems to be all about the gift giving and receiving. In Australia, there's not half the hoopla we see in the US. Christmas is a summer holiday here...everyone goes to the beach for a barbie.

I miss meticulously wrapping each gift with special paper and ribbon and decorations so that the recipient says “It's too pretty to unwrap”. My sister and I would sit on the floor in the living room with wrapping paper, ribbon and decorating doodads all around us … and glasses of wine. We'd swap the tape and scissors back and forth and inevitably lose both under the piles of paper and scraps. We'd wrap all day making decorated masterpieces to be placed under the tree. Giggling, enjoying each others company and getting into the spirit of the giving season.

David and I don't exchange gifts. Sometimes we find a little something inexpensive for each other to wrap just to have something to unwrap on Christmas morning. Old traditions die hard. Last year David bought me a new tea mug with a distinctive Aboriginal design which I use every day now. Can't remember what I got him although I'm sure it was fabulous … and inexpensive. David's asking Santa for a new outboard engine this year (hard to wrap and not generally in the inexpensive category).

We'll stay in Hobart for the Christmas season. Unfortunately, they boot us out on Boxing Day in time for the arrival of the Sydney-Hobart Race participants. No worries. We'll find a close anchorage, so that we can walk back into town to see the race arrivals, all the New Year's fireworks and celebrations and do some sampling at the Taste of Tassie Fest on the waterfront.

I've wrapped the below deck portion of the mast in a faux-evergreen garland and hung nautical Christmas decorations throughout the salon. We've collected some sort of an ornament from most every place we've visited and hauling them out once a year gives rise to lots of reminiscing and good memories. The candy canes and crackers are placed strategically around the saloon. Christmas spirit is on the rise.

By the way, watching frustrated people shop reminded me that today is Cat Herder's Day. Folks trying to do the impossible … like buying the perfect holiday gift for everyone on their list without going over budget. For an hilarious video clip, try Cowboys Herding Cats. It'll cheer you right up.

http://youtu.be/Pk7yqlTMvp8