| Weather temperatures around the world during | | | | |
| the Christmas holiday break varies | | | | Christmas lunch here in this great southern |
| dramatically. Here in | | | | land is a different experience. As Christmas |
| | | | Day closes in the temperature continues to |
| Queensland Australia it's hot and humid as we | | | | rise as does the humidity here in Brisbane. |
| prepare to welcome back that jolly big guy in | | | | You know Christmas is here when you start |
| the red woolly suit, except here he's in | | | | hearing the continuous shrill sounds of |
| boardshorts, hat and sunscreen. | | | | cicadas (large winged insect) on hot, |
| | | | cloudless days. |
| Christmas would have to be my favorite time | | | | |
| of the year. | | | | I know many still insist on cooking the |
| | | | turkey, other roasts as well as roast |
| I remember my white Christmases in Europe as | | | | vegetables and gravy in the stifling heat (I |
| a little girl. There was the smell of | | | | did until recently), as well as fruitcake and |
| cinnamon, nutmeg and gingerbread biscuits, | | | | custard. Not everyone has air conditioning |
| and my parents drinking eggnog as we | | | | here so a cool breeze is often top of the |
| decorated our tree. | | | | wish list. |
| | | | |
| Snow glistened outside and groups of children | | | | So what is a traditional Christmas lunch down |
| with their lanterns alight could be heard | | | | this way? |
| singing Christmas Carols as they moved from | | | | |
| house to house in exchange for chocolates and | | | | 1. Prawns (prawn: shrimp) for the barbecue - |
| sweets that residents would throw out their | | | | on ice and with lemon wedges; |
| window. That's when the mad scramble began | | | | |
| trying to look for sweets in several feet of | | | | 2. Fresh Fish from the market - arrive very |
| snow. | | | | early (if you've never had this experience |
| | | | before you'll know what I mean when you do); |
| I sometimes yearn for those magical, mystical | | | | |
| years and reminisce especially when I listen | | | | 3. Tossed green Salad, bowl of beetroot with |
| to Bing Crosby's "I'm Dreaming of a White | | | | onion, and some asparagus; |
| Christmas". | | | | |
| | | | 4. Snags (snags: sausages), lamb chops - lamb |
| Our way of compensating for the lack of cold | | | | cutlets if you can afford it; |
| weather in December is by having Christmas in | | | | |
| July celebrations with all the trimmings | | | | 5. For 'afters' (afters: after lunch) Beach |
| including weather close to that of the | | | | towel, togs, thongs, sunscreen, cricket bat |
| northern hemisphere (well almost - anything | | | | and ball (thongs: cheap rubber open sandals, |
| north of the Tropic of Capricorn hasn't been | | | | togs: bathing costume); |
| included, sorry). | | | | |
| | | | 6. An esky full of beers (esky: receptacle to |
| In Australia many of us still write cards | | | | place all alcoholic drinks - on occasion you |
| with snow and ice scenes, people ice-skating | | | | may get lucky and find room for other items |
| on frozen lakes and pictures of cute | | | | but don't get too excited); |
| reindeers. Not only would Santa melt from | | | | |
| the heat wearing his red winter woolies, his | | | | 7. A few bottles of drink coolers for the |
| reindeer would die of heat exhaustion working | | | | girls; |
| in such sweltering heat! | | | | |
| | | | 8. Wine for the more refined; |
| No reindeers and sleighs for us - we have | | | | |
| 'six white boomers' (boomers: large | | | | 9. More beers for the esky; and |
| kangaroos) thanks to a song by Rolf Harris | | | | |
| from the '60's. I've seen our Santa pulling | | | | 10. A laid back attitude. |
| a surfboard wearing sunscreen, board shorts | | | | |
| and hat, zipping through the southern skies. | | | | With lunch done, we look forward to our the |
| Yes - he's our man! | | | | great tradition of spending Boxing Day |
| | | | watching the start of the Sydney to Hobart |
| A far cry from the drunk Santa I remember | | | | yacht race, The Boxing Day Test cricket at |
| riding in the back of a ute (ute: utility | | | | the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), or by |
| vehicle) in the country many years ago. Last | | | | spending the day lazing at home or spending |
| seen swigging on a long neck (long neck: tall | | | | it down the beach. |
| bottle of beer) trying to articulate "ho ho | | | | |
| ho and a Merry Christmas to all" as the ute | | | | Having been outside once today, I'm very |
| slowly drove down each street in my | | | | aware of how hot and humid it is and |
| neighborhood. | | | | apparently it's not going to get cooler any |
| | | | time soon. So as I sit here looking at the |
| Carols by Candlelight are a tradition 'down | | | | cloudless sky and writing this article, I am |
| under' during the weeks leading up to | | | | indeed "Dreaming of a white Christmas, if |
| Christmas at many venues around towns and | | | | only in my dreams! |
| cities of Australia. | | | | |