As I drove to meet my (adorable) husband for breakfast this morning, the announcer on the radio station I was tuned into exclaimed, “Eight days ’til Christmas!” I felt momentarily slugged in the stomach. I knew what the date was but what went through my brain already full of thoughts was another one: “Eight days?! Surely you jest!”
I don’t generally write here about products or to promote things. But when I find something I really like, whether it’s a book, a website or a lipstick, I like to share what I’ve learned because I always enjoy hearing when someone else has found a great bargain, a trusted product, or something that truly works. We women have probably all bought and tossed blush that was the wrong color, foundation that was too light or dark, and wrinkle cream that didn’t perform as promised. From time to time, you may find me writing here about a product that I’m excited about, a website I enjoy or a bargain that I’m geeked about (because I do so love a good bargain!) I’m not paid to do any of those things. I’m just sharing the information love.
I had some talented guest writers this week. Hopefully you learned a lot and were entertained, as was I. To round out the week it feels only appropriate that I would share what Christmas looks like in my family. Growing up, I was the youngest of four children and I wasn’t close in age to my siblings (my siblings being 6, 10 and 12 years my seniors). But somehow it worked and my parents made sure of it.
Christmas was always a magical time for me growing up, thanks to the thoughtfulness and careful planning of my Mom specifically. Her gift was making people feel like a million bucks, special and treasured. So when a holiday rolled around, it was her time to shine, and she did it magnificently.
Today I’m welcoming Julie and her Aussie Christmas traditions and how Jesus truly is the reason! You can read more of Julie’s work at http://chaosandgrace.com.au/ Be sure to click through to the yummy recipes she’s provided as well as the video! Here’s Julie:
If you are here from Melanie Pickett’s Flying Blonde Blog….G’day from Australia!
I’d love to share with you what an Australian Christmas looks like to our family.
Old Traditions
Every year my mum, my sister, and I have the same conversation. “Will we eat traditional food for Christmas?”
You see, two-hundred and a bit years ago, people came to our country and brought with them their English Christmas traditions: Christmas Cake and plum pudding with hot custard, roast meat and vegetables, eggnog and singing carols by the fire. This makes perfect sense in a country that can be snowed in for Christmas.
The trouble is, in Australia, Christmas day is guaranteed to be over 30 degrees C (86 degrees F). This is not roast dinner weather as much as we love it. So, like many others across our country, we are asking the question “What should an Aussie Christmas look like?”
New Traditions
Having traditions just for tradition’s sake doesn’t always make sense. A wave of change has come with acknowledging we celebrate Christmas in a hot country.
This year an amazing array of seafood and salad will grace the table alongside cold roast pork (because my Dad can’t quite give up Christmas crackle). Desert is now cheesecake, pavlova, and trifle. T-shirts, shorts and thongs are the dress code for the day. After lunch we will all head to whatever water we can find to cool off while my Dad has a snooze on the lounge. There may even be a game of backyard cricket.
Traditions That Create Memories
Whether the food is hot or not isn’t really that important. Christmas is about celebrating with good memories and some Christmas traditions will always remain:
Our kids have decorated our Christmas tree and Christmas cards are on display.
We will bring our picnic blanket and sit under the stars singing at our community carols event, while the kids run wild with glow sticks in the night.
On Christmas Day, my kids will wake up before dawn to unwrap their presents and eat all their Christmas chocolate for breakfast.
There will always be extras around our Christmas table because we believe no one should be alone at Christmas.
We will pop bonbons, wear silly paper hats, tell bad Christmas jokes, and Christmas songs will play all day.
We will be eating leftovers for the next week.
Christmas Table in Sunny Australia
Teaching Our Children the Meaning of Our Traditions
In the midst of all the activities and organising, our family will be taking time out each day to remember Jesus, the reason for the season. Jesus isn’t just thought of at church on Christmas morning.
As we buy gifts we share with our kids that Jesus is the greatest gift of all. When we look at Christmas lights in our street we discuss how long ago Jesus called himself the light of not just a street but of the whole world. And when singing Christmas songs, we discuss as a family how the shepherds and wisemen must have felt seeing Jesus.
Sharing about Jesus is our family’s tradition that weaves all other traditions together and gives them their meaning.
From my family to yours,
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas,
xxx Julie
P.S. If you want to hear with your kids an Aussie version of Jingle Bells, watch the above video.
What are your favourite traditions? How do you infuse them with meaning for your family? I love to hear your comments below.