Celebrating a tropical Christmas down under is obviously a completely different experience than spending the festive season in the icy northern hemisphere. Despite still using Santa Claus as a symbol and humming along to tunes like "Winter Wonderland", New Zealanders have embraced their own unique holiday traditions. Christmas with the Curd clan featured these top three ingredients:
1. Spending time with family in the morning before opening presents, followed by a hearty breakfast, usually cooked by Mama Curd. This year Vaughan added some entertainment for Maddie, since it was her first Christmas, and she certainly seemed to enjoy his attention!
2. Indulging in as much food and drink as your stomach & arteries can handle: glazed ham & other cold meats, scallops wrapped in bacon (yum!), several varieties of summer salads, fresh potatoes, and without fail the ubiquitous pavlova (see photo), New Zealand's most famous dessert. The Australians also claim ownership to this merengue-style cake, but no surprises there - they did the same with ANZAC biscuits, Crowded House and Russell Crowe (born in NZ)!
3. A few years ago Vaughan's family decided to incorporate a completely new tradition to December 25: the Christmas Morning Swim. Because this year it poured down until the afternoon, however, we had to take a dip in the Tasman Sea around 4pm. Up to now I'd managed to avoid this ordeal, but to get rid once and for all of my 'soft' European image I went for a swim as well. I squealed like a girl in the chilly water so next year I need to work on my poise and grace more...
5 comments:
Merry Christmas to you too Inge. I came across your website and thought how bizarre! There is a Flemish girl living in or around NP and I am an NP girl living in Flanders!
I didn't start blogging tilla fter two years of having moved and tell you what it is very therapeutic. I see it has helped you alot.
I hope you love living in NZ!
That pav looks good...
☆明けましておめでと☆
And おめでとう on your brave Christmas morning swim!
Mmm... That Pavlova looks incredible. Hope your new year is off to a good start!
Happy New Year Inge!
I hope that, despite it being a "back to front" Christmas that you enjoyed it here in NZ. That pavlova has got my mouth watering btw...
Will we get an update soon on your new living arrangements and job?!? :-)
KB
Hello everyone, thanks for your Christmas & New Year's wishes, I hope you all have a splendid 2008 as well! My mother-in-law was flattered by the compliments for her pavlova by the way - and yes, it tasted as delicious as it looks :-).
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