Christmas morning swim (L-R Paul Dance, Johnny Morris)
One of the many periodic jolts that reminds us that we are the other side of the world is Christmas. The Kiwi tradition differs in quite a few ways to a Christmas in Wales.
We’ve been taking advantage of the Christmas holidays to explore New Zealand and Australia for three of the four Christmases that we’ve been here but this year is different and we’ve decided to see Christmas in our own beds and not under canvas. We are staying at home in Auckland and ‘doing’ Christmas the kiwi way.
Christmas morning sea swim, St Heliers.
The day has many similarities. The children are up early to open presents from under the tree but, after a couple of hours of this, we head down to St Heliers village where we meet friends for a blue sky, turquoise sea Christmas day swim. Nothing to serious, it is Christmas after all, just a few hundred meters out to the nearest yellow buoy and back.
Petanque spectating.
The swim is followed by a mince pie and a game of Petanque on the beach before we head the 400m back home.
Christmas BBQ at Rarangi Road.
Christmas lunch is lamb, chicken, beef, salmon and prawns cooked on the BBQ followed by a traditional Kiwi Christmas pudding, a Pavlova. The Pavlaova was created and named in honour of a 1920’s Russian dancer after one of her tours to Australia and New Zealand. The nationality of its creator is hotly dispute by New Zealanders and Australians and the dish is held in high affection by Kiwis.
Late afternoon we headed over to Ruth’s cousin Rhian’s house where uncle Aled and Aunty Betts are visiting, the only genuine family we have to hand. And, with Rhian having borrowed the keys for the school open air outdoor swimming pool, we pop along for an hour or so of wear the children out before heading back to Rhian’s place for Christmas tea which is a is a second BBQ accompanied by a homemade Welsh-style trifle.
We head home and the evening concludes with a Christmas movie the name and subject of which escapes me.
Friends and family are missed big time but I have to admit to preferring a more active active approach to Christmas day than watching the Queen’s speech and falling in front of the TV having eaten too much.
NewZealandly 