Christmas: South Africa-Style

The Von Hagen's Christmas Tree. 

It is a baobab tree fashioned from wire and adorned with wire & bead ornaments. Items made from silver wire and beads are sold and made everywhere here (i.e very South African!) so it makes for the perfect South African Christmas tree!

I knew going into this trip that the Christmas season was going to be the toughest part to get through.

Have you ever seen the movie Home Alone? Yeah. That is my family's idea of a "normal" Christmas.

The recipe for my family's Christmas fun involves 25+ people. One house. Three days.

It is a marathon holiday adventure of card playing, present opening, and food overdosing.

Considering I have enough family Christmas traditions to fill a Martha Stewart home magazine (we even cut down our own Christmas trees - as in, from the forest), it comes as no surprise that I am missing home extra super duper lots right now. 

Thankfully my homesickness is tempered by the fact that I can honestly say I am feeling no Christmas spirit. Well, maybe a smidgeon because I went to the mall this afternoon and was surrounded by Christmas music for an hour. 

The thing is, when you are wearing a tank top and miniskirt, still sweating from the 35+ degree heat you encountered before hitting the blessedly cool air con of the mall, hearing Sinatra croon, I am dreaming of a white Christmas suddenly doesn't quite work its usual magic. Likewise, seeing surf boards with bows and mistletoe hanging on the entrance doors to the malls don't quite replace a wreath made with real boughs of pine accented with a crimson velvet bow. 

Without snow to lightly blanket the tiny bulbs, it is a fact that Christmas lights draped on houses and trees are simply not as pretty. Not to mention I have only seen about 5 houses with lights on their roofs. They may have had lights on their lawn trees but who can tell with the 7 foot wall surrounding their property??

Gift giving is also approached differently here. Back home, it is expected that a healthy dose of thought and effort is put into present swapping. It is generally known that giving gift cards or bath soaps are "cop out" gifts and that the really special ones are presents you wouldn't normally buy yourself and/or demonstrate how well the person knows your likes and interests. 

People at home spend money at Christmas. A lot of it. It is sort of just expected to budget December differently in order to accommodate the holidays. We spend generously on gifts, food, Christmas cards, and home decorations. It's all considered part of making Christmas feel Christmassy. 

There isn't the same effort put in here. Which isn't to say that is a bad thing (heck, we North Americans could all use a step away from our consumerist ways), but I am just trying to point out that it is very different. 

One South African friend told me that last Christmas, her and her brother snuck into her father's liquor cabinet and wrapped up one of his unopened bottles as a present. When he found out a few days later that his gift wasn't really a gift at all, they all had a good laugh.

Personally, I was shocked to hear this story. Something like that would never fly in my house. Feelings would be hurt. Not to mention I would feel like a huge jerk for pulling a prank like that on a family member at Christmas time. But it just goes to show you the casual nature South Africans approach the holidays with. 

Houses aren't decked to the nines with Christmas fare and -- outside of malls and shops -- Christmas music is difficult to find. Families here don't really listen to it. In Manitoba, we have an entire radio station dedicated to Christmas music in December. My mom throws on a Christmas CD at night for background music. We have carolers and listen to it in our cars. Justin told me he doesn't think his family even owns one Christmas CD and he himself isn't familiar with classic holiday songs and hymns. 

When it comes to Christmas dinner, it is common for South Africans to go out for dinner at a restaurant instead of at home. This makes more sense once you factor in the 35 degree heat (who would want an oven on?!). It is also popular to have several sorts of meats on the table: ham, roast, chicken. South Africans love their meat. 

Christmas with the Wrights is going to be up at Bushwillows, while my Manitoba family is heading up to Lac Du Bonnet to my Uncle Lawrences' house. They are going to have snowmobiling, skating on the lake, and snowfalls, while I will enjoy river swimming, savannah, and suntanning. They will have 25 people and I will have 5 (including myself!). 

It certainly is a change. Which is what I wanted for this trip, so I am doing my best to embrace it. I am thankful to be surrounded here by such loving people and while I miss Christmas at home dearly, I know that this experience is worth the sacrifice and that I will still have a Christmas that is special and full of great memories.

To you -- yes you! -- who is reading this right now, I wish you a very merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season. I hope Santa is good to you and that you are gifted with health and happiness in all that you endeavor. 

Merry Christmas to all!

And to all, a good night! 

xo