Christmas Down Under with Fiona from Life In Brief

Today you get a very festive post from my friend Fiona, who normally blogs at Life In Brief. It is December, so even for the most hardened Grinch it will no longer be easy to dodge the baubles. Due to me being away for a whole chunk of the run-up and going away again for Christmas itself to see my folks in Germany, I won't have much time to get my home all spruced up this year. But the cold days and dark nights will still help get me in the mood.

 

Now, Fiona has recently moved from greyish Britain to sunny Australia and is definitely facing a green Christmas. Here, she shares how she is planning to gear up for a holly, jolly time despite it being the middle of summer.

 

 

***

 

Given that Annika has trotted off Down Under, and I myself am a Brit newly residing in Australia, I thought I’d share some of my thoughts about celebrating the holidays when it’s… well… pretty darn hot! I grew up in Australia, and have spent a Christmas there as an adult, but I still find it hard to shake the feeling off that it’s simply wrong to be so sunny on Christmas Day! So I’ve come up with a little list of tips and ideas which incorporate Northern Hemisphere Winter Traditions along with a couple of ideas which really celebrate the concept of a hot Christmas.

Decorate!

This might seem like a no-brainer, but my first thought about this first Christmas in our home in Perth was “let’s just forget about it”.  A big evergreen seems a bit out of place, and we’ve no fireplace for hanging stockings, and listening to White Christmas seems a bit odd when it’s 40 degrees outside! So I’m planning to decorate the house in a way which is Christmassy, but not like something off a greetings card!

These baubles from Toast (ironically, a British-based store!) look great without a massive Norwegian pine to dangle from!

source: toast

Watch the Sun Rise (or Set) on the Beach

Start some traditions that people celebrating Christmas in the cold, wet Northern Hemisphere can't! I'm planning to watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean on New Year's Eve at the beach. It's not Times Square, but it's not a bad alternative!

source: Constance Hotels

Christmas Dinner with a Twist 

I'm already planning our holiday menus, trying to think of ways to incorporate the parts of a British Christmas dinner, as that's what my husband and I both and love, but also making it 'suitable' for a hot Aussie day! Honey roast pork just screams Christmas to me, but instead of serving it with a full plate of roast vegetables, maybe a pear salad will stop you from falling into a sweaty food coma in the summer heat!

Similarly, I'm excited about making up some fun holiday cocktails, as I will definitely be feeling the loss of mulled wine and hot toddys! I'm thinking something light and fresh, but still a little spicy, to remind me of hiding from the cold in a pub! This Amaro Cobbler, as served at New York's Botanica, might be a good option.

source: Time Out

At the end of the day, to me the holidays are all about getting to celebrate with friends and family. I'll be doing both: hiding away with my husband on the Western Australian south coast for Christmas, and then throwing a party for friends at New Years. In essence it's the same as I'd be doing if I still lived in London!

What ever you're up to this Christmas, enjoy!