Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere?

[ktgrok]

I live in Florida, where today it is 84 degrees F. Everyone complains that it "doesn't feel like Christmas" if it isn't cold. But, I realized that half the world has summer for Christmas. So, tell me about those traditions please! We can't make snow angels or snow men, but maybe we can do some other things?

[Rosie_0801]

We usually eat outside, mostly salads, then sit around until we muster up the energy to go swim in the dam. Much like any other hot summer day, except with better food.

[Mrs Mungo]

There aren't a lot of special Christmas traditions unique to Hawaii. It is an imported holiday, after all. There is a pretty big mix of cultures, so you could do really different food. But, most of the traditions are the same. We do usually go to the beach and build a sand "snowman."

[skeeterbug]

Here's a thread discussing Christmas in warmer climates...

 

http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/495605-a-question-for-our-friends-down-under/

 

:D

 

One of the weird things (to me) is going to look at Christmas lights...it's not dark until nine or so, makes for a very late evening. The kids sometimes fall asleep while we're out, so we put them in their pj's before we go.

[teachmejoy]

We just moved to Indonesia and we plan on spending Christmas at the beach this year.  I am so excited about this.  It may just be a new tradition!

[Deb in NZ]

Boxing Day at the beach  :coolgleamA:  

Carols in the park

Many of the Northern Hemisphere traditions have been transplanted here, but just don't look right mid-summer.  I bake tons of cookies like my Mom did, but I gave up on trying to get fudge to set years ago.  It's just too hot & humid.  I bake a fruitcake for dh & ds#2 bakes a pavlova for me.  Some people put up lights like I see in the States, but I don't as they just don't look right without the snow & early nightfall.  My dc hang their stocking on their bedroom door knob as we don't have a fireplace.  Dh says he used to hang his on his bedpost.  

 

What's really different is that the end of the school year falls just before Christmas, so it's really chaos time.  Most everything closes down for 2 weeks over Christmas & many people head to the beach or camping.  By the time the holidays are over & everyone's back to work, there is only a couple weeks before school starts again for the new year.  Summer vacation never seems like it happens.  

[Deee]

We usually have seafood, but this year we've opted for prawns and salad for lunch, and pork roast for dinner (I hope its not going to be 37 degrees like it was today). We eat lots of fabulous fruit: mangoes, peaches, berries, and cherries bought by the box from stalls and car boots on the side of the road. If its hot we'll swim in the river. Most of the afternoon will be spent lying around digesting and hiding from the heat. We have a traditional tree in front of the fireplace, and we put lights on the house outside. We walk around the neighbourhood looking at the lights, which is great on a hot night while we wait for it cool down enough to go to sleep.

 

Christmas begins our summer holiday period. We run around like loonies until Christmas Eve, knock off early, then spend January on a go-slow before waking up after Australia Day on the 26th January.

 

I've never had a cold Christmas. It would be very strange. I can't imagine Christmas without cherries and mangoes!

D