One of my favourite Christmases ever was the one we spent in Canada. My brother lives there with his new extended family, and in 2009 my mum and I went to spend Christmas with them all. Before I get into
why this was so exciting for me, let me paint a picture for you of the Australian version of Christmas.
The Australian Christmas...
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| Cottesloe Beach, 2011. |
We have had "cold" Christmases before - one year it didn't get much above 20 degrees Celsius, and we were all at the beach under bright blue skies, shivering. Most of the time, though, we're roasting alive and dying for winter's return (well, maybe that's just me... I do know some freaks 'round here who love a 40+ Celsius day ;)). I love our Christmas traditions - going to the beach in the morning, having bagels with cream cheese/smoked salmon and fruit skewers, and sipping champagne & orange. But there is something magical about the idea of a white Christmas, and in 2009 I was mega excited about experiencing one.
Bumps in the road to snowville...
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Me in a bauble at Changi Airport, Singapore.
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We were getting into the Christmas spirit even as early as the airport in our hometown. The plain took us to Singapore first, where the airport was magnificent decorated with a Christmas theme (I
love Changi Airport). From there we went to L.A., where we have family and friends. I was very disappointed that on one L.A. day it was actually warm enough that I had to take my jumper off! I wasn't all that surprised, because L.A. is very like my hometown in numerous ways, including weather. Still, you know what I wanted?
I wanted snow!
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| Spokane airport's shiny dude. |
Getting colder...and colder...
Arriving at Spokane airport, we got our first taste of the Northern type of Christmas cheer. But it wasn't until we headed north towards the Canadian border that we got our first hints of a proper white Christmas. I had seen snow before on various occasions, and had even lived in a place where it snowed during winter (Blue Mountains, NSW). But this was to be something different - a white
Christmas!
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| L-R: mum, me and my brother. |
We spent a great Christmas in Calgary, followed by a visit to Banff and then back to my brother's town. We also stayed with them for New Year's, when we had an "e party" (we had to dress up as something starting with E. I dressed as an emo:
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| Emo me - my hair was made out of a rubbish bag. |
All in all, it was a great few weeks, and I hope to repeat the trip many times in future!! For the next few years though, while I try my best to limit my travelling, I will just have to make the most of the beach at Christmas. ;)
It's negative ten fahrenheit right now, so I'm not sad for you that you'll be spending Christmas at the beach ;-)
ReplyDeleteit IS fun having a white Christmas every year, though. I do appreciate it, but I think ONE year, I'd like to hit the beach instead...
I honestly couldn't cope with Christmas on the beach lol! It's meant to be cold, or at the very least, not warm enough for a barbecue! :p
ReplyDeleteI normally prefer Christmas at home, but this sounded like lots of fun. Not just out of country, but out of your comfortable weather and beach setting too. But it was a great story.
ReplyDeleteTrish, do you feel like posting a link at Romantic Friday Writers for the Holiday Spirit blogfest? This is exactly what we're looking for :)
........dhole
Thanks for the suggestion, Donna - I added the link. :)
DeleteYour Christmases are like my Christmases except you have a beach (envious!) and I have a desert! Although it did snow in my state this weekend up in the mountains. I saw pictures! :) It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
ReplyDeleteYes. Christmas on the beach sounds fabulous! One these days . . .
ReplyDeleteBut here in London, I'm hoping for a white Christmas.
I don't think I could do a warm Christmas. I've only had a white Christmas twice in my life. Three times if you count the year of the ice storm.
ReplyDeleteI don't care if it is the beach or the snow, I just say, "Let's travel! Yeah!" :)
ReplyDeleteBeach at Christmas sounds wonderful, actually. And I love the garbage bag hair! What a great idea.
ReplyDeleteI would trade white Christmas for summer Christmas for the rest of my life if given that choice. I like summer. I truly desire only one season (summer).
ReplyDeleteAs much as I totally hate the cold and wish winter was only 2 weeks long, I like a cold, snowy Christmas, too. I LOVE that giant Christmas ball at the airport! That's fabulous!
ReplyDeleteAs much as I dislike snow I would miss it at Christmas time.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Florida skiing on Christmas day. I much prefer Christmas in Georgia.
ReplyDeleteHi Trish. I'm glad you linked to our 'fest. This is a perfect post for our theme.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm amused at the comments about not being able to do a beach Christmas! Of course, we're all familiar with what we grew up with, and only a few of us like change. I love change. I love my Christmas at the beach most years, but three times now I've travelled north to experience snowy Christmases in Paris. Every kind of awesome walking around in overcoats, scarves, beanies and boots instead of a swimsuit and sarong.
I loved walking around the streets of Paris, picking from freshly cooked chicken, potato casseroles, every kind of cheese and superb wine, and going back to our rooms and having a cracker of a Christmas!
Your commenter Al is right -- who cares -- beach or snow -- just hit the road!!
Happy Christmas down there in Freyo!
Denise
Thank Donna for mentioning that I should do so - I knew this 'fest was going on but it hadn't really occurred to me that this post would fit, oddly. :)
DeleteIt's true what you said - for us, Christmas at the beach or similar is just normal. For others it seems so incredibly foreign. I'm always being annoying and reminding my foreign friends that for us, it's not winter. ;)
I honestly can't remember a whole lot of cold Christmases here in Oz. It's usually so humid and I'm busy drinking lots of cold drinks. hehehe.
ReplyDeleteI LOVED all your photos. I want to travel again!!!
I actually have never spent Christmas day at the beach. I prefer air conditioning hehe.
ReplyDeleteI do remember one not so long ago where we all wore jumpers... it was so odd.
Drinks on ice.. BBQ ... and air/con.. perfect.
I don't know if I can do Christmas outside my home but you sure made it so much fun here.
ReplyDeleteThe beach at Christmas - I could handle that! My kids would be upset, though - they're all about a white Christmas, even though they're rare where I live. My 15-year-old son put snow on his Christmas list. I hope Santa can deliver!
ReplyDeleteAwesome pictures. I miss cold Christmases and the snow. We get some cold fronts here, but they don't last. I must admit, I enjoy walks on the beach during the holidays.
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures! The beach at Christmas ... it sounds nice actually. Snow is overrated. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays!
We'll be having the hot Christmas here in Brisbane, but we've always said we should do a Christmas in July one year down at the snowfields.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have a similar Christmas to you Trisha. We have a group of friends and their children, whom we have known for 20years who we start off with for breakfast at the beach.
ReplyDeleteThen split up and head off to our respective families to enjoy the rest of the day!
I would trade you the warm beach. I've had a lifetime of snowy Christmases. Have a wonderful Christmas!
ReplyDeleteSounds lovely! Believe it or not, despite living in the Colorado mountains, we rarely get a white Christmas. Most of our snow comes in spring, with fall getting snow, too. We're more likely to have a white Thanksgiving than a white Christmas! Spring break, on the other hand, often gets snowed out. I do love a white Christmas when it happens, but I wouldn't mind the beach, either. Love the emo costume!
ReplyDeleteShannon at The Warrior Muse
Dude, I've not seen a white Christmas in AGES. I can't even remember when it last snowed for the holiday...though I do recall rainy Christmases. I'd take your bagels and beach celebration over that! :-)
ReplyDeleteSome Dark Romantic
Well, I used to live in Minnesota where the winters were brutal, but white. Now that I live in Southern California I really don't miss the snow all that much because I remember all the snow shoveling, the -25F temperature, the cars that wouldn't start, glare ice, roofs too heavy with snow, two-hour white knuckle drives to reach home in a blizzard. If I really must have it, it's an hour and a half drive to the mountains. Lately, southern California has been getting cooler and wetter in the winter. It actually feels like winter. But I have experienced very warm sunny Christmas Days in the past.
ReplyDeleteHi, Trisha,
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas,
What a terrific holiday you had. Funny how many people spend Christmas at the beach. When I had lived in South Florida, everyone went to the beach for Christmas ... I didn't though. I was raised in NYC and with white Christmas' so going to a beach was unheard of for me. I just couldn't.
Now I live in Chicago. This year NO SNOW, BUT the best news ... I am NOT in Chicago now, I am in a small town three hours west of Chicago and there is SNOW.... As a matter of fact, it snowed all day today. SOOOOO GORGEOUS. BEYOND picture postcard perfect. You would LOVE it here.
I hope you ALWAYS get a white Christmas from now on.... ALL THE BEST!
What a great story of different Christmas places. I'm not sure that I would be able to cope with a hot and sunny Christmas being the traditionalist that I am.
ReplyDelete