CHRISTMAS's PAST AND PRESENT ..................

Christmas’s pasts and present………………..

We are in the middle of what we in our business calls “the silly season” being that the suppliers are busy stocking up the large retail shops with “Back to School” specials and the clients are rushing around wanting to use up the last of their budget, so stocking up on paper and cartridges, pens and  pencils for the new year, half the items are out of stock and delivery delays are many *sigh* ………so cannot wait for the 14^th , our last official working day. I know we will still be busy and this year will not be able to take a break. Last year we went to Durban for Kerry’s wedding and it was lovely to get away from it all, even if just for the 3 nights. This year Beatrice has warned me “I am going home on the 14^th, not waiting till last minute, you know the taxi was full and was late and, and, and, and ……..”  *groans*

So peace and quiet will rein in the house, we have to do month end obviously, but also stock take and year end. I finished the archiving of 2010, so that is wonderful, still have filing to do, the dreaded F Word  …………… 

Melissa and Chris are off to the Kruger National Park, Mozambique and then Christmas with Michelle in Zimbabwe ……….. Kerry is preggies and cannot travel, so going to her mother in Durban, Kenneth will be here *sigh* ……… Warren will be with Susan at her mothers with the girls and Steven and Amy cannot leave the farm.

I sit and  remember my childhood Christmas’s and wonder, where did the feeling of magic disappear to. Is it only as a child you have that anticipation, counting the days on the advent calendar……nearly having butterflies in the stomach as the big day comes closer, the magic of the decorations, the candles every night, the little rituals …… so well known and loved…..baking of cookies, making marzipan sweets by the fire and candle light in the evening. Special smells, I remember like yesterday…….oranges with cloves pushed into them, the expensive Christmas ones, so rare, we only ever bought 4 ………. The log fire with some pine cones burning with it. Today when I smell pine wood burning, I think of Christmas, the two are so intertwined………….. I wonder was it because I left home so young and came so far away, that the whole  magic disappeared, a change of continents and rituals…………. 

(Christmas 1967, I was 12, with my favorite aunt that I secretly thought was my real mother.My sister 9, my mother and my dog, Pelle, a fox terrier)

Still so dear to my heart the memories of days long gone, people gone, forgotten……………. The Church Bells ringing to service at 4pm on Christmas Eve, the people frantically running for the last shopping, the harried shop keepers also wanting to go home to their families.  The twinge of frost in the air and the first snow flakes falling. My legs all itchy and I am fidgeting on the church bench while my mother gently tries to quiet me …………..got angels hair stock in my thick red Christmas stockings, the new ones, like a pantyhose, so the tops don’t fall down and they are nice and warm around my bum and back as they were bought a bit big to grow into. The itchy Falklands jersey under my blue pinafore that mother made herself, on the machine with a new pattern bought. I can see it; it was a lovely royal blue corduroy material, ever so smart. At home the special dinner is simmering in the oven, roast pork and medister polse, like a seasoned pork sausage, sugar glased baby potatoes , boiled normal potatoes, pickled red cabbage and lovely rich gravy. We are allowed a nisseol each , (this is a non alcoholic rich beer brew with a rich white foam head on) ………………. Soft carols are playing in the background and we have a special rice pudding for dessert ( ris ala mande) made with pudding rice, cream and almonds. One whole almond in the bowl, the winner gets a marzipan pig. We carefully chew or suck each piece, cannot break the special almond, have to be whole to claim the prize. We had to wash the dishes and pack all away too, oh the anticipation, I got a tummy ache and needed the bathroom, every year ( my father convinced just to avoid washing dishes and would wait for me)………. At last, finished, we wait in the hall , there is rustling and whispers and I hop from one leg to the other, while my sister fidgets beside me…….the door opens………..aaawww, it is beautiful, the best tree ever, the biggest, the star on top reaching right up to the ceiling, just touching, silver, gold and red and green crystal balls, angels hair, the Danish Flags on string draped around it and the live candles burning bright. The tree was brought all the way from the forest on the other side of the island, we went to buy it last weekend, with the neighbor in their truck and the forestry delivered the tree we chose just 2 days ago, while it stood outside, by the tool room waiting just for today. Underneath is piled high parcels in lovely wrapping paper and gaily colored ribbon in bows with twirls on the ends. My mother taught me how to make the twirls on the ribbon with the back end of a pair of scissors.

I remember more recent Christmas’s, when the children months in advance would ask us what are the plans for Christmas Day ………. As per usual, was my answer, everyone comes here ……….we had up to 30 people on Christmas day, everyone brought something. Russell’s ex –wife always did the Glazed Ham and Lesley her sister, who passed away 2 years ago in January, did a cheesecake. I always made the bread and did a fruit salad. Peter, the brother, would buy a ready cooked Turkey from Woolworths and all the cousins would come too. My children went to their father that day, the first couple of years we were together, but slowly started drifting over here as we had so much more fun. Granny Pam always did the coleslaw, her secret recipe with yogurt, fresh cream and peanuts. Yummy. The older cousins would bring sweets and the young wife of Craig, would bring a salad. The very first great grand child for Granny Pam.

Then I remember back to my marriage to the children’s father  and Christmas juggling between my Danish traditions and his family get together. The family always seemed so divided, the daughter in laws fighting for attention from GrannyM, , the age differences between their children and ours were huge, as he  was the youngest of 5 and we married late, so where mine was babies, theirs were already teenagers. The closest in age was a cousin who married young and had twins when my twins were 3 years old. Early in our marriage I would try to enforce our tradition of Christmas on the 24^th. The tree was up and soft music playing in English, strange to my ears. I bought a Danish Christmas music tape the one year I went to visit, but he did not like it, could not understand the words

       Crystalle, my step daughter , here 4, had the mumps, Michelle is just 8 months old.

Everything red, green and gold, nisser crawling and elves in corners, I would take some branches from the fir tree in the park and decorate. 


Christmas in 32 deg C is very difficult …………. Roast leg of pork with crackling, glazed baby potatoes, pickled red cabbage and gravy. Rice Pudding……….. I tried so hard …………

Kenneth and Melissa , 6 years later, their first Christmas........look at the wonder and joy in those little faces, just for a teddy bear. *smile*

Strange one of the traditions my children always settle on is the Rice Pudding and a Tree up on the 24^th. Otherwise it would not be real Christmas and Russell is so understanding and sweet, he happily tries to sing with to the Danish Carols.

Over the years the children drift off and have to try to juggle celebrations with their partners family too, which is not easy either. We always had the understanding that we had an open house, let us know the week before, we will fit in. Now we are lucky if we can gather half the clan together on Boxing Day. It seems so much trouble to go to, just for 3 or 4 of us, not the same ………….. Kenneth has asked can Meghan come. She is welcome, but I don’t know if we are doing anything special the  24^th. “at least make rice pudding” he wails. 25 and the one thing he wants is rice pudding.*smile*




 I spoke to Amy’s mother yesterday, Amy is married to Russell’s youngest son and I get on well with her parents. We chatted a bit and I broached the subject, that Amy and I had spoken about Christmas Day and was she coming by to the farm too and so on ………… “Of course, Amy told me you are coming down, to help with the horses again, is going to be so nice to see you, what should we cook?” …………. and blah and blah and so heartwarming and welcoming it was, no longer feeling like a lost fart but needed and welcome …………… “ hope you are baking the bread again”, was her parting shot ……… “and please bring the twins if they are around” We will take Kenneth and Warren with us again, they can help Steven with the sheep and maybe we can go on an outride down to the river, time my riding boots got dusted off and my bum in the saddle again …………… yes , it will be Christmas again and yes , we are a family and we will all cope, with the ones not with us and missing or gone beyond being thought of and my mother so very far away……it might not be the same as in years gone past, but time for new traditions, a new life…….all will be okay …………….anyway in my little corner of the world.