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By Mark Coupar
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Sitting at my desk today I started putting pen to paper about what Christmas looks like in Australia.
First thing I notice is there’s no snow on the gum trees outside my office window, and that it’s 25 degrees in the middle of summer and I’m wearing shorts and a t-Shirt.
Many of us hang wreaths on our front doors and I can still remember carol singing at the end of my street as a kid, a tradition that I would love to see continue.
Christmas Day as a youngster was often spent at the beach down at Huskisson, where we would cart the roast chicken, baked potatoes and of course the prawns which my grandmother worried would spoil and make us all sick! But we seemed to survive the beach, play and fishing until it was so dark, we couldn’t see a thing and were dragged home by our parents.
Then we did it all again on Boxing Day, with my most vivid memory being the fridge jam-packed with the best ever leftovers to snack on throughout the day. I can even remember one Boxing Day starting with trifle and cheesecake for breakfast!
Christmas is ultimately about families coming together and enjoying each other’s company in celebration.
Nothing can beat the squeals of excitement when kids open presents from Santa. And now with grandkids, the whole cycle starts again and I can’t wait for Christmas morning once again.
Being together with family and friends and sharing the wonderful Australian version of traditional Christmas food. Baked ham, turkey, prawns on the BBQ, potato bake, trifle and pavlova, and then being so full we can hardly move.
These are the joys of Christmas.
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