A Kiwi Christmas

This year was the first year I’ve ever spent Christmas in the southern hemisphere. This, of course, means, that I was wearing short sleeves and flip flops (“jandles”).

Our friend, James, invited us to Christmas lunch with his family. We happily accepted and were able to enjoy a delicious roast turkey dinner complete with all the usual trimmings. We also got to pull our first Christmas crackers.

Christmas crackers are a really fun thing. In case you don’t know what they are, they’re a fancy-decorated tube that two people pull apart. Inside the winner will find a paper hat, a small toy, and a bad joke. It is essential that the joke be bad.

We also enjoyed a glass of wine and dessert outside after lunch.

Thank you to James and his family for a fabulous Christmas lunch, new experiences, and welcoming us into your home on Christmas!

Then James drove us back to our place. On the way, we got to see Santa! He was busy riding his surfboard after the busy night the night before.

When we got back to our apartment, James’s car had a bit of a challenge…and it refused to let us out. The doors would not unlock. We couldn’t get out. Luckily though, the windows were able to roll down, so we just climbed out the windows of the car! It was like Dukes of Hazard, in reverse.

Keith was there waiting for us, and he took us to his and Carol’s house where we had Christmas dinner with Matt, Nicole, and Caden, Amanda, and Keith and Carol. We had an absolutely delicious BBQ dinner!

That was my first outdoor BBQ on Dec. 25th. And I loved every minute of it. Although it did feel a bit more like Memorial Day rather than Christmas Day.

We had a really great time. There was a small gift exchange as well.

We gave Caden the world’s smallest water gun, and a small toy that you push down on the table, and then it pops up suddenly.

They were a big hit. Caden absolutely loved the water gun. He didn’t quite understand how it worked. But it made an interesting kind of drinking fountain for him.

We had such a great Christmas. Thank you so much to everyone for adopting us for the holidays! Thank you for being our family!