We are close to our first Christmas here in Kiwiland and as I write this, I’m melting: it is at least +24C outside and humid. I am going to build a gingerbread house with my daughter and some friends, but it is most likely going to be eaten by native cockroaches in a minute or two. But hey, no worries, mate!
Most people have deserted Auckland for the beach and their bachs and are already enjoying barbies & bangers. They wear their newly purchased national costumes: togs and jandals. From time to time they pop inside the bach to get ice blocks. If it is an OK day they might even be tramping in the bush.
Kiwi Christmas is totally awesome dudes!
If you understand every word written above, you are on your way to become a proper Kiwi. I am still on a steep learning curve.
I am trying to enjoy this Christmas even though it will be hard work. Our vegetarian daughter has decided to eat meat on the Christmas Day (this happens only once in a year) and has requested lamb for the dinner. We agreed. What would fit better to our first Kiwi Christmas than leg of lamb washed down with a gold award winning Pinot Noir, even if I am not the biggest fan of red wines. But at least it makes the whole Christmas episode more tolerable.
(By the way, lots of the NZ wines here have a “gold medal” and many times I wonder why? Lots of the white wines have too much sugar and therefore too much alcohol).
I sure am going to miss my little cottage and my family back in Finland, but at least I have Finnish chocolate and liquorice and that is a comforting factor. What could be a better Christmas treat than a fully melted bar of “Fazerin sininen” – traditional Finnish chocolate.
Merry Christmas everybody! The picture here is of a New Zealand Christmas bush or Pohutukawa: it really sounds like pottukauha in Finnish – meaning something like soup spoon.
How to speak Kiwi:
bach = summer cottage
barbie = barbeque
banger = sausage
bush = forest
ice block = popsicle
jandals = sandals
Kiwi = New Zealander
togs = swimming costume
tramping = hiking
