An Irish expat's Xmas

‘In 30 degree heat you forget about Christmas jumpers’ Irish people overseas describe how they will celebrate Christmas this year An Irish expat's Xmas An Irish expat's Xmas When it's 30 degrees Centigrade in December that's Celsius not Fahrenheit, an Irish Xpat again begins to remember her childhood Yuletides bright but now, instead of dashing through snow, it's to the beach they'll go, all in their Kombi Van, according to plan..... Despite an emotional price, it's not too bad to miss the ice. ...and here in South Florid-a this year it's just as torrid-er, but Season's Greeting y'all, whether or not you'll need a shawl. 30 = 86 HzL, 12/24/16 about 21 hours ago Ciara Kenny 0 Dave Dillon: “We’ve a book called Kiwi Jingle Bells that starts, ‘Dashing to the bay, in a Kombi camper van, Christmas at the beach, the family master plan. . .’ ” Dave Dillon: “We’ve a book called Kiwi Jingle Bells that starts, ‘Dashing to the bay, in a Kombi camper van, Christmas at the beach, the family master plan. . .’ ” Previous Image Next Image Dave Dillon: “We’ve a book called Kiwi Jingle Bells that starts, ‘Dashing to the bay, in a Kombi camper van, Christmas at the beach, the family master plan. . .’ ” Sarah Rooney: “Only when I went Christmas tree shopping with my housemates did I realise the festive season was really upon us.” Seán and Aoife Corcoran in Doha: “Many expats who stay in Qatar attend special festive brunches, but for us a Christmas Day spent at home is sacrosanct.” Siobhán Nolan: “It’s wonderful to be wrapping your Christmas lights around palm trees in the sun.” Previous Images More Images oS Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Email App Share to Pinterest Dave Dillon, New Zealand: ‘My son can’t understand why Santa has such a big coat’ This will be my tenth southern hemisphere Christmas, but I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to them. Our four-year-old son is just mad for Santa and Christmas, but he’s growing up in New Zealand thinking that Christmas means summer holidays, going to the beach and cricket in the back yard. He doesn’t understand why Santa has such a big coat, or why Christmas stories invariably include snow. The Kiwis have adapted many of the Christmas fairy tales and songs to suit their climate. We’ve a book called Kiwi Jingle Bells that starts “Dashing to the bay, in a Kombi camper van, Christmas at the beach, the family master plan . . .” There is a lot to be said for a summer Christmas, though. I’ve established a tradition with the in-laws where we have an annual Christmas cocktail. It’s pretty enjoyable sitting in the hot afternoon sun drinking a mojito, with festive tunes playing and the tree twinkling in the corner. Who wouldn’t rather that to the rain lashing at the window? But the tree doesn’t quite twinkle enough when the sun doesn’t go down until 9pm. Last year I had some icicle lights around the patio, but my son never saw them because he’s in bed asleep long before they get turned on. The lights are one of the things I miss most. When I see photos of Grafton Street, I get serious pangs of homesickness. And don’t mention the pubs, and the pints, and ‘packages o’ Tayto’. But we’ve our own family here now, and we’re making our own traditions and memories as our son grows up living a fairly idyllic Kiwi life. Sarah Rooney, Melbourne: ‘Last Christmas was dominated by an inevitable sense of absence’