– Dwayne Francks – 24/12/96
Ten years ago when I first experienced my first “HOT” Xmas in New Zealand I couldn’t believe it. NOT a TURKEY to be found! Fantastic! I hate TURKEY!!! There was fresh seafood, mussels, lamb chops, snags…but get your supplies before Dec 24 because after that everything was closed for 3 weeks! You could just barely find a gas station open through the holidays. Now, stores are open till 10pm and midnight, sales on in all the stores, seven days a week. And now you can get TURKEY! AHHhhhhhHHH! 🙁
Then when we got our own place we used to put on the big Christmas day thing- eggnog, brunch, champagne, volleyball, and party on through the afternoon. Then a couple years ago, things changed. Our single friends got married, then they had kids (nothing wrong with kids- we just don’t have any and it’s amazing to see the change in some people that get them!) and they stopped coming around. So this Xmas if people want to come over, fabulous. We’ll eat drink and be very merry, but forget organising a big day and stressing out about it.
Sounds severe, eh?- I’m making our friends out to be a bunch of losers! Not so. It’s just that Xmas has a way of bringing the “Bah humbug” out in me, mainly because of the out of control commercial venture that Xmas has become. An example to illustrate this perfectly …In Japan a few years ago, right around this time of year- it’s Japanese culture trying to embrace Western ways. Attached to this huge department store was a gigantic cross, all lit up with colored lights. There’s a humongous figure of Santa Claus nailed to it. I thought it was hilarious- and hit the nail on the head (no pun intended).
I am looking forward to the next couple months in the sun- hope we get it- and catching up with friends. So don’t let the long distance phone bill ruin your Xmas.
