Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas!

It's a topsy-turvy world Down Under, and one of the things I've found it hardest to get used to is the timing of the seasons. While I hear all about your Northern Hemisphere heatwaves, we're shivering in our 18-degree winter, and when you're all snuggling up in your best Christmas knitwear, we're hanging out beachside enjoying barbecues.

Mum and Keith got a taste of this first hand when they came over for Christmas in 2007. It makes no sense at all to have a full roast dinner with all the trimmings because none of the vegetables are in season, and it's far too hot to be slaving over a stove/oven all day! And without the usual cold weather it's very difficult to feel Christmassy at all in December here, with Christmas pop songs blasting out in the department stores while all around are wearing shorts and summer frocks.

Merry Christmas!

So, this weekend I remedied all of that for a bunch of European friends, and held 'Christmas in July'. This is somewhat of a tradition for Northern Hemisphere-types as the days get shorter and the nights get colder, and thoughts turn to Christmas. Like the queen and her several birthdays, why not have Christmas when it SHOULD be timed?

So Christina and I decked our halls with tacky Chrimbo decorations, fairy lights and baubles. I had even trekked to the Christmas shop to buy off-season crackers, so we were armed with bad jokes and silly hats. And in a moment of inspiration, Christina made an authentic (ish) nativity scene from her smurf collection!

The Smurf nativity

The invite list consisted of Germans, Italians, Scots and English, with a few honourary Aussies, and I ambitiously set about to make a full roast a la Doreen Daniels for 15 people! Improvisation was called for and the cushion-topped milk crates made an indoor appearance as we only had 8 chairs.

German, English, Italian-Aussie

As is always the way in Australia, coincidences abound. Oli's English guest Seb turned out to be a guy I used to work with at the BFI. Small world! He's now working for Amnesty in Australia.

Housemate Oli, Seb and Katie

I roasted two fat birds, made pigs in blankets, mum's parsnip bake, roast tatties and even sprouts! Yes, they weren't going to get away with not eating their English greens, ho ho ho. 15 people was a little ambitious for my small electric (ie crap) oven, and I really could have done with Granny's hostess trolley to keep everything warm.

Masterchef at work

Everyone brought a Secret Santa present and Nick doubled up as Father Christmas, which was all very exciting. Mariah Carey told us that all she wanted for Christmas was you, George Michael sang of his broken heart, and sleighbells were ringing. My friend Ariane made little trifles, and Nick set fire to a brandy-soaked Christmas pud he'd made earlier.

Santa and his little helper

In true Christmas form we drank lots of mulled wine, swapped tales of family Christmasses, monopoly tournaments and generational differences at Trivial Pursuit. Funnily enough, with the wintry weather outside and the seasonal cheer inside, it really did feel like Christmas, much more so than it ever does on December 25 in Australia.

Dessert queen Ariane and Matt

Kris Kringle stocking

So I think this may become an annual event, (perhaps with slightly warmer food next time, and Yorkshire puds that have risen properly!) It's now 'Boxing Day' and I'm making chicken stock and tidying up, wearing my best Christmas knitwear. Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas in July.

cx