Jandals and Togs Season

Saturday, 15 December

We really have been having trouble getting too much in the traditional Christmas spirit. We move into our new home six days before Christmas so all four of us are counting down the days to move-in as much as to Christmas. We haven’t decorated the Shoebox apartment because we will be gone before Christmas and we have all our regular Christmas decorations arriving soon. The boys have made some Christmas projects at school, which are prominently displayed in the apartment. The boys also have advent calendars propped up on the table to remind us of the season. Another weird factor is that nothing feels like Christmas. The weather is warm. The sun sets at bedtime. The overdone store displays and Christmas tunes wafting from every door along the street aren’t happening. Instead everyone is sprawled in togs and jandals (translation: bathing suits and flip-flops) on the banks of Lake Wakatipu. There isn’t the same frantic quality to the season that I remember from the States. Christmas is coming, but no frenzy is necessary. I think I like this more laidback, summer-break approach to Christmas. I actually feel quite holiday liberated. We are picking and choosing a few favorite traditions and ditching the rest. We don’t a traditional tree this year, but the boys aren’t bothered in the least. I have fleeting moments when I start to work up my own frenzy about how Christmas should be and look, but then Doug and the boys say they don’t care so I let go. I know that my siblings won’t believe this entry, because usually I am the rabid Christmas tradition hound down to the last detail.

We did do one thing to get in the spirit. We bought tickets and attended the Shotover Jet Remarkables Christmas Spectacular. We decided to get tickets just two days before the event and it was almost sold out. The spectacular was at the Queenstown Events Centre and, even being the new kids in town, we saw lots of new friends. Actually going anywhere in Queenstown without seeing someone we recognize is almost impossible, which is saying something because we know very few people. The night was silly and fun with lots of song and dance performances. There were also traditional Christmas carols the audience sang along with the performers. The winner of the New Zealand Idol was part of the production. We didn’t recognize him, but he seemed to be a big deal. Three hours was a bit much for Liam and Colin and most of the other kids. Liam and Colin joined the steady stream of kids flowing in and out of the auditorium to play on the grass and return for another performance. The highlight of the night was Santa, of course. He arrived in the auditorium in a Shotover Jetboat. All evening Santa’s progress was updated to the audience. We were warned when he got stranded and then when the jetboat finally picked him up. After the performance everyone headed out onto the cricket field behind the centre to say good-bye to Santa. He left by helicopter. I carefully scanned the crowd as Santa was taking off. I can say with certainty that Doug was the most excited kid out there watching Santa hovering over the field and then disappearing beyond the horizon!