Christmas Traditions
Christmas, according to my easily-excitable, pink-haired housemate, is all about tradition. From the putting up of the Christmas baubles and decorations up on the tree, opening of mysterious presents (from Father Christmas, from your parents, who knows?) on Christmas morning and enjoying the feast that is the quintessentially British Christmas dinner. I own no such traditions.
Christmas in Indonesia does not manifest in the same form as it does in Britain. We still have the Christmas trees, albeit plastic, and all the songs about White Christmas and mistletoe, although Indonesia, being on the equator and firmly in the region of 30 degrees Celsius all year long, have never and probably will never experience natural snow formation. It is a very foreign holiday, appropriated to suit the culture that we have, and so do not carry in the same way the values and connotations of a western Christmas.
This is why I had never viewed Christmas to be the time when families congregate together; the time of year when the separate pieces of the puzzle fit together again. The time of year when man is no longer an island. But having lived in England for close to five years now, and having spent three out of four Christmases here, Christmas have definitely taken a different shape to one I was brought up with.
On my first Christmas day abroad, I became an island.
My friends have all left to fit into the puzzles that was their families and their traditions, and I, having no one, had to make do. I didn't leave the house; I didn't have anywhere to go after all! I had been offered to spend Christmas with my friends in their homes but I thought it rude to intrude on such an intimate occasion that I clearly had no indication about.
The next year I made the conscious choice to avoid this state by going home. It was just not the same, however, because at home, it was no longer Christmas, and just a holiday we had no regard for; and that somehow felt slightly strange even though it was the culture I had been brought up in. So I decided to stay the year after, spending it hopping from one city to another, enjoying the glittery lights in Edinburgh, Cambridge, Norwich and London.
My friend was going to go back to Ireland for Christmas but renewing her passport over the holiday was a disastrous decision and she was stranded in London and had requested my company. I said yes. And we did it all. We went over to John Lewis and bought ourselves a Christmas tree (Which was a nightmare to transport!) and lights and baubles to put up on it. we cooked ourselves a massive feast and bought each other presents. It was the closest thing to a TV Christmas I've ever had.
The next year we did it again; it was a week before actual Christmas, but it was warm, and happy and beautiful all the same.
I finally made tradition.
Now nearing my fifth Christmas, we are adamant to continue this tradition, even if it is a week early.
Bottom line of the story though (This is why you've stuck around!) even if you can't make it home this Christmas, surround yourself with lovely people and everything will be great. you can even make new traditions!
Christmas in Indonesia does not manifest in the same form as it does in Britain. We still have the Christmas trees, albeit plastic, and all the songs about White Christmas and mistletoe, although Indonesia, being on the equator and firmly in the region of 30 degrees Celsius all year long, have never and probably will never experience natural snow formation. It is a very foreign holiday, appropriated to suit the culture that we have, and so do not carry in the same way the values and connotations of a western Christmas.
This is why I had never viewed Christmas to be the time when families congregate together; the time of year when the separate pieces of the puzzle fit together again. The time of year when man is no longer an island. But having lived in England for close to five years now, and having spent three out of four Christmases here, Christmas have definitely taken a different shape to one I was brought up with.
On my first Christmas day abroad, I became an island.
My friends have all left to fit into the puzzles that was their families and their traditions, and I, having no one, had to make do. I didn't leave the house; I didn't have anywhere to go after all! I had been offered to spend Christmas with my friends in their homes but I thought it rude to intrude on such an intimate occasion that I clearly had no indication about.
The next year I made the conscious choice to avoid this state by going home. It was just not the same, however, because at home, it was no longer Christmas, and just a holiday we had no regard for; and that somehow felt slightly strange even though it was the culture I had been brought up in. So I decided to stay the year after, spending it hopping from one city to another, enjoying the glittery lights in Edinburgh, Cambridge, Norwich and London.
My friend was going to go back to Ireland for Christmas but renewing her passport over the holiday was a disastrous decision and she was stranded in London and had requested my company. I said yes. And we did it all. We went over to John Lewis and bought ourselves a Christmas tree (Which was a nightmare to transport!) and lights and baubles to put up on it. we cooked ourselves a massive feast and bought each other presents. It was the closest thing to a TV Christmas I've ever had. The next year we did it again; it was a week before actual Christmas, but it was warm, and happy and beautiful all the same.
I finally made tradition.
Now nearing my fifth Christmas, we are adamant to continue this tradition, even if it is a week early.
Bottom line of the story though (This is why you've stuck around!) even if you can't make it home this Christmas, surround yourself with lovely people and everything will be great. you can even make new traditions!
 |
| My favourite bauble on the tree
Merry Christmas!
Love,
Angelika (Indonesian Ambassador)
|
Comments
Post a Comment