| By Bronwyn Parry | December 9, 2009 |
The book I’m currently writing is set at this time of year – early December. For probably most of the readers of this blog, when I mention ‘early December’ it may bring to mind images of winter, the weather getting colder, the scenery changing from colours to greys and whites and browns, chilled fingers and noses and toes when outside, and inside the appeal of curling up with a book, keeping warm, hot chocolates and hearty winter meals that warm the soul, and maybe a Christmas tree, brightly lit to ward away the dark outside.
For me – and for the characters in my book – December is entirely different. I’m in Australia, as are my characters. The past few days have been the downside of December in my part of the country – hot and dry, with gusty winds, and smoke from bushfires miles away thickening the air, creating a strange gold-brown light amongst the trees. I live in a rural area, in the bush, so I’ve been regularly reloading the Rural Fire Service web page, checking the list of fires and keeping an eye on the wind direction and the smoke.
Not all December days are like this, though. Usually they’re mostly vast blue skies, sunshine, with maybe an afternoon thunderstorm dumping much-needed rain into our tanks and dams. For those with kids, it’s the last weeks of the school year, so there’s all the excitement of end-of-year activities, and workplaces and social groups have Christmas parties – often casual, outdoors, getting together over a few drinks and a barbecue. Last Sunday was the now-traditional Christmas get-together in our rural area; hosted by the owners of a lovely old homestead on the river, residents from about 10 kilometres around gathered to catch up with the people we often just pass in our cars and wave at. Very relaxed, sitting in the shade of huge pine trees, the guys barbecuing steaks and sausages, kids playing in the pool, women passing around salads and, in my case, chocolate fudge 
By a few days before Christmas, schools have finished for the summer break, which last roughly until the end of January, and so many people take leave in late December/January. For many Australians, Christmas itself is a day spent outside, maybe by the beach, by the pool, or just in some shady spot where you can watch the kids play with their new toys and games, and perhaps join in a game of street cricket.
I’ll be having an early Christmas in Canberra with my parents and my sister and her family, and I’m enjoying the preparation for that – we don’t go overboard on gifts, so it’s lovely to have some gifts already made, a few bought, and others being plotted and planned, with ’secret Christmas business’ emails flying between my teenage niece, nephew and me. After spending a few days with the family, I’ll be coming back home for a quiet Christmas with my DH – and much writing to meet a book deadline. For us, Christmas will be much like any other day, except that I will make a nice lunch – possibly rainbow trout in lemon, wine and herbs, with oven-baked chips (fries), and our traditional Moet Champagne! I’ve always loved some of the traditional Christmas foods from my British heritage, so over the Christmas period I’ll take a few breaks from writing to make (and eat!) fruit mince pies, and Christmas pudding.
I’m not sure yet what my characters will do for Christmas. I write romantic suspense, set on the edge of the outback, so their December will be hot, dry, and with plenty of action, danger and intrigue to keep them occupied! They sure won’t be getting much time for Christmas parties, or shopping
Wherever you are in the world, and whatever holidays and festivals you celebrate, I hope your December is a time for simple joys, and connecting with friends and family.
December 9th, 2009 at 8:40 am
Bronwyn, your time of year sounds lovely Down Under (with the exception of the fires and the wind). Wise woman to keep an eye on that. Living in Colorado, I’m no stranger to how fast the wind can take a fire in another direction. As for the barbecue and sitting by the pool at Christmas, I wish I was there. It’s eleven below as I type this. Good luck with your deadline, and I know for a fact that your characters won’t be idle and making merry. Please let us know when it comes out! Thanks for sharing.
December 9th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Living in the Sonoran Desert, I’ve never spent Christmas by the pool, but if we’re lucky, it may hit 80 degrees.
Merry Christmas, Bronwyn, and may 2010 find you joyous and healthy!
December 9th, 2009 at 10:20 am
I have trouble envisioning Santa wearing Bermuda shorts. I spent Christmas at Disney World in Florida one year and was worried it wouldn’t feel like Christmas without the cold. Silly me. It was the coldest December in two decades that year, and everyone was wearing hats and gloves.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
I was in northern Australia one year in late November, and I have to say, it was a little odd for me, as a Canadian, hearing Christmas carols while on my way to visit a tropical rainforest.
Happy December to everyone!
December 9th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Hi Bronwyn,
I’ve never been away from home for Christmas or spent it in a strange place. But, we did go to Mexico for Easter one year when the boys were young. I have to say I loved the vacation but not being there at Easter time. Just felt odd….
Enjoy your Christmas in Canberra and have a piece of fudge for me!! Merry Christmas, All!
Love,
Caroline
~C
December 9th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Hi Bronwy,
I spend Chistmas with my husband, son, daughter and her husband and my grandson. I can’t think of any place I would rather be at this time of year.
Merry Christmas.
December 9th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
The idea of turning on the oven for a turkey and all the trimmings while in shorts and a tank top is just too disturbing for me! And, truth be told, no matter where in the world I might find myself, those things would have to be part of my holiday—traditions being what they are.
Much love to you and yours this Christmas season, Bron. Deadlines aside, may the Christmas season be filled with wonder, joy, and love for you and yours.
Merry Christmas, Sistah!
December 9th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Donnell, yes, I do enjoy this time of year – rather than dreading an oncoming winter, it’s the beginning of summer, plus the fun of Christmas, and the fresh feel of a new year dawning. Eleven below? Brrr! We do get freezing temps occasionally in winter – but only for a short time before sunrise, and then it warms up to around 15C.
Shelley, Christmas in the desert sounds like an interesting experience! Not quite the fir trees covered in snow kind of image I often associate with a northern Christmas!
Laurie, sometimes our shop Santas are dripping with sweat in their traditional costumes and beards – I bet they’re grateful for air-conditioned shopping malls! Not many appear in shorts – something about many male knees kinda takes away from the fantasy
A couple of years ago, we drove up to a friend’s place for Christmas lunch, and as we came around the bend to see her hill, the slopes were covered with white stuff, looking for all the world like snow. We definitely did a double-take – then realised there’d just been a hail storm!
Maureen, northern Australia at that time of year can be soooo humid. I much prefer our drier heat! But it is a bit weird, even for locals, listening to Jingle Bells and Frosty the Snowman and so on when it’s sunny and warm outside! There are some beautiful Australian Christmas carols that I love, mostly written in the 1950s, but they don’t seem to get played or performed as much these days.
December 9th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Caroline, I’ve had a few Christmases away from home, but I’ve not had a northern, winter Christmas yet, and I think I’d find that strange and unsettling. It’s interesting how much some traditions, or conditions, mean a lot to us, even if we’re not really aware of it. Of, and I’ll make sure I have a piece of fudge for you!
Joan, for those of us with family, it is lovely to spend special time with them, isn’t it? I’m lucky with my family that we don’t have many of those family dramas or tensions that some families have, and for me, the meaning of Christmas is to make it something a little special for those special to us – doesn’t have to be grand gestures or expense, more the small touches and simply being present with people for a time.
Gwynlyn, I’ve done the turkey and trimmings a couple of times, but fortunately the weather hasn’t been too hot! When I was growing up, we always did, but in more recent years traditions are changing and modernising – so it’s not unusual to have a cold seafood platter, for example, piled high with prawns, oysters, lobster and other fish, and with mango to go with it. Mum’s made a cold summer fruit pudding a few times (although I confess I prefer the hot traditional version myself – I’m an old-fashioned girl!). Watermelon after Christmas lunch is a long-standing, very refreshing Australian tradition. Thanks for the good wishes for the deadline – I’ll be taking inspiration from your recent efforts and great achievement in meeting your own GH challenge! (Although I think I have a few weeks longer…)
December 9th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
A fellow Australian here sweltering in the heat as I do my Christmas shopping. Forget about a white Christmas. I’d be happy with rain. I remember one year we put chocolate Christmas decorations on the Christmas tree only to have them melt ferociously. No, Christmas is hot, with a backyard BBQ, loads of tropical & stone fruit & especially ice cold watermelon. All eaten beneath the mango tree at my parents. Clothes practically optional.
December 9th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Yes, Mary – rain would be the best Christmas present! Except I want it before Christmas – these winds are parching everything, and the water is evaporating from the dams. Yes, Christmas chocolate belongs in the fridge, doesn’t it? LOL, my DH keeps Scotch in the fridge – he refers to it as ‘Scottish room temperature’! Oh, and no mango trees at my place – our winter frosts are too cold for them, so we have to buy our mangoes – which may be just as well, as I probably couldn’t eat a tree full! (Although one of my dogs would help – mango is her Favouritist Food Ever. She can smell a sliced mango a mile off… and she knows the word now, too!)
December 10th, 2009 at 11:24 am
Mmmm, fresh mangoes… I’m envious.
Meanwhile, it was -11 degrees yesterday morning and there’s an icicle the size of the Eiffel Tower hanging off my second-story window. But I’ll get to go snow skiing this weekend, which makes it all worthwhile.
Enjoy your shorts weather! I know we’ll be switching–though maybe not quite to the extremes–soon enough.
December 11th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Bron, my buddy in NZ just updated his facebook, he planned to go kayaking with mates in the morning and sail in a yacht race with different mates in the afternoon. I saw this after driving 2 1/2 hours in blizzard conditions through the mountains. I’m sooo jealous of you both. Have a very happy holiday.