It is Christmas week, and this year, for some reason, I have been thinking of previous Christmases.
Between September 1986 and late 1987 my brother Dean and I were non sworn traffic (road policing) patrol officers in our biggest city, Auckland. At the time we were some the last remaining City Council traffic enforcement officers in the country, with most of Kiwiland served by a national (Ministry of Transport) traffic service. In late 1988 I was promoted to a car position, and in October 1989 local authority road policing was absorbed into the national service. In June 1992 we all became police officers, cross training and being sworn in over the following 12 months.
One day in late '87 or '88 we encountered, while on duty, three retired LA County sheriffs deputies who were sailing around the world in a small boat, and who had opted to spend the southern hemisphere's cyclone season (September to March) based in Auckland, but travelling around other parts of Kiwiland. We got to spend some good times with them.
A few days before Christmas we were planing a Christmas Eve BBQ at my place with our families and a co-worker friend Steve (we were all fishing nuts). Dean and I decided we would invite the former LA Sheriffs along too, as they would be spending Christmas in a foriegn country. We pulled up on our patrol bikes near their berth and they appeared shocked when I extended the invitation. "Are your sure"? was the surprised response. "On Christmas Eve"? We had no idea of the differences in how Kiwi's, Aussies and Americans celebrated Christmas. For us Christmas Eve is for socialising, while Christmas day is for family, and only close family at that.
Growing up (and well into the 1990's) the most expensive cut of meat here was pork, a roast of which was right behind half a leg of ham in price . Now it is reversed with a leg of pork able to feed the three of us a roast meal and serve me for lunchtime sandwiches for the next several days costing around U.S $25, while a leg of lamb is now twice that. Ham is still more costly though!
In the '60's and '70's, the weekend before Christmas we would go and get our tree. Artificial trees were unheard of, it was a limb from a living a pine tree. We would decorate the tree and Christmas morning the presents would appear underneath it, while the remains of the glass of milk and cookies we had left for Santa were very obvious nearby.
It would just be my parents, my brothers and I. After the presents were all opened, preparation for Christmas dinner would begin. Roast pork, roast potatoes, pumpkin, kumara (our version of sweet potato), and vegetables would be served at 1 pm. Afterwards it was steamed Christmas pudding, with small coins baked in, with custard and cream.
Some families would pack everything up and head to the beach (December 23rd is the longest day down here) with a barbecue, some steaks and sausages plus some salads. I could never understand why they would want to though.
December 26th is Boxing day (a public holiday) , so called because in days long gone in Great Britain the big manor houses would "box up" the left over food and pass it out to the very poor tenants on the estates. Boxing day for us was with the cousins (we only have my mother's sister's family here, plus some third cousins down country). We would have lunch, the kids would play outside, the men would drink beer and the women fortified wine.
New Years Day the ham would be cooked, although some years it was just pickled pork, a less desirable cut of meat brined but not smoked then boiled. It would feed us for about 3 or 4 days, a once a year treat. By the 5th of January the tree would be pulled down and we would head away to the distant relatives for a week away. My father would go back to work around the 14th of January.
By the mid 80's my brothers and I were all well established with our own families (although my youngest brother Wayne had left home at 14 and gone on to board with some friends, after some issues with my step father). We would still gather at my parents place about 11 o'clock on Christmas Day for Christmas dinner, only now wives and grandkids (Dean's first brood) were added to those present. By the early 1990's we were all scattered about. I was in the far north of the country, Dean was about 2/3 the way down the east coast and Wayne still in Auckland. We would phone each other Christmas day but didn't visit.
My first wife and I ended up, after our second year in the north, being invited to join friends late on Christmas morning. In 1996 my first marriage ended and September '97 I transferred the in first week of September 3/4 the way down the west coast of the North Island to the town of Patea in Taranaki. I spent my first Christmas here with "the orphans" those with no-one else close to them. Christmas dinner at one pub (officially closed by law but as invited guess of the publicanwe were allowed a drink with our meal) and the evening meal at another of the pubs in town.
Christmas 1998 was my first with Karen, and it was an eye opener to me. After opening our presents we headed off late morning to Karen's mothers house (an 8 minute walk from where we were living, 12 minutes from where we are now). On arrival we would sit in the lounge and when everyone (Karen has 4 brothers and a sister. One brother and her sister were then overseas. The oldest brother's wife had "family issues' with the rest of us) including nieces/nephews etc, where more presents would be opened. Not long after that Christmas dinner would begin. I was shocked when I saw ham, roast pork. roast lamb, full roast vegetables, salads and breads available on the side table. And desert? Well there was trifle, pavlova (a kiwi, not Aussie, delicacy) Christmas Pudding, ice cream, cheesecake, assorted other pies, fruit salad and so much more.
After Christmas dinner Ryan and I would head home. Karen would stay and sometime after 5 pm I would get a phone call to go back for the evening meal. Cold meats, more salads and more deserts. About 7.30, after all the dishes had been done, we would all head home again. Boxing day we would be back for "leftover lunch", including deserts. I also learnt that year that in Karen's family the tree goes up early, usually sometime in November.
This year things are different. Karen's sister returned from overseas in 2000 (She works for our biggest bank and spent several years in Singapore then Russia where she helped set up their Mastercard system). We would still gather at my mother-in-laws, but as the children got older, and parents separated, the annual gathering got smaller. One year Karen, my mother-in-law and I went to Wellington where we spent Christmas Eve, day and Boxing day with her sister.
Another year I was stationed about a half hour from here. We were living in a police house and we had Christmas diner, much abbreviated, at our house.
For the last 10 years I have purchased several Christmas hams in early December, as well as most of the Christmas meats (this year pork, lamb and chicken which I give to Karen's sister who is living in Karen's mother's house. Karens mother passed away almost 5 years ago). One ham I give to Dean as his Christmas present, one goes to the family for Christmas day. Of the other three we cook one the Saturday before Christmas (today), which we have with fresh potatoes and vegetables, then as cold meat for lunches and dinners for the next few weeks until it runs out. Then I cook the second ham. Usually by the time that has been eaten we are sick of it, and the third is often still in our freezer the next December. This year I donated it to our local music clubs Christmas celebration.
Our tree, artificial, was erected in mid November. Karen loves Christmas decorations and has really embraced the American tradition of decorating soon after Halloween. Yesterday all the presents (much less than in previous years as the last few years Karen and I buy what we basically want throughout the year and see no sense on further spending) were wrapped and placed under the tree yesterday.
Christmas Day is still just for family. This year Karen Ryan and myself will sleep in, open our presents and mid-late morning head around to her sisters where we will join her and her housemate for more presents and Christmas brunch. Afterwards Ryan and I will head home, so our dog, who frets, will not be alone too long. Sometime in the afternoon I will probably end up at a good friend's place, just around the corner, where there will be close to 15 people for the day. We are all musicians and singers, so no doubt there will be a lot of music. Later in the day I will head back to Karen's sisters where we will be joined by one of the nieces and a grand niece who will arrive and we will enjoy both hot and cold meats as well s desert. Not sure if the nephews will show up this year or not. There will be no Boxing day family gathering, although Karen and I may go around. At the very least we will be claiming some of the leftovers for a few days desert and sanwhiches.
As I get older the more I appreciate the spirit of Christmas and just being with close family.
Between September 1986 and late 1987 my brother Dean and I were non sworn traffic (road policing) patrol officers in our biggest city, Auckland. At the time we were some the last remaining City Council traffic enforcement officers in the country, with most of Kiwiland served by a national (Ministry of Transport) traffic service. In late 1988 I was promoted to a car position, and in October 1989 local authority road policing was absorbed into the national service. In June 1992 we all became police officers, cross training and being sworn in over the following 12 months.
One day in late '87 or '88 we encountered, while on duty, three retired LA County sheriffs deputies who were sailing around the world in a small boat, and who had opted to spend the southern hemisphere's cyclone season (September to March) based in Auckland, but travelling around other parts of Kiwiland. We got to spend some good times with them.
A few days before Christmas we were planing a Christmas Eve BBQ at my place with our families and a co-worker friend Steve (we were all fishing nuts). Dean and I decided we would invite the former LA Sheriffs along too, as they would be spending Christmas in a foriegn country. We pulled up on our patrol bikes near their berth and they appeared shocked when I extended the invitation. "Are your sure"? was the surprised response. "On Christmas Eve"? We had no idea of the differences in how Kiwi's, Aussies and Americans celebrated Christmas. For us Christmas Eve is for socialising, while Christmas day is for family, and only close family at that.
Growing up (and well into the 1990's) the most expensive cut of meat here was pork, a roast of which was right behind half a leg of ham in price . Now it is reversed with a leg of pork able to feed the three of us a roast meal and serve me for lunchtime sandwiches for the next several days costing around U.S $25, while a leg of lamb is now twice that. Ham is still more costly though!
In the '60's and '70's, the weekend before Christmas we would go and get our tree. Artificial trees were unheard of, it was a limb from a living a pine tree. We would decorate the tree and Christmas morning the presents would appear underneath it, while the remains of the glass of milk and cookies we had left for Santa were very obvious nearby.
It would just be my parents, my brothers and I. After the presents were all opened, preparation for Christmas dinner would begin. Roast pork, roast potatoes, pumpkin, kumara (our version of sweet potato), and vegetables would be served at 1 pm. Afterwards it was steamed Christmas pudding, with small coins baked in, with custard and cream.
Some families would pack everything up and head to the beach (December 23rd is the longest day down here) with a barbecue, some steaks and sausages plus some salads. I could never understand why they would want to though.
December 26th is Boxing day (a public holiday) , so called because in days long gone in Great Britain the big manor houses would "box up" the left over food and pass it out to the very poor tenants on the estates. Boxing day for us was with the cousins (we only have my mother's sister's family here, plus some third cousins down country). We would have lunch, the kids would play outside, the men would drink beer and the women fortified wine.
New Years Day the ham would be cooked, although some years it was just pickled pork, a less desirable cut of meat brined but not smoked then boiled. It would feed us for about 3 or 4 days, a once a year treat. By the 5th of January the tree would be pulled down and we would head away to the distant relatives for a week away. My father would go back to work around the 14th of January.
By the mid 80's my brothers and I were all well established with our own families (although my youngest brother Wayne had left home at 14 and gone on to board with some friends, after some issues with my step father). We would still gather at my parents place about 11 o'clock on Christmas Day for Christmas dinner, only now wives and grandkids (Dean's first brood) were added to those present. By the early 1990's we were all scattered about. I was in the far north of the country, Dean was about 2/3 the way down the east coast and Wayne still in Auckland. We would phone each other Christmas day but didn't visit.
My first wife and I ended up, after our second year in the north, being invited to join friends late on Christmas morning. In 1996 my first marriage ended and September '97 I transferred the in first week of September 3/4 the way down the west coast of the North Island to the town of Patea in Taranaki. I spent my first Christmas here with "the orphans" those with no-one else close to them. Christmas dinner at one pub (officially closed by law but as invited guess of the publicanwe were allowed a drink with our meal) and the evening meal at another of the pubs in town.
Christmas 1998 was my first with Karen, and it was an eye opener to me. After opening our presents we headed off late morning to Karen's mothers house (an 8 minute walk from where we were living, 12 minutes from where we are now). On arrival we would sit in the lounge and when everyone (Karen has 4 brothers and a sister. One brother and her sister were then overseas. The oldest brother's wife had "family issues' with the rest of us) including nieces/nephews etc, where more presents would be opened. Not long after that Christmas dinner would begin. I was shocked when I saw ham, roast pork. roast lamb, full roast vegetables, salads and breads available on the side table. And desert? Well there was trifle, pavlova (a kiwi, not Aussie, delicacy) Christmas Pudding, ice cream, cheesecake, assorted other pies, fruit salad and so much more.
After Christmas dinner Ryan and I would head home. Karen would stay and sometime after 5 pm I would get a phone call to go back for the evening meal. Cold meats, more salads and more deserts. About 7.30, after all the dishes had been done, we would all head home again. Boxing day we would be back for "leftover lunch", including deserts. I also learnt that year that in Karen's family the tree goes up early, usually sometime in November.
This year things are different. Karen's sister returned from overseas in 2000 (She works for our biggest bank and spent several years in Singapore then Russia where she helped set up their Mastercard system). We would still gather at my mother-in-laws, but as the children got older, and parents separated, the annual gathering got smaller. One year Karen, my mother-in-law and I went to Wellington where we spent Christmas Eve, day and Boxing day with her sister.
Another year I was stationed about a half hour from here. We were living in a police house and we had Christmas diner, much abbreviated, at our house.
For the last 10 years I have purchased several Christmas hams in early December, as well as most of the Christmas meats (this year pork, lamb and chicken which I give to Karen's sister who is living in Karen's mother's house. Karens mother passed away almost 5 years ago). One ham I give to Dean as his Christmas present, one goes to the family for Christmas day. Of the other three we cook one the Saturday before Christmas (today), which we have with fresh potatoes and vegetables, then as cold meat for lunches and dinners for the next few weeks until it runs out. Then I cook the second ham. Usually by the time that has been eaten we are sick of it, and the third is often still in our freezer the next December. This year I donated it to our local music clubs Christmas celebration.
Our tree, artificial, was erected in mid November. Karen loves Christmas decorations and has really embraced the American tradition of decorating soon after Halloween. Yesterday all the presents (much less than in previous years as the last few years Karen and I buy what we basically want throughout the year and see no sense on further spending) were wrapped and placed under the tree yesterday.
Christmas Day is still just for family. This year Karen Ryan and myself will sleep in, open our presents and mid-late morning head around to her sisters where we will join her and her housemate for more presents and Christmas brunch. Afterwards Ryan and I will head home, so our dog, who frets, will not be alone too long. Sometime in the afternoon I will probably end up at a good friend's place, just around the corner, where there will be close to 15 people for the day. We are all musicians and singers, so no doubt there will be a lot of music. Later in the day I will head back to Karen's sisters where we will be joined by one of the nieces and a grand niece who will arrive and we will enjoy both hot and cold meats as well s desert. Not sure if the nephews will show up this year or not. There will be no Boxing day family gathering, although Karen and I may go around. At the very least we will be claiming some of the leftovers for a few days desert and sanwhiches.
As I get older the more I appreciate the spirit of Christmas and just being with close family.
