In typical Brisbane fashion the wicked cold snap we suffered precisely 12 days ago now seems to be well and truly behind us. Saturday was a beautiful winter’s day, 23°C with a never-ending clear blue sky.
This was, in some ways, a bit of a pity because Saturday was the 25th July which is Christmas in July here in Australia. This is where we celebrate Christmas in the middle of our winter in Australia so that we can experience it sort of how it was in the UK.
That doesn’t quite work out for us here in Brisbane, but I’m pretty sure places like Melbourne, Canberra and Hobart, where the temperatures would have been around 10° to 13°C, would have had a much more realistic fake Christmas.
Still, we gave it a go. Here’s a glimpse of our starter…
That was for the adults anyway, here’s where the kids sat…
You will notice there are no people in these photographs, that’s because I like to preserve the privacy of my friends who, by and large, are also a little shy.
Well, apart from these ones…
The main meal included sausages wrapped in bacon, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, roast ham and, of course, chicken.
Yes, chicken. Unfortunately we just couldn’t seem to locate a large, fresh turkey.
Never mind.
It was that warm that after we finished our Christmas dinners at around 8 o’clock in the evening, we all went to sit outside. I had to put on our little gas heater though, just to take the chill out of the air.
Otherwise I might’ve had to put a sweat top on or maybe some long trousers.
Yes, Brisbane, not really quite cold enough for Christmas in July. But even so, still great fun.
Did you celebrate Christmas in July where you are?
Christmas in July is a big thing here in Ballarat! Sovereign Hill does a whole show and during the school holidays everyone from Melbourne comes down. It is truly amazing!
And suitably cold I should think. I’ve actually been to Ballarat, it looked good.
The other day I went to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore and they had Christmas stuff everywhere! I was wondering why because it wasn’t close to Christmas time, then I was like, “Oh, Christmas in July!” But I live in Florida, so I’m used to having Christmas when it’s like 20 out.
Well, that’s pretty much what Christmas in July here in Brisbane is like, 20°C. When we get the real Christmas though, we are talking 32° to maybe 40°C. That’s what I have to get used to 🙂
Did Habitat have any fresh turkeys? Just kidding 🙂
Just laughing at how Melbourne will have a much more realistic fake Christmas. Temperature where I am at the moment – 11 degrees (mid-morning). Temperature where my parents are, near Melbourne at the moment – 13 degrees (late evening). Seems like it’s been raining constantly for the past 4 days. Very tempted to put my office heater on.
But enough of that – Christmas in July! And why not? Even though I shall be experiencing it in the next few years (with any luck), Christmas in the blazing sun with BBQs on the beach just seems… weird. I’ll enjoy it, definitely, but there’s something to be said for a huge roast dinner (make sure you’ve got some pigs in blankets too).
Also, my nephew (again, near Melbourne) is travelling to the mountains for a few days in the snow. They even get more snow than we get now in a year!
Yes, you can’t beat a realistic fake Christmas 🙂
I’ve done about nine real Christmases here now, I still can’t get used to heat and Christmas at the same time, it is truly weird. Not sure I will ever get used to it. Not complaining though, just agreeing, it’s weird.
11° where you are? Another cracking UK summer then?
Leeds. Google is now telling me we’ve gotten up to the heady heights of 12 degrees!
Crikey, it’s 14°C here in Brisbane and it’s 9 o’clock in the evening in the middle of winter!
Just for you Bob…
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/aug/02/britain-not-sunny-enough-healthy-vitamin-d-levels-supplements
Yep, apparently even the government says the UK isn’t sunny enough for healthy levels of vitamin D and suggests we start taking supplements.
Interesting article djmcbell, but I think it’s telling us something we have all known for a very long time 🙂
Hi Bob, actually we had Christmas in July in the first week of July. Due to logistical reasons such as caterers being busy on the 25th, we booked into a large caravan park restaurant on the Gold Coast. It was fun especially the silly hats and jokes and toys found in the bon bons.Most of us wore a light jacket to keep warm. My wife and I had just arrived back in Oz after a three month trip to Canada which included a cruise to Alaska and a sojourn to the USofA for a week. Although it was Spring coming into summer it was certainly colder there. Most days required a jacket…even on “warm” days.
Yes, we had some great jokes as well. Why did Santa have three gardens? So he could ‘hoe hoe hoe’. I’m still laughing about it now 🙂
Sounds like you had a good Christmas in July Frank, it must feel like summer here after Alaska.