This 21st Century Girl loves a seasonally inappropriate Christmas

“I have been looking on, this evening, at a merry company of children assembled round that pretty German toy, a Christmas Tree. The tree was planted in the middle of a great round table, and towered high above their heads. It was brilliantly lighted by a multitude of little tapers; and everywhere sparkled and glittered with bright objects.” Charles Dickens

One of the occasions where we commonly see the celebration of traditions, and skills, of time past is Christmas. For those who follow a traditional western anglo-celtic Christmas like our family it is probably the only time a pudding is boiled for four hours as in time past and when traditions passed down through the family are followed. Christmas often is a blend of traditions that have passed down through different family lines.

Chooks'r'us at Life in the Dome has asked us here at beforeourtime.com to reveal eight things about our Christmas celebrations. I thought I would reveal eight things I do at Christmas and how old customs fill this otherwise 21st century seasonal celebration.

1. Christmas Tree

With pagan origins associated with the northern Winter Solstice the Christmas tree can be traced back to 16th century Germany. It gained popular acceptance in Victorian England and was introduced to the US in the 18th century by German settlers.

While real trees are popular here in Australia our family puts up a fake tree on 1 December (or the first weekend of Advent) and takes it down on the twelfth night (January 6). The tree is put up with some ceremony accompanied by the loud-playing of Christmas music. We buy one new bauble each a year and so our tree represents a purchase of baubles over the past 10 years.

2. Advent Calendar

Again from 19th Century German traditions, the advent calendar is a physical way of counting down the days until Christmas. While chocolate calendars are popular, our family has a wooden calendar with little doors containing Christmas-themed charms which are hung each day. Our children take turns to hang the charms each day.

3. Hot Christmas Lunch

Christmas day is notoriously hot in many parts of Australia. Many families have forsaken a more traditional English-style hot meal for a seafood barbecue or cold meat with salad. Not us, however. I insist on roast turkey, ham, roast vegetables and all the trimmings hot weather or no. My husband glazes a ham on Christmas Eve which we then eat cold over the Christmas week.

4. Christmas Pudding

Along with my hot Christmas lunch I insist on a homemade Christmas (plum) pudding served with homemade custard and vanilla ice cream. Christmas puddings have been popular in their dessert form in England since the 19th century. Prior to this the original recipe contained meat and was served before the meal - the symbolic remainder of this tradition being the suet that some puddings still contain.

Tradition dictates that puddings must be made by "stir up" day - the last Sunday before Advent. I have missed this deadline this year but hope to make my pudding this weekend. Many traditionalists put silver coins or charms in their puddings but I don't own any to do this...perhaps this year I might.

5. Christmas Street Party

Christmas is traditionally the time of year we make contact with friends and family. It is also a time to show appreciation to those who have helped us throughout the year.

We live in a cul de sac and host a street party each December for people in surrounding streets. We open up our garage and put a case of beer on ice and nearby residents turn up with a small plate of food, a chair and their children and grandchildren and we catch up on street and local gossip.

6. Christmas Cards

Commercially made Christmas cards were first available in the mid 19th century England. Cards are sent throughout the western world and Asia in the weeks before Christmas. Australia Post expects to deliver over 470million items this Christmas. Cards are another form of contact we make to spread goodwill at this time of year.

In recent years there has been a proliferation of the Christmas letter where families provide extraordinary detail of their past year often accompanied by photographs. This year our family have bought cards with artwork by our kids through a school fundraiser. We will send approx. 100 cards containing a photo mosaic of our year to friends and family.

7. Carrots for the Reindeer, Beer for Santa

It has always been tradition in our family to leave out beer and Christmas cake for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Recently we have taken to leaving out carrots for the Reindeer as well. It is incumbent on the adults to ensure that the carrots have been found by the Reindeer and look suitably chewed in the morning...

8. Boxing Day celebrations

Christmas Day marks the true beginning of the Australian summer holidays. This is a five-week period in which many businesses operate on a skeleton staff and where many Australians head for the beach or to other holiday destinations.

The first big day of the summer is marked by Boxing Day - a holiday in all Australian States. Traditionally a day to give gifts to the less fortunate it has become associated with the start of the summer department store sales, the Boxing Day Cricket Test and the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Being a Sydney family we head down to Middle Head to watch "the boats" sail through the Heads. Lunch on that day consists of cold turkey and ham with salads.

So, if you celebrate Christmas - are you a traditionalist? Or do you have a thoroughly modern Christmas? And, incidentally...how is your preparation going?

Why don't prepare a list of eight of your Christmas traditions on your own blog. Link back to this post so that others know you have done this and we'll come and have a look!