The Southern
Hemisphere hristmas traditions have stemmed from centuries of stories, customs and beliefs. Cold frosty nights, glowing crackling fires and the endless warm smells of delicious food erupting from the kitchen are memories that take most back to childhood bliss. So many of the traditions are based on snowy gardens and head- to-toe warming food, it might make you wonder… what is the other side of the world doing? Where temperatures push 30 degrees and beaches are your back yard… is it still Christmas? Summer for Australia and New Zealand starts on December 1st, and ends late February. In Sydney, midsummer temperatures average out at about 25 degree Celsius. The cultural legacy is still prominently British, so many people stick to the traditional English foods, however a lot of the time, the meats are served cold. Traditional Australians tend to embrace the weather and serve seafood outdoors, including prawns and oysters. In South America, turkey is the traditional main course, but it is cooked very differently to what
the British know and love. It is most commonly marinated in either a liquor called cachaça or champagne and the stuffing usually consists of fruit and cassava flour. The signature Christmas treat of Colombia is natilla. Similar to caramel, it is most knowingly served with sweet or savory fritters. In contrast to Pigs in a Blanket, the people of Argentina prefer ‘Children in a Blanket’, known to locals as niños envueltos. These are stuffed meat rolls, usually filled with cabbage or beef. Most South Africans are Christian, and so English traditions tend to dominate households. December and January are the hottest months in the year, with temperatures averaging out at 25degrees Celsius. In Namibia, Christmas traditions vary as different cultural origins fluctuate throughout. The Afrikaner origins often centre their day around a big Christmas meal. Traditionally, three types of meat are served. A meat pie, roast chicken and leg of lamb are what families hope to enjoy if they can afford it, alongside oven baked potatoes, vegetables and cheese sauce. For Namibians of the