ellenspictures

Category: observing the culture

  • It’s a Kiwi Christmas – Chapter Two

    It’s a Kiwi Christmas – Chapter Two

    Wow.  It’s a Kiwi Christmas.  The Monarchs are here… Busy with their mating rituals.  It’s Summer – very different to associate Christmas with Summer, but I am trying…

    We attended Christmas Eve church services at a Catholic Church last night – we aren’t Catholic, mind-you, but did want to go to church, so my brother-in-law invited us to his church.  What an amazing experience.

    The church congregation is comprised of a number of South Sea Islanders and others from everywhere you can imagine, with a few “English” thrown in for contrast – gorgeous outfits, some native, kids of every size and the most wonderful pageant – a beautiful experience with singing and the liturgical ceremony – not quite what I am accustomed to attending, but very close.  We had just been to a Baptism there and so it was not unfamiliar…

    My brother-in-law is this big Samoan guy – very comfortable at the church since his mom and dad live right across the street, and he grew up attending – and it was his neighborhood – so it was a very good glimpse into his world.  We had supper with his family right after services, and it was totally awesome to break bread with them – then share in their Christmas Eve Santa Traditions…

    Gorgeous and loving they all are.  Their 100+ year old grandmother in the next room – still sitting up in bed, but having one foot in her next world.  The family near, all took turns at her command, coming in and visiting with her – but, really, it was her world that she invited them to glimpse…

    Now it is Christmas Day here in Auckland… Sunny and coolish this morning… to heat up later…  All of this is really laid-back and normal for the locals – for me, “The American” it is different in a way that I can’t put my finger on… and maybe it is just different from my family traditions.

    I think of my Mom’s side of the family – the “milk punch” (yuk), the long ramp up to the meal, after a big breakfast that my Dad cooked for us – usually some kind of eggs and bacon – some kind of gloriously sweet rolls that might have been Pillsbury, but pretty good nonetheless.  I am still trying to adjust traditions.

    Anyhow, more on this topic later…

    Merry Christmas 2014!

  • So. Other than the TV ads, its not so “in your face commercialism Christmas” here…

    So. Other than the TV ads, its not so “in your face commercialism Christmas” here…

    the fact of the matter is – the commercialization seems to be a real “American thing” – so, closer proximity – yep, Canadians do it “big” too – and as I was there through the season – the creeping in of the holidays began before Thanksgiving, shortly after Halloween… bit by bit.

    Don’t get me wrong – there is still some of that here.  But more, there is some dignity and subtleness that somehow Americans have left behind – exception being television commercials… those are still very shouty and loud – you know that style of urgent and the “buy it now or else” kind of advertising… hurry hurry hurry… spend it now and buy this junk here, right here, right now!  Mind if I don’t?

    But my wearing a shirt with a jolly Christmas message on it was quite a novelty.  As I have been told, you can’t find that sort of thing here… probably true.  So, the test – Christmas is a day that we celebrate the birth of Christ – ok – let’s see how this plays out…  I think that it will likely be peaceful and that we will not see the insanity of midnight Christmas Eve desperation thrown at the parking lots around here…

    More likely what it should be…

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  • Ok so I put liquid egg whites in my coffee… Preoccupation at its best

    Ok so I put liquid egg whites in my coffee… Preoccupation at its best

    Good morning.  Hello?  Yes, this is not a good sign of having complete focus.  But then, I am fighting my way back from a migraine hangover from yesterday evening.  I could feel it coming on for at least two days, I swear.  Ugh.

    How do I like this?  I don’t.  But then, each time something silly happens, I have to laugh at myself – you just can’t take yourself too seriously, right?

    Meh.

    So, picking up from there, one hopes that nothing more serious happens – keep anything liquid and poison away from me today!!!!!

    But seriously folks, it is a reminder to pay attention!  I mean, I have been walking like a penguin whilst outside ALL WEEK… I walk through construction zones and avoid collisions with people infected with “mobile addictions”, whilst reading their PDA’s, texting and all the essentials thereof…  Bound to bring on a migraine, yes?

    Well then, on with the day!  Grayness be gone!  Temperatures UP!  Very well.  Carry on!