Moved to Melbourne a few weeks ago... 40 degrees heat today! Yikes!

[LostInAusNation]

Hi! Or I have to get used to saying it... "How are you going?" I still don't know what the correct response is... "Good... You"???? What do I say?

Anyway, we are here on OH's state sponsored visa with our 2 preschoolers and I am still in shock. Can't actually believe we are actually here. We arrived at the start of November in a holiday rental but are now in our long term rental so we can settle in a bit better before Christmas. Feeling very, very far away from home (Scotland) and just looking for some friendly virtual faces as we are now out in the suburbs a bit and feeling a bit lost.

What do you all do for Christmas here instead of turkey n all the trimmings? We are trying to find somewhere to go out for lunch/dinner but have realised we don't know the traditions round here and have heard that going to the beach on Xmas day is actually really a touristy thing to do... Any pointers on anything really would be fab!

Thanks :)

[echt]

Welcome to Melbourne, LostinAusNation.

I think "good" is the correct response until you know someone well enough to say exactly how you really feel.:o

I know the feeling of being more settled after the initial looking about, and glad you feel better.

There are some MNers here but the PomsinOz forum is very good for getting to know people in suburbs near you, e.g. Point Cook meet-ups or Mornington.

I don't know what Australians eat but we have oysters, prawns, crayfish and potato salad for Christmas dinner, and an Aussie recipe Christmas pud to follow. We did lunch on the beach one year, and yes, no-one else was there. We set up a gazebo, spread rugs and had great time. We live in a seaside suburb, so this was easy to do. This year it will be the above food, but either on the deck at the back or front of the house, depending on the weather, though that promises to be good.

I understand Australians have dinner at home, then do yard cricket, that is run by the men, who are obliged to let the children win.
I'm guessing they might do the beach in the afternoon, but as Port Philip beaches aren't surf, they don't attract the tourists in the same way as Bondi. Which is good, as Bondi is not very pleasant IMHO. All this means, it's not touristy, and the people you'll see will be, on the whole, Melburnians paddling in the shallows, taking the sun, cooling their toes.

Depending on where you are, there a number of beaches good for small children, e.g. Rickett's Point, Safety Beach, or anywhere where a surf life saving club exists.

There are lots of places you can book a Christmas lunch, so again I'd look at ones by the sea for that post-prandial stroll.

One thing I can vouch for as being thoroughly Australian is the mowing and edging of the nature strip in time for Christmas. They're out in droves; I can hear one now.

Have the happiest of Christmases.

[BonzaBlue]

We have our big traditional meal on Christmas Eve, then have loads of picnic food to graze on over Christmas Day. We are in NSW, and are having the 40 degrees today. Spent most of the day in the pool.
We go to the beach before lunch to work up an appetite.

[chloeb2002]

Laughing at the 40 degrees.. We took off from Manchester in 3 degrees and landed in brissy 40 degrees. Had to buy a car.. All the salesmen were hiding in the air con!

Won't forget that for a while.

Xmas... We do turkey n trimmings.. As do all our Aussie pals! One year we went to the local beach side park met with several other families and all brought a different course! Prawns, oysters, turkey, potatoes, salad ... Etc. This year.. Inviting friends round for late lunch. Beach in the morning.. The beaches here are packed with locals on Xmas day! We will go in the morning. Cook dinner.. Eat it.. Then veg out with uk tv! ( or abc or sbs)

Easy.

Makes a change that I'm not working


I have often threatened to go to sizzlers for Xmas lunch!

[chloeb2002]

Forgot.... Welcome xx hope you settle and enjoy making a life down under

[hazchem]

Oh I spent ages writing a response to this yesterday not sure why it didn't post!

I'm an Aussie and can't think what i respond to "how you going?" I think I go "yeah? good! You?" they are fast but run on sentences. think "No?Stop!No?"

As for christmas at the beach do it is you want but you'll need somewhere to retreat during the heat. so why not go for morning swim then lunch at home?

My last melbourne christmas we went to acland st where because they are orthodox the cake shops are open on christmas day :) then to the botanical gardens in St Kilda.

Also I'd say don't worry what the usual thing is to do. I thin australians are much more relaxed about the traditions of others. If someone said they spent christmas at the beach I'd just say" how was it" not "oh you foolish tourist"

Welcome!

[SquinkiesRule]

I think the correct response to 40 is "I'm melting"

[LostInAusNation]

Thanks. Maybe we should wander around with a few different courses in the hope we meet some other lonely migrants n we can mix n match Xmas lunch ;-)

Dunno what we're going to do. Will b interesting to find out what happens in pur new neighbourhood those.

[LostInAusNation]

Oh and I seem to hear a lot of "beeeauuuuutiful"s but oh hears "too easy" how are you going? Good you? Think i'm learning! :)

[LostInAusNation]

Thanks. Maybe we should wander around with a few different courses in the hope we meet some other lonely migrants n we can mix n match Xmas lunch ;-)

Dunno what we're going to do. Will b interesting to find out what happens in pur new neighbourhood those.

[backpackerNZ]

Can I say a thank you to hazchem for recommending Acland St. DD is out in Melbourne atm and went there on your advice. She had a cake and "it took over two chapters from Bill Bryson to conquer it. I even had to have a 15 minute rest!"
Good call, as I believe the Fosters adverts the Ozzies say.

[chloeb2002]

Lostinausnation.. Hood you had a good first christmas in aus! It is quite hard first few Xmas birthdays etc.. Which are still when it's easy to miss "home" I think 7 years on this Xmas it really felt like home. J still get pangs of sadness when my Aussie pals are having family and extended family days! But slowly we are making our own traditions. Beach in the morning, we have friends who have come over for the last two years and spent the afternoon with us. I am also very aware our kids are Aussie kids , they know no difference ! Hot sunny Xmas is normal to them. Big family Xmas lunch is also foreign. That's ok! We have our own ways to celebrate .. Must be doing ok when dd(11) was up from 2 am as she was excited! Not for presents as she knew she was getting tickets to a show..just excited.. That made my day :0)

[LostInAusNation]

Thank you for that message. How thoughtful of you.
We were really homesick after phoning home this morning so the kids could tell everyone about their presents (commercialism much???) and our families were all crying hearing their voices and really upset. Kind of made us feel worse but glad we phoned home because it was soooooo lovely to talk to everyone.

We ended up doing a hotel lunch where Santa appears mid way to keep them all happy while we ate and ate and ate. The hotel must be used to this kind of thing because we ended up away from the big family tables and up with the other singles n couples. I didn't think about it before but it would have been harder to sit next to one of the family tables where Grandma right down to great Grandson were celebrating together. I kind of assumed it would be all the lonely people at a hotel on Christmas day. It was still lovely to see all the families together at Christmas.

We spoke to the in laws and they have vowed to be over here for next Christmas Day. They had vetoed it before we left due to the prices but I think they are missing us more than they thought. They were so emotional on the phone. Thing is, we arranged to Skype them and they couldn't manage it 3 times last week. I think it is just the whole Christmas/New Year thing that is making everyone feel a bit worse.

Anyway, I hope New Year is ok... Hopefully head out and watch the fireworks.

Merry Christmas!

[chloeb2002]

Good to hear you got out and about and had a good time! It does change and get easier ( different).

[echt]

So glad to hear your Christmas was good, and thumbs up for the fireworks. You'll know they have two sets, one at 9.00.p.m. for those with children, or who want get back home to have some valuable boxed set time, and the one at midnight.

Thinking of your missed Skype, the daylight savings can affect things here, with our summer being better for calls than the winter.

A less well-known aspect of living in Australia is that no-one outside it is capable of Googling the clock to calculate the best time to call.

All the best in the new year, LostInAusnation. It took me a while to get the nuances of your nickname. Call myself an English teacher?

[chloeb2002]

Echt... Is more jaded... I don't think Skype even works both ways! Yet it's our fault every time when there is no call!

[hazchem]

backpacker It's really very good along there. glad she enjoyed it:)

LostinAus I'm glad you found some good to do. It's tricky those first few years away.

[sykadelic15]

I'm an Aussie/Scot living in the US.

Christmas dinner for us in Aus was Christmas lunch of roast chicken and vegies with pudding for dessert (chocolate for my sister who hates regular pudding :D). If it was super hot we'd have cold meats and cheese and beetroot and the like to prevent the house heating up. Can't forget the bonbons and you HAVE to wear the hats :)

Now that I live in the US I turn on Skype to watch them opening pressies their Christmas morning. Christmas Eve night for me is their morning so it works out pretty well. If we have kids we'll have to work something else out because Christmas morning for us (say 8am) is really late for them (1am) so maybe we'll do present from/to them on their Christmas... or something :P

I lived in country Vic so I'm sure it varies from place to place.