Wooden Zulu warrior in a local shop dressed as Santa for the holidays.
Sending my very best wishes for 2012!
Out for a hike on Christmas day.
Here are some scenes from my surrounding area taken on December 25, 2011. It was a beautiful warm summer’s day, with a nice breeze. There were a lot of people out on the road!
Christmas is a big deal here. Christmas decorations began appearing in stores in October. Most people in South Africa (~80%) are Christian and celebrate Christmas. ~15% say they do not belong to any religion, and the other ~5% belong to other religions. Many people in these non-Christian groups also celebrate Christmas (the secular part, not the religious part).
Cormorants take flight.
Exploring tide pools on the coast of South Africa.
Because it’s summer at Christmastime, it has a different feel from a North American Christmas. The days are long and the weather is hot. People get together with family and friends, but many eat a traditional roast turkey meal Christmas Eve at night, rather than having a late-afternoon dinner. Gifts are exchanged that evening or the next morning. On December 25th, they pack up their leftovers and head to the beach or a park. Since it’s so warm, many barbecue sausage, fish, or other meat, instead of having the oven on for hours.
While we were hiking, we saw a herd of eland. It is the largest antelope, and looks like a cross between an antelope and a cow. Although several in the herd had long horns, we knew that they’re herbivores and not very aggressive, so we didn’t worry about being attacked by them. I could tell that they have very good hearing, because they heard us walking from a long way off. They turned and watched us, decided we weren’t dangerous, and went back to their grazing.
Eland watch us from a distance.
We also saw an ostrich in the distance, and some entertaining baboons when we were on the way home. It was quite a unique Christmas for us!
How are you spending your December holidays?
Wow! It sounds like you had a great Christmas!
Hope you had a great time there. THOSE MONKEYS ARE AWESOME!
What was that bamboon eating?
I don’t know the name of the plant he was eating, but it must have been tasty!
What was that bamboon eating?
Do you know what that baboon was eating?:>)
I don’t know. It was a plant he found and had pulled up.
I hope it was summer here.
The ocean you show us, looked so nice. I wish I could go over there and swim in it.
Those baboons were so cute. Also what was that one baboon eating in the road?
I hope it was summer here.
The ocean you show us, looked so nice. I wish I could go over there and swim in it.
Those baboons were so cute. Also what was that one baboon eating in the road?
that was sooo cute what was he eating radish or carrots i wonder
that was sooo cute what was he eating radish or carrots i wonder
Is christmas in south africa differnt then New York.
The biggest difference is the weather. December in South Africa is summertime so the days are long and hot. That affects what people do for the day. They want to be outside! It also means that many people don’t want to have their ovens on for hours cooking a turkey, so they might just barbecue sausages instead!
Can baboons just wonder around? What if they get HIT! 🙁
Can baboons just wonder around? What if they get HIT! 🙁
Good point, Sohpie. Yes, they’re wild animals, so they just wander where they want (just like the deer in New York). The other day I was driving on a major highway from my house to the grocery store and a whole troop of baboons started to walk right across the road! I slowed down, which forced all the cars behind me to slow down. All the baboons got across safely.
For Christmas I would give a baboon LOTS of fruit! That one in the front really ejoyed that fruit!!!!!
Merry late christmas and a happy new year!!!!!
🙂 🙂 :p
I love the video of the boboons. Therey are so cute!
I love the video of the boboons. Therey are so cute!
Hi Mrs. Christie Blick!
I can't belive that Christmas is in summer in South Africa when it is really in winter in North America!
This year I have Mrs.C, Mrs.F and Mrs.D.
I hope your having a great time in South Africa. BYE!
Hi Maggie. Yes, it was strange but fun to spend Christmas Day outside in the nice warm sunshine!
Hi Mrs Christie-Blick,
Wishing you a wounderful New Year! This year I have Mrs H and Mrs L. I am having a good year. I am looking forward to visiting you in the 2012-2013 school year.
James
Hi James! I’m so glad you’re having a good year. Thanks for visiting my blog. If there’s anything special you’d like to see on here let me know. I would LOVE to have you visit me next year. You know where I’ll be!
Hi Mrs Christi-Blick
Happy New Year… The pictures look beautiful! It is rweally wonderful of you to share them with us.
If you can visit the school Principal's Blog you can see how classes are using the Garden. I am very excited that the science teachers and a parent have begun a composting program at our school. It is wonderful. I cannot wait for things to come.
Warmest wishes;) for a faboulous trip!!
Hi Mrs Christi-Blick
Happy New Year… The pictures look beautiful! It is rweally wonderful of you to share them with us.
If you can visit the school Principal's Blog you can see how classes are using the Garden. I am very excited that the science teachers and a parent have begun a composting program at our school. It is wonderful. I cannot wait for things to come.
Warmest wishes;) for a faboulous trip!!
Hi Heidi! Thanks for the garden information – great video of Mr. Eckert’s class using the garden! I love the idea of making a virtual garden to help with future planning. That’s fantastic to hear that a composting program is in place. I’m looking forward to seeing how the garden has progressed over the year! All the best for 2012!
Hi, Ms. Christie-Blick,
Some of us wish it was summer here, too. Did they have any special events for New Year's? Like the ball drop in New York City? Is it as hot there as it is here in the summer? Does it get as cold as it does here in the winter?
Hi Mrs. Rudin’s Class! Happy 2012! Good to hear from you. I read in the newspaper that there were large outside parties in some of the cities and towns around South Africa, but I didn’t hear of any special New Year’s symbol that’s the focus of attention, like New York’s ball drop. My husband and I went to a neighbor’s house on New Year’s Eve. All the guests (about 25 of us) brought meat for braai-ing (that’s what South Africans call barbecuing). Unlike America where the most common food to barbecue is hamburger or hot dog, the most common here is German sausage and steak. They were delicious! Everyone also brought another dish to share. I took Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies. They were a big hit with everyone, as they had never tasted them before! 🙂
Everyone was very friendly at the party and wanted to know why we Americans were living here in the little town of Simon’s Town, South Africa. At 12:00 midnight, everyone crossed arms and held hands in a circle and sang Auld Lang Syne. We then walked out to their balcony and watched the fireworks go off across the bay – beautiful. It was a fun evening of talking, eating, and dancing! We slept in the next day.
Every day for the past two weeks the temperature’s gotten into the mid-20’s Celsius (that’s 75-80F – good thing I learned metric!)- perfect summer weather! Other parts of the country get much hotter (like summers in New York) because they’re inland. I’m right by the ocean. It absorbs heat, and the cool ocean water creates a cool breeze through our town. It’s really wonderful having the windows open all day and all night every day (unless we’re away from the house). The weather is very much like the weather in southern California where I grew up.
When we first arrived, it was still winter. The days were cold, rainy, and windy, but not as cold as New York. The ocean helps us again, because it warms the air during winter, so we don’t get the freezing temperatures here that those living inland get. The ocean has a “moderating influence” (Mrs. Rudin will explain more). I LOVE living by the ocean!
Because of your good questions, Mrs. Rudin’s Class, the next blog posting will be dedicated to you!
Hi, Ms. Christie-Blick,
Some of us wish it was summer here, too. Did they have any special events for New Year's? Like the ball drop in New York City? Is it as hot there as it is here in the summer? Does it get as cold as it does here in the winter?
Hi Mrs. Rudin’s Class! Happy 2012! Good to hear from you. I read in the newspaper that there were large outside parties in some of the cities and towns around South Africa, but I didn’t hear of any special New Year’s symbol that’s the focus of attention, like New York’s ball drop. My husband and I went to a neighbor’s house on New Year’s Eve. All the guests (about 25 of us) brought meat for braai-ing (that’s what South Africans call barbecuing). Unlike America where the most common food to barbecue is hamburger or hot dog, the most common here is German sausage and steak. They were delicious! Everyone also brought another dish to share. I took Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies. They were a big hit with everyone, as they had never tasted them before! 🙂
Everyone was very friendly at the party and wanted to know why we Americans were living here in the little town of Simon’s Town, South Africa. At 12:00 midnight, everyone crossed arms and held hands in a circle and sang Auld Lang Syne. We then walked out to their balcony and watched the fireworks go off across the bay – beautiful. It was a fun evening of talking, eating, and dancing! We slept in the next day.
Every day for the past two weeks the temperature’s gotten into the mid-20’s Celsius (that’s 75-80F – good thing I learned metric!)- perfect summer weather! Other parts of the country get much hotter (like summers in New York) because they’re inland. I’m right by the ocean. It absorbs heat, and the cool ocean water creates a cool breeze through our town. It’s really wonderful having the windows open all day and all night every day (unless we’re away from the house). The weather is very much like the weather in southern California where I grew up.
When we first arrived, it was still winter. The days were cold, rainy, and windy, but not as cold as New York. The ocean helps us again, because it warms the air during winter, so we don’t get the freezing temperatures here that those living inland get. The ocean has a “moderating influence” (Mrs. Rudin will explain more). I LOVE living by the ocean!
Because of your good questions, Mrs. Rudin’s Class, the next blog posting will be dedicated to you!
Funny baboons! Do they come into towns?
They do come into town sometimes. I’ve been told not to leave my backdoor open, as it faces onto the hillside where baboon troops sometimes roam. Friends have told me that they can make a real mess if they get into the house and scavenge around for food. The adult males are large, and can be quite aggressive – not easy to shoo away! However, I do love watching them in the wilds (from inside the car)!
How was your Christmas Ms.Christie-Blick?
Happy New Year, Jennifer! This Christmas was very special, indeed! How was your vacation? What did you do?
Since you asked, on Christmas my family came over and we all ate dinner. Then the next day I went to my cousins house for Chanukah. On New Years Eve I went to my cousins house again to celebrate her birthday.
How was your Christmas Ms.Christie-Blick?
Happy New Year, Jennifer! This Christmas was very special, indeed! How was your vacation? What did you do?
Since you asked, on Christmas my family came over and we all ate dinner. Then the next day I went to my cousins house for Chanukah. On New Years Eve I went to my cousins house again to celebrate her birthday.
Hi Ms. Christie Blick. From the pictures South Africa looks really beutiful. It is also very cool that they celebrate christmas. I didnt even think they had chrismas!
Hi Katrina! Good to hear from you. How did you spend your Christmas?