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Because last December I stayed in Australia, and my Australian family celebrated Christmas, so I automatically also follow all the Christmas busy time to. The Christmas feel actually already felt since November. All the commercial at televisions already put their Christmas discounts. Of course I could saw lots of toys commercials, not to mention a special package for Christmas holiday.

In Australia, we didn't celebrate Christmas with snow, because winter in Australia is at the middle of the year. So, how we celebrate Christmas in Australia? WITH SUMMER!!! Yes, Christmas time in Australia mean summer time. So, don't be shock if you saw an Australian commercial at Christmas full of beach and beach and beach.

Also read: First Time Playing Snow at Lake Mountain, Australia

Not like in my country, Indonesia, which have lots of red calendar dates (means lots of holidays). In Australia they don't have as much as Indonesia. But for Christmas, they have two red calendar dates, 25 and 26 of December. Christmas celebration at 25 of December, and Boxing Day at 26 of December, which in Indonesia they don't have a special day for boxing day.

My boyfriend and his ex-wife, after their divorce, had their old tradition, that all of their children will having feast in both house at the same day. So if they have Christmas lunch at their mother's house, they will have Christmas dinner at their father's, vice versa.

For this Christmas, they change the tradition. Since the children still full after Christmas lunch, they made two days family feast, at Christmas day and Boxing day, and they make all feasts are for lunch. Because the kids always eat lots of meal when they have their lunch feast, so sometimes they feel still full when they also have to attend the dinner feast.

Since this Christmas they had their lunch at their mother's house, so we just prepared our lunch feast at boxing day. Next Christmas, it will be our turn to have lunch feast at Christmas. 

My boyfriend still have his own tradition for giving a Christmas present to all of his children and grandchild (even thought all of his children already an adult). He used to bought more than one present for each of them. But since we already busy (and he still had me not working) because my visa applications, even thought he tried to bought a present, but not as much as before. But I am a little sad and guilty because of me his children didn't have a Christmas present.

Luckily his daughter understand it, and all she wants just his father fixing her bikes. Which she already requested since two years ago. So, two weeks before Christmas, after working, my boyfriend spend one until two hours at the garage to fixed his daughter's bike.

But, he still able to bought presents for his grandchild. Since both of his grandchild still a young kids. His granddaughter is three years old and his grandson is 6 months old. So, we took our time to search the presents at shopping malls.

His granddaughter once been asked what she want for Christmas, and she said she wants a butterfly. Alright, how could you find something "butterfly" for a three years old kids????? For this only, we had to came into two different big shopping malls. 

He had a bad mood because we can't get the trolley

Not to mention for boxing day's lunch feast, we had to buy three different meats. He always had his signature dish at Christmas, which is Lechon pork, a Philipino's recipe, don't ask me how he get it. Then he planned to make roasted chicken and also slow cooker lamb.

And, at Christmas, since we didn't had anyone to come, so we plan to go to beach. Then, we also need some drinks, snacks, and things to bring at the beach.

Took us a good an hour before we can find a trolley for ouselves

We started our shopping two days before Christmas day. Which if you did that, you will find lots of people have the same thought, SHOPPING FOR DISCOUNT. Yes, at the last minute time like this, most of the stores start to throw lots of discounts. It is really cheap, but it also have lots of people. In the time like this, the shopping mall which packed of people.

Because it's summer here, means beach time, LOL. Especially, in this Christmas holiday, we are planning to go to the beach, because the kids will come at boxing day. Perfect weather, and all the things we need to supply our beach holiday and also for feast at boxing day already set.

Since lots of people will think the same way like us, going to the beach (especially those whom not celebrate Christmas), we decided to find calmer and far from tourist beach. Even we decided to drove to Mornington, I was a little bit worried because when we passed Mornington Park, I could see lots of tourist fill that park. I worried that the beach will be packed like Bondi in NSW.

Luckily, our beach is really quite, and not having lots of tourist in it. The beach is at Mt. Martha, beside not much tourist, the beach also have the bathing box like Brighton Beach.

Also read: Hello Straya: Brighton Beach

Beach at Mt. Martha, only four groups visitors, and I like it

We brought our tent, for keeping all of our things, and also icebox (or eski in Strayan language) that fill with lots of cold drink, and also lots and lots of snacks. Because, once you out from the water, you will be really hungry.

Tips: After having your meal, take 10 until 15 minutes rest before you come back to the water.

After coming back from the beach, we have no time for resting, we should start to prepare all the meals for lunch at Boxing day. We started to clean all the meats. My boyfriend started to put all the spices at the pork, and also put the lamb at the slow cooker (we left it a night for cook). We also have to wake up early at boxing day for preparing the other meal and cleaning the house, plus decorate the table.

Looks like it's simple, no it's not T_T. Plus, at the boxing day, we woke up at 9am, while the feast scheduled at 12.30pm. Not really in hurry too, but since we have to do lots of things, and I didn't know what to do with all those meal, I give all those meal things to my boyfriend.

Our Christmas Lunch at Boxing day

Since my boyfriend taking care the meal at the kitchen, I decorated the table, and also help him at the kitchen, doing something that I understand, like frying the meal that have to fried, etc. Since this is my first time being busy for celebration, so I a little bit confuse and lost.

The kids gathered around 1pm, then we started our lunch. It was delicious lunch. All those meats are perfect. Juicy and tender, LOL.

After lunch, it's time for unboxing the present. Since only the little granddaughter that came, so yes, after two different big shopping malls, finally we reveal the "butterfly" things that we bought for her. It's two fairy wings, LOL.

Our lovely granddaughter with her butterfly wing

She keep saying those wings are for Halloween, not for Christmas, but we keep told her that it is a butterfly wings, and she can wear it anytime. Actually we don't want her to reject the present anyway, it hard to find something butterfly-ie.

Second present was the fishing toy. Since I am too concern about age restriction, I always re-check again that the toys is fit for her age or not. Luckily at Aussie, it is easy to find out that the toy is the right toy for her age or not. Like this fishing toy, we bought it because it said it fit for 3 years+ age.

Actually, I knew that she really like playing pretending, pretending to be a mother or pretending to be a teacher. Maybe because she stay with her grandmother (my boyfriend ex-wife), and spent lots of time at her kinder. But I really can't find the exact toy for her and her imagination. Dolls? Don't mention me, she already have lots of dolls.

At first I want to buy her a toy stroller, but my boyfriend said he want to give her something that making her not move a lot inside the house. Because our house is not too big, and easily to get messy when the kids come. At the end we bought that fishing toy. You can guess it, not until 10 minutes she already bored, because she finds it's so difficult to catch the fish with the fishing rod, she prefer do it with her hand. LOL.

Don't tell me about Christmas present, I even never get a birthday present back in my country, Indonesia. No, it's not about the Indonesian culture, but nobody around me celebrate it. The first present I had is one birthday present from all my high school's friend at my farewell party before move to Australia. LOL.

So, I was so overwhelming when I also get the Christmas present. My boyfriend gave me a box of Lindt chocolate, and a paint-your-own-mug thing. LOL. Still, I am happy to have that.

Beside him, his daughter also gave me a set of Harry Potter's Marauder Map's Puzzle and 9 3/4 Hogwart Express plate. She know me well, LOL. Love the present so much.  

I have a Christmas present too from our daughter :)

I am really happy, not because get the present only, but I feel that I already accepted into his family, sharing the holiday together. I also have a great relations with his ex-wife too. She is really nice and bubbly person, so lovely, and we put her as our witness for my visa application too. 

Since this was my first time celebrating something with family, I really, really overwhelming. Because I never celebrate something with my Indonesian family, and we never celebrate something special, so this was my first experience celebrating something, and I really really love it.