As it’s Christmas, DailyEdge.ie got in touch with some Irish people spending the day in different parts of the globe. From the other side of the world in Australia, to across the pond in London, here’s how their Christmas measures up to ours at home.
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Fergal Howard from Leitrim arrived in Australia on the 7th of December, where he’ll be spending Christmas. His life is a little different to that of an Australian emigrant, in that he spends the year travelling the world while working as a physiotherapist on a ship.
He photographs his bear Packie as they explore the world, so his Christmas will be anything but usual.
The ship will sail around the coast of Australia stopping in different ports along the way from Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. Christmas Day will be spent in Melbourne.
But he’s well used to it at this stage.
This will be my third Christmas away from home. The first one away was a few years ago in New Zealand travelling around the South Island. Christmas day was spent by Franz Josef Glacier canoeing in the nearby lake and hiking on the glacier. I stayed at a backpackers in the town which was full of other travellers from different countries.
His second was last year in Colombia, where he spent Christmas eve finishing up the Lost City trek and “having a few drinks with the other Irish”.
But it’s not like home
It all sounds a lot more exciting than Royal Family re-runs and Baileys, but what does he miss the most about Christmas at home?
I miss family and friends the most, it’s a great time when everyone seems to get together to catch up.
“The lads eh” Christmas Dinner is the best craic and hate missing out on that, and the few drinks with family and neighbours in The Copper Still on Christmas eve.
Of course, his mam’s big dinner leaves a big gap in his stomach, and heart.
I miss the brown bread, Mum’s soup and the fry-up in the mornings, but that’s constant throughout the whole year, not just around Christmas time.
Travelling around the world at Christmas time brings it’s fair few differences
What says Christmas to you? Snow? Warm fires? Dark evenings and hot toddies? Fergal says the season just isn’t the same when it’s warm.
The big difference about the build up is the weather. I don’t think I will ever get used to seeing Christmas trees, decorations and lights and it being roasting outside. When you are travelling around Christmas it can feel like you are in a little bubble and it can sort of pass you by without noticing it.
There is no escaping Christmas at home with all the Christmas songs, the shopping etc where as when you are abroad you have to seek it out a bit more to feel Christmassy.
Being abroad can also mean putting a pause on your traditions at home.
Waking up stupidly early to open presents was a tradition in our house. I’ll have to see how I’m feeling Christmas morning whether to keep it going.
