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Post by kiwigrandma on Dec 24, 2014 9:44:16 GMT
Merry xmas and happy new year from New Zealand to all the travellers on this site. Love reading about your adventures and looking forward to more stories and posts next year. It's hot here in Auckland and we off to place called whangamata in the coromandel to spend time at the beach.
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Post by Oz-T on Dec 24, 2014 9:49:19 GMT
A bit early for the beach hop, kiwigrandma? Merry Christmas and best wishes to you and all kiwi members/guests here.
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Post by californian on Dec 24, 2014 10:36:08 GMT
Merry Christmas and safe travels everyone!
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Post by keitel on Dec 25, 2014 6:38:48 GMT
Merry Christmas to all. A special thankyou to our Canadian members. I recently spent a week in Toronto and was treated so well by the locals. I would only have to pull a city map out of my pocket and someone was there to help. I don't think I have come across such hospitality in my travels.
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Post by chech on Dec 25, 2014 13:03:05 GMT
WoooooHOHOHOHO...it's Turkey Day! Have a great Christmas Day all. Glad you enjoyed Toronto, Keitel! There are a lot of Newfoundlanders in Toronto...that's why they're so friendly. lol
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Post by 1jhwks on Dec 25, 2014 14:16:23 GMT
Merry Christmas, everyone! This photo is not mine. It is from my city, Kansas City, MO's world famous Country Club Plaza. The lights come on on Thanksgiving night and stay on through mid-January.
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Post by californian on Dec 25, 2014 16:13:27 GMT
Great picture jh, I just put Kansas City Mo in my list! Merry Christmas!
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Post by purvis on Dec 25, 2014 17:41:25 GMT
Merry Christmas to all. A special thankyou to our Canadian members. I recently spent a week in Toronto and was treated so well by the locals. I would only have to pull a city map out of my pocket and someone was there to help. I don't think I have come across such hospitality in my travels. Keitel: If you think Canadians in the Toronto area are friendly you should come out here to Western Canada. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. May your trips be all that you hope for. Purvis
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Post by luvtotravel on Dec 28, 2014 0:24:48 GMT
A bit late, but Merry Christmas everyone.
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Post by marielouise on Dec 28, 2014 6:35:26 GMT
I am also late so Merry Christmas everyone. We had turkey on Christmas Eve since I celebrate on that day, Swedish tradition, while the kids celebrate with their spouses on Christmas Day, it works out very well. We then had turkey, lamb and duck on Christmas Day with friends. Happy New Year everyone.
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Post by tiffany on Dec 29, 2014 12:50:02 GMT
Merry Christmas to all. A special thankyou to our Canadian members. I recently spent a week in Toronto and was treated so well by the locals. I would only have to pull a city map out of my pocket and someone was there to help. I don't think I have come across such hospitality in my travels. I’m glad you enjoyed Toronto so much and that the people were friendly. I live here and sometimes find the people to be cold, so it’s nice to hear that you had a different experience.
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Post by tiffany on Dec 29, 2014 12:55:27 GMT
I am also late so Merry Christmas everyone. We had turkey on Christmas Eve since I celebrate on that day, Swedish tradition, while the kids celebrate with their spouses on Christmas Day, it works out very well. We then had turkey, lamb and duck on Christmas Day with friends. Happy New Year everyone. Marielouise, my family is half French, and they celebrate Christmas on Dec 24 as well, as do most Italians, Portuguese, Spanish, Croatians, etc. Celebrating Christmas on Dec 24 is actually a catholic tradition that has to do with celebrating the end of Advent, which is at midnight on Dec 24. People were supposed to fast during Advent, so they would prepare a big feast and have a big party as soon as Advent was over. Over the years though, people started celebrating earlier in the night, as it’s hard to wait until midnight to celebrate when you have young children. I celebrate Christmas both Dec 24 and 25, but still enjoy our Christmas Eve celebrations the best.
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Post by purvis on Dec 29, 2014 16:37:55 GMT
Merry Christmas to all. A special thankyou to our Canadian members. I recently spent a week in Toronto and was treated so well by the locals. I would only have to pull a city map out of my pocket and someone was there to help. I don't think I have come across such hospitality in my travels. I’m glad you enjoyed Toronto so much and that the people were friendly. I live here and sometimes find the people to be cold, so it’s nice to hear that you had a different experience. Tiffany: I lived in Oakville for 31years and agree with you that Toronto is a cold place and I don't mean weather wise. The first thing my husband & I noticed in BC is people greet each other when they walk the streets something that just didn't happen in Toronto or Oakville for that matter. Have had complete strangers stop and offer me a lift home when I'm carrying groceries. That would never happen back east either. Without asking folk have offered to get groceries off top shelves at grocery shelves for me as I'm short (4'11") If you want to meet friendly folk then come west. I live now in Alberta and the people here are just as friendly as those in BC. Purvis
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Post by californian on Dec 29, 2014 16:41:14 GMT
Tiffany, Marieluise, I grew up with the same tradition, Christmas Eve dinner and staying up past midnight, even if we not all went to midnight Mass, there were few presents to be opened then, but we all have dinner together, of course was easier to stay up in the Southern Hemisphere where is summer and everyone took a nap in the afternoon. We tried to keep the same tradition when we came North, first trying the midnight, then 10pm, then 9 until we decided it was better to have dinner at the normal time and open presents in the morning. Happy New Year!!
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Post by tiffany on Dec 29, 2014 20:07:19 GMT
Tiffany, Marieluise, I grew up with the same tradition, Christmas Eve dinner and staying up past midnight, even if we not all went to midnight Mass, there were few presents to be opened then, but we all have dinner together, of course was easier to stay up in the Southern Hemisphere where is summer and everyone took a nap in the afternoon. We tried to keep the same tradition when we came North, first trying the midnight, then 10pm, then 9 until we decided it was better to have dinner at the normal time and open presents in the morning. Happy New Year!! Californian, we don’t stay up until midnight anymore either. I guess we’re all getting told old for that! We usually have dinner around 7:00 p.m. and then open our gifts and head home around 10:30/11:00 p.m. One of my traditions is to take the long route home in order to look at all of the Christmas lights.
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Post by Boop on Dec 29, 2014 20:14:57 GMT
I am also late so Merry Christmas everyone. We had turkey on Christmas Eve since I celebrate on that day, Swedish tradition, while the kids celebrate with their spouses on Christmas Day, it works out very well. We then had turkey, lamb and duck on Christmas Day with friends. Happy New Year everyone. Oh.....a "turlamduc"!! Happy New Year ml and everyone else!!
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Post by marielouise on Dec 29, 2014 21:08:02 GMT
I am also late so Merry Christmas everyone. We had turkey on Christmas Eve since I celebrate on that day, Swedish tradition, while the kids celebrate with their spouses on Christmas Day, it works out very well. We then had turkey, lamb and duck on Christmas Day with friends. Happy New Year everyone. Marielouise, my family is half French, and they celebrate Christmas on Dec 24 as well, as do most Italians, Portuguese, Spanish, Croatians, etc. Celebrating Christmas on Dec 24 is actually a catholic tradition that has to do with celebrating the end of Advent, which is at midnight on Dec 24. People were supposed to fast during Advent, so they would prepare a big feast and have a big party as soon as Advent was over. Over the years though, people started celebrating earlier in the night, as it’s hard to wait until midnight to celebrate when you have young children. I celebrate Christmas both Dec 24 and 25, but still enjoy our Christmas Eve celebrations the best. Tiffany, I spent my first 12 years in Stockholm and although it was not a very religious country, actually everyone born at that time automatically became Lutheran, it has changed now. We always ate fish on Fridays and advent was celebrated, lighting candles every Sunday before Christmas Eve. We also kept the tree until 20 days after Christmas Eve, with a big celebration and dancing around the tree. I don't know if people still do it. Also Dec 13 is also very important, St Lucia day, a Sicilian saint, who according to tradition brought the light back during the winter solstice' We moved to Montreal, where I lived for over 30 years, where I was exposed to some of the French traditions and food. I love tourtiere.
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Post by marielouise on Dec 29, 2014 21:10:16 GMT
I’m glad you enjoyed Toronto so much and that the people were friendly. I live here and sometimes find the people to be cold, so it’s nice to hear that you had a different experience. Tiffany: I lived in Oakville for 31years and agree with you that Toronto is a cold place and I don't mean weather wise. The first thing my husband & I noticed in BC is people greet each other when they walk the streets something that just didn't happen in Toronto or Oakville for that matter. Have had complete strangers stop and offer me a lift home when I'm carrying groceries. That would never happen back east either. Without asking folk have offered to get groceries off top shelves at grocery shelves for me as I'm short (4'11") If you want to meet friendly folk then come west. I live now in Alberta and the people here are just as friendly as those in BC. Purvis Purvis I found the same when we moved to Calgary, I was surprised people said hello to us on the street and even at the checkout buying food. People are generally friendly in Calgary but I have noticed more impatience particularly while driving since the city has grown so much.
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Post by marielouise on Dec 29, 2014 21:12:46 GMT
I am also late so Merry Christmas everyone. We had turkey on Christmas Eve since I celebrate on that day, Swedish tradition, while the kids celebrate with their spouses on Christmas Day, it works out very well. We then had turkey, lamb and duck on Christmas Day with friends. Happy New Year everyone. Oh.....a "turlamduc"!! Happy New Year ml and everyone else!! LOL, Boop, they were all cooked separately, the friends made turkey and lamb, we made duck, it was from Ontario and did not seem as fatty as my memory of Brome Lake duck, which is very delicious. Our duck was very good too and easy to roast.
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Post by marielouise on Dec 29, 2014 21:21:24 GMT
Tiffany, Marieluise, I grew up with the same tradition, Christmas Eve dinner and staying up past midnight, even if we not all went to midnight Mass, there were few presents to be opened then, but we all have dinner together, of course was easier to stay up in the Southern Hemisphere where is summer and everyone took a nap in the afternoon. We tried to keep the same tradition when we came North, first trying the midnight, then 10pm, then 9 until we decided it was better to have dinner at the normal time and open presents in the morning. Happy New Year!! Since I was very young in Sweden, my father dressed as Santa would come around 5 pm, it was pitch black, with the presents, then we would have ham and rice porridge, which somehow is very important. They used to leave rice porridge for the "tomte" a kind gnome who looked after the farm animals. Rice I think would have been very expensive in Sweden when the tradition started. We would eat exotic fruits, oranges, usually Sicilian blood, figs and dates. Usually we were in bed by midnight. Very early the next morning while it was still dark, we would go to church, if you lived in the country you would go by horsedrawn sleigh and there would be torches lighting the way. Stockholm is very far north so the days would be very short.
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Post by tiffany on Dec 29, 2014 21:22:52 GMT
Marielouise, my family is half French, and they celebrate Christmas on Dec 24 as well, as do most Italians, Portuguese, Spanish, Croatians, etc. Celebrating Christmas on Dec 24 is actually a catholic tradition that has to do with celebrating the end of Advent, which is at midnight on Dec 24. People were supposed to fast during Advent, so they would prepare a big feast and have a big party as soon as Advent was over. Over the years though, people started celebrating earlier in the night, as it’s hard to wait until midnight to celebrate when you have young children. I celebrate Christmas both Dec 24 and 25, but still enjoy our Christmas Eve celebrations the best. Tiffany, I spent my first 12 years in Stockholm and although it was not a very religious country, actually everyone born at that time automatically became Lutheran, it has changed now. We always ate fish on Fridays and advent was celebrated, lighting candles every Sunday before Christmas Eve. We also kept the tree until 20 days after Christmas Eve, with a big celebration and dancing around the tree. I don't know if people still do it. Also Dec 13 is also very important, St Lucia day, a Sicilian saint, who according to tradition brought the light back during the winter solstice' We moved to Montreal, where I lived for over 30 years, where I was exposed to some of the French traditions and food. I love tourtiere. It sounds like a lot of the Lutheran traditions are similar to the Catholic ones, like eating fish on Fridays before Christmas. I don’t recall having to keep the tree up for 20 days after December 24, however, my grandmother, who was both catholic and very superstitious, used to tell me it was bad luck to take the tree down before the Epiphany (Jan 6). She said the tree was supposed to be up for the full 12 days of Christmas. Most people I know take the tree down shortly after New Year’s day, including myself, however, some people keep it up longer. In Toronto, a lot of people celebrate the orthodox Christmas in Jan, so they obviously keep their decorations up until mid/end of January. Tourtiere is one of my favourite Christmas dishes as well, and I’m glad you liked it. We have it with most meals during the Christmas holidays, and I will be having it again on New Year’s Day. I can’t wait!
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Post by Oz-T on Dec 29, 2014 21:32:28 GMT
Glad to hear everybody's Christmas meals were enjoyable. Down in the southern hemisphere it's often too hot at Christmas to enjoy the roast turkey or pork - so more families are serving cold seafood (lobster, prawns, smoked salmon etc) instead. Christmas Day wasn't too hot this year so it was pleasant weather on the day. We have a Boxing Day holiday on 26 December as well - this meant we had four straight days off work (2 public holidays + Saturday and Sunday). We spend each Boxing Day with family that we didn't get to see on Christmas Day. It's also a mad day for post-Christmas sales at the stores (much like the USA's Friday after Thanksgiving). Fortunately, I was cautious with my Christmas feasting and didn't put on any weight.
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Post by tiffany on Dec 29, 2014 22:17:15 GMT
Glad to hear everybody's Christmas meals were enjoyable. Down in the southern hemisphere it's often too hot at Christmas to enjoy the roast turkey or pork - so more families are serving cold seafood (lobster, prawns, smoked salmon etc) instead. Christmas Day wasn't too hot this year so it was pleasant weather on the day. We have a Boxing Day holiday on 26 December as well - this meant we had four straight days off work (2 public holidays + Saturday and Sunday). We spend each Boxing Day with family that we didn't get to see on Christmas Day. It's also a mad day for post-Christmas sales at the stores (much like the USA's Friday after Thanksgiving). Fortunately, I was cautious with my Christmas feasting and didn't put on any weight. Oz, Boxing Day is a holiday in most Canadian provinces as well, and we also have the big “Boxing Day Sales” on December 26. In fact, it’s more like “Boxing Week Sales” now-a-days. We usually have a big family dinner on December 26 as well, as it’s hard to always fit everyone in on December 24 and 25. I can understand the logic of a cold Christmas dinner in Australia, but I’d probably go hungry as I’m allergic to fish and seafood! I’m glad you were disciplined and didn’t overeat during the holidays. I wish I could say the same! I’m planning on getting back to my normal diet on January 2, as I have a big New Year’s Eve and New Year’s day dinner.
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Post by Oz-T on Dec 29, 2014 22:32:25 GMT
You wouldn't go hungry or be disappointed on Christmas Day here, Tiffany. Not everyone goes for seafood. If we're expecting a really hot day we would cook the meats the day before (that's my job usually, using the kettle barbecue outside). So our Christmas meal the next day will be turkey slices, served cold with cranberry sauce, and cold pork with apple puree. It sure makes it easier on Christmas Day if the meat is already cooked and sitting in the fridge. And our Boxing Day sales do extend several days (or weeks) beyond the main day. Plenty of bargains can be had - as I discovered on Saturday when we purchased an item of furniture that was incredibly discounted.
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Post by purvis on Dec 30, 2014 3:25:07 GMT
You wouldn't go hungry or be disappointed on Christmas Day here, Tiffany. Not everyone goes for seafood. If we're expecting a really hot day we would cook the meats the day before (that's my job usually, using the kettle barbecue outside). So our Christmas meal the next day will be turkey slices, served cold with cranberry sauce, and cold pork with apple puree. It sure makes it easier on Christmas Day if the meat is already cooked and sitting in the fridge. And our Boxing Day sales do extend several days (or weeks) beyond the main day. Plenty of bargains can be had - as I discovered on Saturday when we purchased an item of furniture that was incredibly discounted. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL: May this New Year bless you with health, happiness, love and wonderful travels. Purvis
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Post by Oz-T on Dec 30, 2014 5:20:01 GMT
Thanks Purvis; I hope you had a great Christmas and that 2015 brings health and happiness. I read that you once lived at Oakville. We were at Niagara in 2000 and some friends of ours lived at Oakville at the time. They drove down to Niagara (Canadian side) and we walked over the bridge from the New York side, meeting at a restaurant where we had dinner. For an Aussie, it felt a bit strange walking to another country.
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Post by tiffany on Dec 30, 2014 12:49:12 GMT
Happy New Year to everyone, and happy travels for 2015! I can’t believe there’s only 2 days left to 2014!
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Post by Boop on Dec 30, 2014 21:35:22 GMT
Happy New Year to everyone, and happy travels for 2015! I can’t believe there’s only 2 days left to 2014! Right back at 'ya tiffany!! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
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Post by Tonnet on Dec 30, 2014 23:03:33 GMT
We are now going into countdown mode for the New Year here in Australia. It is just on 7am in Western Australia and 10am on the East Coast (9am in Queensland) heading for New Year's Eve celebrations.
Best wishes to all for a very happy, healthy 2015!
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Post by chech on Dec 31, 2014 18:19:45 GMT
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