Getting Ready for Christmas, St Helena Style!

It’s strange. I suppose if you haven’t experienced it, it’s hard to describe. For those of us used to northern hemisphere weather, being in the southern hemisphere for ‘winter’ feels wrong!
As I walk up Main Street in Jamestown, workers are putting up Christmas lights in 26 degrees! Two fabulous Trees have been erected and decorated. Shops have stalls outside and Christmas songs are constantly in earshot.
But it feels wrong.
It should be cold, with a frost on the ground. It should be dark in the afternoons, not bright and sunny! I shouldn’t be in shorts and a T-shirt. I shouldn’t be able to leave the doors and windows open until well into the evening. I’d leave the door open longer, but the cockroaches fly in once it gets to a certain time.
Earlier in the year, on the advice of my Saint colleagues Annie and Tessa, Tessa ordered me a Christmas tree. I did get a bit worried when with little over a week to go there was still no sign. But a quick conversation with Tessa resulted in (or maybe it was just coincidence?) a beautiful real tree being delivered to the door. Time to decorate and wrap presents.

The next point of concern is the arrival (or not) of a turkey. I ordered one from South Africa in September, but hadn’t heard a thing. I bumped into Julia in town from the local restaurant (2 on Main) and she told me that she’d heard that no turkeys had been ordered. Not one to panic and certainly not over a turkey (after all there is pork, gammon and beef in the freezer), I contacted the retailer, who assured me my turkey was awaiting collection.
St Helenians don’t generally have a traditional turkey, so I guess those imported are mainly for us ex-pats! I’ve yet to find ‘pigs in blankets’ though, but did unearth some frozen chipolatas! Why would we import turkey, when we can have fresh pork or gammon – or even more sought after – something with bones – they love their bones! The first curry I had at a local function was full of bones – beef curry – with bones/on the bone, chicken curry with bones/on the bone. It probably wouldn’t have been such a shock, if I had known. The food was lovely, but I am not a ‘bone’ person.

We are a little unsure of our plans now for Xmas Day itself.
Wellington (Governor Mark Capes’ dog) is coming for Xmas! The Governor is going away on 23rd December and has been let down by the appointed ‘dog sitter’ As we don’t know how the dogs will react on their own, we don’t think we can leave them for too long. We have been invited to various friends so will spend an hour or so calling in, before settling in to Christmas Day at home with Skype!

Mail arrived on the ship this week – the first mail from Ascension for a while. Of the various cards and letters, the earliest was posted on 23rd October and the latest a month later on 19th November - All arrived together, collected 19th December!!
Boxing Day is sorted though – Hazel, David and Deanna are hosting a Piccolo BBQ, so looking forward to that.