WINTER IN SUMMER - SANTA ON THE BEACH / El invierno en verano - Santa Claus en la playa.

Hi my dear friends. Today we are going to know more about winter, summer, Christmas in summer, Australia, cricket, etc...

Hola mis queridos amigos. Hoy vamos a saber más sobre el  invierno, el verano, la Navidad en verano, Australia, cricket etc...

Info: SPEAK UP magazine

PHOTOS: Vicky.sun  /  Canterbury.stories  /  Magnific  /  Greyhound.Australia  /   Surfer.Today / ABC.News  /  Redbubble

WINTER IN SUMMER  -  SANTA ON THE BEACH

In Europe Christmas comes four days after the winter solstice or "mid-winter", marking the shortest and longest night of the year.  For many Europeans, therefore, especially in northern parts of the continent, Christmas and New Year mean cold weather -frost, icicles and maybe even snow.

In Australia, "Down Under", Christmas is also celebrated , with mostly the same traditions -Santa Claus brings presents to the kids, many people sing carols and some even decorate a Christmas tree.  There is one important difference, however, it is middle of the Australian summer, which usually means scorching heat and high humidity.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Instead of sitting down to Christmas lunch in a house with the heating full on, or sitting close to a real log fire, people in "Oz", do things outside -many go into the back yard to have a barbecue (or a "barbie" as they call it) to grill their dinner in the sunshine.  Many families go to the beach  or to the countryside and enjoy a picnic of cold turkey or ham and a salad.  The essential item to take on this outing is the "eski", or cooler, normally used to keep beer cold.  Inside it,  go the "tinnies" or "stubbies" which will wash down the food.

SANTA ON SHORTS

Father Christmas also has to adapt to the hot weather, and has been known to appear on the beach to greet children wearing shorts, something he certainly does not do in the northern hemisphere.  Whether the family has eaten outside in the garden or on the beach, lunch is often followed by everyone, young and old, taking part in a game of cricket.  Cricket is the number one summer sport in OZ and a national obsession. 

THE TEST MATCH

If Christmas afternoon is for amateur cricketers, the next day , Boxing Day is only for the professionals: traditionally, 26th of December is the first day of a five-day "Test match" -an international match when Australia take on one of the other powers of world cricket.  It is therefore essential to have plenty of beer chilled in the fridge at home to watch every moment of the match, which often starts around 11 am and goes on till around 6 or 7pm.

                                        

GLOSSARY

THEREFORE: por tanto  /  FROST: escarcha  /  DOWN UNDER: ahí abajo  /  SCORCHING HEAT: calor abrasador  /  FULL ON: al máximo  /  OZ: diminutivo para Australianos  /  TINNIE: lata de cerveza  /  TO GREET: saludar  /  TAKE ON:  enfrentarse  /