A Christmas Joke

In our bon bons, we, like every other user of bon bons, get bad jokes, and read them out to our families. We'd just finished reading out such delights as "Why are fish easy to weigh? Because they have their own scales!" when my brother said something about laughing at a joke about Tiger Woods the other day. My aunt asked him what it was.
And he launched right into it.

"Why is Father Christmas better than Tiger Woods? He stops at three hos"

Cue a gasp and a laugh, and my grandfather asking him to repeat it and then explain it, and my mother being horribly embarrassed. My aunt explained to him, and it went okay but my goodness I wouldn't have been brave enough to tell a dirty joke in front of my grandfather!

We had slightly upmarket bonbons, with such prizes as giant paper clips, round dice, little notebooks, tiny packs of cards, and nail clippers. And jokes on shiny paper. The other day my brother and his girlfriend had a Christmas party with their friends and had jokes like " Why are elephants not small, white and fluffy? Because then they'd be an aspirin".

One day I want to make bonbons with better jokes in them, and perhaps sell them on Etsy.

We also have a tradition where we must cross our arms to pull the bonbons. Fun times! How about you? Do you have any? What was your worst or best joke this year? Any particular traditions?

Santa Claus vs Father Christmas

When I was little, he was called Father Christmas, NEVER Santa Claus. Santa was, we were told, what children in America called him, and Saint Nicholas, what people in Europe called him. He was all the same person, but he was drawn and portrayed in different ways. Father Christmas usually didn't have a hat (when seeing him in real life. He did on cards and on the big statue of him in the mall), he had a wreath of holly or ivy on his head, he also often



wore a robe or a hood. He often wore glasses. Sometimes he had pants and black boots, other times an ankle length robe or coat. He seemed a bit more mystical though he was still jolly. Over the years, the increased American media, and the Internet, has led to people in shops calling him 'Santa' on signs, and children saying 'Santa' because of the tv shows they're watching which have him in it. My own brother is saying 'Santa', and he's 21. But he also insists on saying 'cookies' and 'candy' instead of biscuits and lollies just to piss me off- he likes saying the American words in a 'funny' way, like he's imitating a tv show.

This change makes me sad. I'm not entirely sure why, maybe because it's another example of us losing our uniqueness. A sign of commercialism, and mass media, and almost brainwashing.
'Father Christmas' puts a nice, calm image and feeling in my head. 'Santa Claus' somehow does not. It almost doesn't seem like the same person, though I know the idea is the same.
I will find it weird if my children eagerly await 'Santa' where I was excited for 'Father Christmas'. A weird culture shock in my own country and within 20 years. I guess I can still call him Father Christmas with my own children.

People right now are complaining that Santa is too fat, and is a bad example. Father Christmas (and Saint Nicholas for that matter) were never traditionally hugely obese (sure in some books they were, but the ones I saw in shops, were not). Maybe a bit of a belly but it didn't usually require shoving 3 pillows up your front. Maybe we should go back to the look they had in the 80s rather than the look they're having now. Then they still look Jolly, rather than like Gandalf dressed in red.



What did the Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, etc etc, look like when you were little? And do you still call him the same thing? (Especially if you're not American). What do you think about that?









































The actual Father Christmas of my childhood, from the John Martin's Christmas Pageant. I visited him in John Martin's every year.

































Somehow him not having a hat makes a difference. And though he looks reasonably similar to the American one here, except not having a hat, most of the Santas around the place that I saw as a kid had hoods, long robes (sometimes over the top of the belted suit), no hat, glasses, long hair (not just a long beard) and all sorts.

*sigh* I hate change.

Cultural Shock Of The Day

On Fmylife

A group of college students are made to go to court, fined $25 and made to do 8 hours community service, for playing on the swings after dark.

People respond with "But the parks close after dark, so you deserve it"

What? Parks close in the USA? (At first I just thought it was only in New York, but the comments imply that it happens everywhere, and I just read a comment that says the parks are closed in England too after dusk...).

This is totally bizarre to me. Around here it's quite common for friends to go walking together after dark when NOT drunk (or even just a little drunk, and who really cares?), for teenagers to go and actually play on equipment but not do anything wrong after dark, for people to go out and exercise from 8-11 pm, in the dark. I've never heard of a park being 'closed'! If it doesn't have a fence around it, it's fair game. But you wouldn't want to make a lot of noise if there are houses nearby, but you'd just be moved on.

School Hat Policies

From West Wallsend School
From Happy Valley School


If you're moving to Australia, this might be something you don't know about!
In Australian primary schools, hats are usually compulsory. Some are compulsory just in the last and first terms of school (ie, in the hot weather), others all year round, whenever the children are outside. They're usually part of the school uniform and are of the school colour or have the school logo. Baseball caps are not acceptable hats. It's usually bucket hats or broadbrimmed hats or caps with a flap at the back (my least favourite...).
"No Hat, No Play" is a common phrase heard around Australia!

There was an article in the paper today about how Sunsmart Australia is trying to encourage high schools to get their high school students to wear hats.
We had to wear hats in Highschool for PE but not for just outside during lunch. We just put on sunscreen.

I do feel for those kids who hate what it does to their hair. They want to still look nice in the afternoon but they must completely redo their hair. It also used to make my head hot and my head feel horrible. But it is a good idea as it shades the face and (usually) neck, something which is needed in our hot country, where something like 1/3 get some form of skin cancer.

I say bring back shallow hats and hat pins so hats can perch on top of the head rather than being jammed over the ears. Or have hats be shady yet good looking rather than hugely daggy and dorky. (The bucket hat is the best option of the three for that, as long as it is broad brimmed like mine usually is). Then older kids don't have to worry about their hair. And it's not like they need strings around their chin to keep them on their heads as they play chasey. Or maybe some nice straw hats like the private schools have sometimes?
But, at least everyone is dorky together.

Christmas Decorations

Danish hearts by ViolinKeri
I want to make Christmas decorations. Now that I have dexterity in my fingers, unlike when I was in junior primary school and making popstick stars, I can actually make some decent things. Even simple things look nice.
I'd like to make some bead angels, make some polymer clay ornaments, and whatever else I can find. They'd be great to give as random presents to brighten people's day.




Link

(our tree is just a tree, no animals. And our candle thing holds two tiny candles, one at each end, and has people in it, not a town scene).

I'd like to make some from different cultures to remind me of our travels. In our house we've got some little ornaments from Germany- some wooden deer, and a tree made with curled shavings, and a little candle arch thing. They had them all over Germany and we loved them. Several years later my mother's penfriend sent us a tiny one. Getting the wooden tree was an 'ordeal'. We were in a Weinachtsmarkt (Christmas market) and I pulled myself together, got brave, and asked in a pretty good attempt at German, how much the little tree was. The woman answered me in German, and I asked her a few more questions. Until she said "Oh, let's just speak in English. I'm American!"

It was my first night in Germany and my first attempt at German too.

I'd also like to make some Danish paper hearts, as pictured above. I didn't see any, because I didn't go to Denmark, but when I was student teaching my mentor had one pinned to her noticeboard near her desk. It seems like a great project for kids either at home or in class, and you could teach them about different cultures and traditions while you do it, or you could buy them to give as cards or to put in your windows, if you're not in a making mood like I am.

I think I'm going to make it a tradition that every year, I'll make some more ornaments.

Sixth Happiest Nation!

Australia is apparently the 6th happiest nation out of 104 nations!

It came in after Finland, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Not bad, since everyone always talks about how great those countries are in terms of economics, democracy, education, health, safety, security, personal freedom, governance and social capital, all things that we apparently came into the top 10 for, and are also indicators of happiness according to the study. We 'lost out' on entrepreneurship and innovation, which the US and UK did best in. But still, pretty good, and we were at 15th place! The survey was apparently done by Legatum Institute, in London.

Canada was 7th, then Holland, USA and New Zealand. It was measured with 79 variables including quality of life.

What do you think about this?

And what's the relevance of the dog? He's a happy Australian Shepherd.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/littlekoshka/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

The Dreaming

So according to the Aboriginal Education Officer at my school, it should no longer be called "The Dreamtime" but "The Dreaming" (Which was out of favour 10 years ago and is now back). So there you go. Just thought I'd let you know about the change in attitude!

Living At Home

How common is it for 20-somethings to live with their parents in Australia? Has this changed in the past few years?

I'd say "Very common". Most of my friends live at home. Two went almost straight to jobs from high school (after TAFE or a year or so of uni before stopping), I and a friend are uni students (yep, still, at 24), one friend is married, but if she weren't married she intended to stay home until after she finished her degree. My boyfriend lives in a shared house thing by 'himself', because he lived in the hills and it was too far to come to uni every day, and also he didn't get along with his parents particularly well.

People start thinking about moving out of home at about end of uni (so, 21 ish) but it's certainly not uncommon to stay longer to save money or because you simply can't afford to move out (I won't be able to until... at least a year and a half away.), if you're at uni or if you're not. I really don't even mind, I usually like my family! I also think that people don't want to fuss around with room mates who you might not like, move out with boyfriends or girlfriends you might not stay with, loneliness, deal with renting crappy places, and so on. And parents don't usually go "Right, you're moving out!!", at least not amongst my 'class' of people.

There are of course people who move out at 18 but I've noticed that is very uncommon. People don't go away to uni unless they can't get the degree they want locally, for example if they live in the country. Most Australians live in cities, most cities have universities, Tafes or other ways to have further education (apprenticeships or what ever) in your choice of career, so we just stay home. No dorm life for most of us.

I don't think it's actually changed much recently, I don't believe this is a 'Recession!!!' issue, this is a different cultural attitude and different geographical facts.

School Question About Australia

This question is from iheartmetees .

She asks: What months do children go to school there?? Is it Aug/Sept to June like the US?

No, Iheartmetees, it's not. The reason for this is that our seasons are opposite to yours! June is the middle of our winter, and we don't get snow (in cities, where most of our population is). Our Summer is at Christmas time, so the summer/christmas holidays are combined. The children get a six or seven week holiday over Christmas/Summer, starting around the 11th of December and ending at the end of January.
The school year is divided up into four terms (two semesters), unless you live in Tasmania, where they kept the old three terms a year format (and I believe they get longer holidays). Each term is about 10 weeks long, some are shorter or longer depending on quite arbitary seeming things, and there is a two week break in between each of them.

Something that I consider good or interesting about this system (not that you can help it with your crazy backwards seasons :P ) is that it is the same calendar year for their whole school year. 2009, they ARE in year 3. Or whatever.

It's hard for me to wrap my head around only having a short holiday for Christmas!

Didgeridoo

About how long does it take to master the didgeridoo and do significant numbers of musical white Australians give it a try?


It takes a very long time to master the didgeridoo- because to play it 'properly' you need to develop cyclic breathing, that is, being able to breathe in while you're blowing out. The lip vibrations needed are also very difficult. I think that most kids have tried blowing into a didgeridoo or even just a cardboard tube, to try and make the sounds, but most musical adults don't take it up, they stick to things like the saxophone or the guitar or the keyboard- most white people seem to prefer to be able to play a tune. And there aren't many opportunities for a white didgeridoo player to play it.

Most people who buy didgeridoos are tourists, to be honest. Or you buy it as a cultural item, rather than something to play.

Something else to think about- women can't play it (and it's frowned upon for anyone white to play it too). According to Aboriginal traditional Law, it is a man's instrument. That's not stopped girls from giving it a try, but it's very much frowned upon, so by the time they're adults, most of the women don't try or play, out of respect. I haven't tried playing a didgeridoo since I was about 9 years old, it just seems wrong to do it, and when I tried, I didn't know the rules.

Nicole Kidman apparently played one in the Australia movie- that's caused quite a lot of backlash.

A Reason To Love Adelaide -Flashmobs

I think I'll post up reasons to love Adelaide every now and then.

Adelaide is a city in South Australia. And it's the only one of any size there. It's also rather isolated. It has over a million people but somehow it does still feel like a small town. And as a result, young people either bitch that it's a boring place, or, they make their own fun. My friend and I are in the 'make your own fun' category.

One of the things that some Adelaideians have come up with, is Flashmob. It's not as if we invented it, but they go and do it every month or so. I've not yet been, it's always been a day that I've had something else on. It's a group of people who are given instructions to do something. And it entertains or confuses people who watch. Yesterday they did something. The instructions I was given was "Meet in Hindmarsh Square, and bring bubble blowing equipment".

I'm not quite sure what they did. But I suppose photos will be up soon.

Other times they've dressed as ninjas and run through Rundle Mall, other times they've made a fake queue outside a shop pretending to wait for an author's signing or a release or something, not quite sure. They've done lots of other things too.