Informant-Kendal Gee: 18, from Chicago. Her family is from Australia. Interview in person.

Holiday: Australian Christmas

            “In our family we celebrate Christmas slightly differently even though we live in America we have some Australian traditions. When we wake up instead of going to the tree we go to the end of our bed where there are Santa Sacks. Our parents leave Christmas parents for you under the tree but Santa put your presents in a sack at the end of your bed. It’s super traditional in Australia and my mother is from Australia so she wanted to keep the tradition with us. We also always have a lamb roast and brandy pudding because its an Australian tradition. Also, my grandfather used to invite us all over to his house and he would dress up as Santa and run around a pole in the yard and then come back to the house and he would end up in someone’s bedroom and give us each a present. That was something my mothers father did for her as a child growing up so they brought it to America with them but I am not sure if that’s traditional in Australia.”

Thoughts: Kendal is one of my best friends and often talks about her Australian traditions but I had never heard this one until I interviewed her. The traditions are all new to me but I think its awesome that even though her mother doesn’t live in Australia and Kendal never has, they maintain the traditions to teach them about their heritage.