Christmas in South Africa

It has been 80-90 degrees and the sun is shining brightly as the kids swim on school holiday all month. There are no Christmas movies or specials on television and no holiday music playing on the radio. There is not that Christmas buzz or rushing to finish up your shopping list. No big cookie exchanges or parties to attend. Most people here are getting ready to go away for the holiday if they haven't already. I saw two houses in the neighborhood so far out of 1,000 that have Christmas lights up and obviously there will be no snow for building a snowman either. This surely does not feel like the Pittsburgh Christmases that we grew up with. Nope...it just doesn't feel like Christmas at all to my husband and I here, but to our kids they are still in the Christmas spirit, so we are going to do our best and make the BEST of it here again this year.

We have decorated the tree, had a visit from Santa, found our Elf on the Shelf each morning, baked some cookies and will be watching Christmas movies sent to us from our loved ones at home and bring the Christmas magic to South Africa for our kids :) And Christmas Day, after we open all of our presents and take a swim in the pool,  we will be having dinner at a lodge that lies on a game reserve of lions, giraffes, hyenas and other wild game. Hoping that these memories are ones that the girls will cherish when they are grown. Of course the biggest thing missing is our family and friends at home, which we will be thinking of all the while. Merry Christmas from South Africa!!!! We love and miss you all xoxoxo