It is strange to think of the buzz of excitement that most of our friends and family in America have right now. Thinking of family get-togethers, days off work and school, traveling in the winter weather with hopes of snow flurries to help get that holiday feel, decorating for Christmas, and standing in line for those early-morning bargains seem so foreign to us right now.
Instead of having thoughts of turkey this time of year, Kiwi's have much else going on. November in New Zealand reminds me a lot of May in the States. The end of November means exams at school, award ceremonies for end of the year accomplishments, excitement about summer plans, getting ready for summer break (starts in three weeks!) and gearing up for a wonderful and relaxing Christmas, which many Kiwis will spend on the beach.
This thanksgiving we will feast on chicken or ham, as enough turkey to feed six people costs well over $100. We will eat kumra with raspberry and vanilla flavored marshmallows, as that is the closest we can find to sweet potatoes and white marshmallows. And if we eat pumpkin, it will most likely be as a vegetable, as the idea of sweet pumpkin (or canned pumpkin pie filling) isn't common in New Zealand. Though our feast will look different than yours in many ways, and though we may be worlds apart, we all still have so much to be thankful for. Enjoy your turkey-day, your families, and this upcoming holiday season!
2 comments:
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Amy & Joe! Sounds like you will soon have to gear up from company from the U.S.!
Keri
Wow, things have changed a LOT in 3 years. Thanksgiving of 2005 I was able to buy a Number 3 turkey, which was 3 kilos on sale for $20. I like the NZ marshmallows for eating plain, but they do not work out so well for cooking. Kumara really are just sweet potatoes, just like they call rutabagas swedes, although those are more common in the South. If you want a real challenge, try to find what New Zealanders call yams any where else in the world. In the US sweet potatoes and yams are synonymous. Yams in NZ are completely different. I have not yet been able to find them anywhere here in America for my kiwi hubby.
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