I have spent three Christmas seasons in Australia so far as I say in the original post, and this year I will be having my fourth! It is my cousin’s 80th birthday on Christmas Day so we are going to help him celebrate whilst enjoying Antipodean festivities one more time. The article I link to below was from 2022 when I couldn’t imagine going back again, but rereading it has reminded me about the very different magic of Christmas under the sun. Give it a read and wish me luck as I board the plane tomorrow, because I am not a good flier!
https://davidgpearce205.blog/2022/12/19/christmas-in-australia/
I often look back as regular readers of my blog will know all too well! This article reflecting my childhood Christmas Days was one that I wrote from a kaleidoscope of memories and it is my own experience. I think it is, however, probably quite true to the Christmases of so many of us who grew up in this decade.
Ten years ago I had this crazy idea to re-enact the Christmas Truce matches played a hundred years earlier. My daughter was playing at Anchorians Football Club at the time so I floated the idea and the chairman Leigh Willis backed me to the hilt despite the misgivings of some others at the club. The result was a Boxing Day morning like no other and one that everyone really enjoyed. Looking back it was probably one of the best things I have ever done. The story of the truce of 1914 and the centenary matches are in the article below.
https://davidgpearce205.blog/2022/12/22/the-christmas-truce-1914/
This is genuinely one of my favourite ever posts because it was noticed by the lovely Isla St Clair herself. She said how much she enjoyed it and said that it had inspired her to write to the record company to regain the rights to the recordings. Judging by her website, which has free access to the entire album she succeeded! I really urge you to hear it for yourself after reading my original review.
https://davidgpearce205.blog/2022/12/17/isla-by-isla-st-clair-re-play/
A Classic Christmas is an album I have had on three formats at one time or another, but it was the vinyl copy that reintroduced me to its marvellous mix of festive music. With familiar pieces of music throughout and some fascinating details inside, the album is simply a treasure trove. I can’t recommend it highly enough. Read my reflection on it below and if you don’t seek out anything else, take a listen to Hely-Hutchinson’s sublime reworking of Christmas carols. It is an album that should be on every Christmas listening list.
https://davidgpearce205.blog/2022/12/16/a-classic-christmas-re-play/
David Pearce - Popular Culture and Personal Passions 