Christmas in Australia: X-mas Guest Post and Giveaway with Anna Campbell

Christmas Upside Down! 

Actually, who’s to say that you guys aren’t upside down and we Aussie are the right way up?

Hi Rita! All the best of the season to you and yours! I love the idea of doing a series of pieces on special Christmas memories here on Not Another Romance Blog.

I’ve only experienced one Northern Hemisphere Christmas – way back in the Dark Ages, aka 1985, when I lived in London. It was exactly like the Christmases that still feature on our Christmas cards here. You know, snow and church bells and robins in frosty landscapes and people rugged up against the bitter cold.

And it didn’t feel like Christmas to me at all!

All we girls in our apartment tried to make it a real Christmas, we really did. A couple of us went to the midnight service at St Paul’s cathedral (sadly so crowded you couldn’t see anything although you could hear the heavenly music from the choir), we cooked a turkey (and nearly came to blows over how to do it!) and heated up a Marks and Spencer plum pudding, we even crowded into the downstairs neighbor’s place to watch the Queen’s Christmas message.

But it just wasn’t…right.

For Aussies, Christmas means long summer days and heat and summer fruit. When I was a kid, summer was the only time you could get watermelon (it’s now available all year and it’s seedless and, you know, it doesn’t taste nearly as good as it used to!). And mangoes! Mangoes are the taste of an Australian summer.

Christmas means stuffing yourself silly with a turkey (that has previously been stuffed silly) and plum pudding even though it’s about 100 degrees outside and anyone with any sense would be eating ice-cream and salads. It means having family around and listening to the stories you’ve heard a million times before – but everyone’s too hot to shift out of earshot.

It means looking forward to a day of doing absolutely nothing (except continue the digestion process and maybe pick at the mountains of leftovers) as we all flop in front of the TV and watch the Boxing Day cricket match after Christmas Day. Or heading for the beach to cool off.

It also means swearing that next year, we’ll all eat something sensible like seafood or a barbecue instead of this huge stodgy meal designed for the middle of an English winter.

Then next year, of course, it’s turkey and pork and ham and gravy and baked veg and all the glorious stodge once again!

More info in  Author Preview

I wish you all a very happy Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate at this time of year).  

So have you ever experienced a Christmas that just wasn’t your traditional celebration? How did it feel?

I’d love to hear your stories. And in turn share one of mine! One lucky commenter will receive a signed copy of my latest release MY RECKLESS SURRENDER! Good luck! 

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~*~Giveaway Details~*~

Anna Campbell has generously offered to giveaway a signed copy of her latest release, 'My Reckless Surrender' to one (1) lucky commenter. Follow the guidelines below and comment for your chance to win! The giveaway will end on Thursday, December 23rd, 2010 at 11:59:00 PM. The winner will be announced on Christmas Eve and contacted via email shortly after. 

Giveaway Guidelines: To be entered in the giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment and either answer Anna's question or leave one of your own!

*Make sure to include your email address (NO EMAIL= INVALID ENTRY)

For Extra Entries (do one or more of the following for extra shots at winning):

+2 'Like' Anna's Facebook Fan Page

+2 'Like'  The 'Not Another Romance Blog' Blog on Facebook

+4 Spread the word: Tweet on Twitter, Post a Facebook status, or blog about this guest post and giveaway (provide a link in you entry comment)

+5 Become a Follower/ Be a Follower

(A how-to guide for providing links to specific Facebook and Twitter status': here)

-Tell me in your comment which extra entries you are entitled to or they won't count!

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Hope you enjoyed today's X-mas Guest Post from Anna Campbell in: