Hi! My name is Lena and I’m the receptionist at Langports, Brisbane.
Some of you might know that I’m not originally from Australia. I come from Sweden, a small country in Northern Europe, and I have only been in Australia for a little over three years. To me, Christmas is still all about the snow and the cold, which makes Australian Christmas a little bit weird.
Today, I thought I’d give you some thoughts for celebrating Christmas away from your home country.
I know that this is the one time of year that I tend to get a bit homesick, and I know that this is the case for a lot of people. Normally, Christmas is a time to get together with your family, maybe enjoy some of your favourite foods and, of course, Christmas presents.
The way I see it, you have two options. One, you can be thinking about all the things you’re missing out on at home, and feeling sad. Or, two, you can see this as a great opportunity to spend some time with your new family; your wonderful friends from all over the world, who are in the same situation as you!
Maybe you could all meet in someone’s house, or in the park; everyone can bring some nice food, listen to some Christmas music and maybe do a “Secret Santa” (buying a present for a set price and then exchanging them, ask your teacher and they will explain it to you!).
Or, you can do what I do; not celebrate Christmas at all, but just enjoy the holiday week, going to the beach, eating lots of ice cream and relaxing.
Just remember, the whole school is full of people who are away from their family, and it will be a lot more fun if you do something together!