{"id":203319,"date":"2024-12-10T11:51:50","date_gmt":"2024-12-10T09:51:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/?p=203319"},"modified":"2024-12-12T10:41:12","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T08:41:12","slug":"christmas-abroad-the-odendaalss-christmas-celebrations-over-the-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/christmas-abroad-the-odendaalss-christmas-celebrations-over-the-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas abroad: The Odendaals\u2019s Christmas celebrations over the years"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Alecia Odendaal<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you think of Christmas, it is synonymous with family and togetherness. However, if you live abroad, the Christmas celebrations are a little different.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We try to spend Christmas at least every second year with family, either in the country in which we reside, or in South Africa. However, if things do not work out, we grab at the opportunity to learn new things or to take a moment to experience a culture different from what we have been used to our whole lives. Our first Christmas on our own was in the small little hamlet of Galveston in Texas in them Mexican Gulf. We were young and simply scared to be alone over Christmas. I think that, in true American spirit, we went overboard! The Americans celebrate Christmas much like we do, with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day large family events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our first Christmas alone in Europe was actually quite nice. We had just bought a house and decided to only go home again the next Christmas, not knowing that the Covid-19 pandemic would keep us from going home again soon. We visited Christmas markets in Germany with our friends, enjoyed (and made our own) gl\u00fchwein and drank in the Christmas spirit in Europe. My husband also participated in the Santa Claus race against about 300 other Santas!   <\/p>\n\n\n