‘Tis the season to be jolly and here at umSisi House, that may look a little different to your usual Christmas fare. The Christmas holidays in South Africa and festivities around this time of year are very unlike the typical image that those in the north have of Christmas. Frosty covered landscapes are replaced with lush green gardens beaming with flowers in bloom. Mulled wine is replaced with a chilled crisp chardonnay. And ugly Christmas jumpers are replaced by … well, bikinis, shorts and flip-flops! As much as we can’t do all things ‘Christmassy’ that the northern hemisphere does so well, there are some perks to enjoying a summer-time Christmas!
And what better perk than to enjoy a Christmas lunch outside with the veranda being the chosen spot for that long lazy lunch. Our kitchen really comes alive at this time of year, with smells filtering through the house that will make your mouth water in anticipation.
We also like to take as much of the cooking outside as possible because you don’t want to waste a beautiful sunny day in South Africa. Delicious lamb roasted gently on the braai (the South African word for barbeque), with all the trimmings to complement it. Prawns are a popular feature on any South African festive table, and why not when they are the perfect partner to a fresh green salad.
At umSisi House, we source as many of our ingredients locally as is possible, and we make sure to use what’s seasonal and fresh. Having Christmas during South Africa’s summer really expands our choice of ingredients and allows us to bring an array of colour and texture to our harvest table lunch. Al fresco dining with plenty ice-cold drinks to sip on – this is the perfect definition of a Christmas lunch in South Africa.
Then, once the feast is over, deciding how to spend your afternoon at umSisi House just adds to the fun of the day. A gentle stroll through the gardens to walk off your lunch is always a good idea but if you can’t avoid that post-lunch snooze, our favourite spot would have to be under the shade of the trees. The more energic family members can play some garden games or enjoy a refreshing splash in the pool.
Festive summer Christmas holidays in South Africa are something we do well and feel everyone has to experience at least once in their lifetime. Chat to us if you want to spend your next Christmas holiday under the warm South African sun here at umSisi House.
