Christmas as an adult has looked very different from the ones I grew up with, but at its core, some things have always stayed the same. Food, togetherness (in whatever form that took), and creating a sense of warmth around the table continued to matter, even as places and people shifted.
For many years, Christmas was still spent in Cape Town or De Aar, just in a simpler way. In De Aar, the big hot festive meals slowly gave way to more relaxed braais. Less structure, more ease, and letting the day unfold naturally in the summer heat. In Cape Town, Christmas became a scaled-down affair, usually Christmas lunch with my mom and brothers. Smaller, more intimate, but still rooted in tradition.
As I got older, I started cooking more myself. I added my own flavour to the table while still trying to recreate the tastes I grew up with. Some dishes came close, others needed that extra something, but it felt good to make the food my own.
Cooking still started on Christmas Eve. Certain traditions stayed. A topside or silverside piece of beef was always part of the plan. Over time, we added gammon, something we didn’t really grow up eating much of, but which slowly became a favourite. My mom makes it incredibly well. Roasted garlic and herb chicken became another staple. Some years we added lamb, which I usually took charge of, along with a good pork belly, crispy and rich, that became another favourite on the table.
Side dishes shifted over the years too. My mom makes the best three-bean salad. She always makes it on Christmas Eve so the flavours can really develop by Christmas lunch. Some years we kept it light with a simple green salad because of the heat. Other years, roasted sweet potatoes or warm vegetable salads made their way onto the table.
Dessert was always simple. Christmas in South Africa is hot, so heavy puddings never really made sense. Ice cream was often enough. Some years I made Pavlova, which I loved doing, or brownies served with ice cream. And some years, instead of dessert at home, we’d head over to family for afternoon tea or dessert. Something relaxed, social, and very on brand for a summer Christmas.
For drinks, it was always very much summer style. Soft drinks, sparkling wine, and usually some kind of punch. Light, refreshing drinks that made sense for long, hot December days.
One year, when I was living in England and my mom and aunt came to visit, we spent Christmas having lunch at a restaurant. It was different from our usual Christmases, but still special in its own way.
Christmas shifted again when I moved from Cape Town to Toronto. That move added a completely different layer to my Christmases. Some years, if I didn’t travel home over the festive season, I spent Christmas on my own. I’d cook a full Christmas meal for myself, set the table just for me, and then happily eat leftovers for days after. Other years, I was invited into other people’s homes, spending Christmas with friends who slowly became family.
I grew up with hot Christmases, so experiencing full-on cold or white Christmases felt completely different. The seasons changed, but the food largely stayed the same. What really shifted were the drinks. Summer favourites gave way to mugs of hot chocolate, glasses of red wine (which I drink all year round anyway), and Baileys making its appearance. Those warm drinks added a different kind of comfort, making winter Christmases feel cozy and grounded.
Looking back now, I see how Christmas has changed with every season of my adult life. The places shifted. The tables looked different. Sometimes full and busy, other times quiet and simple. But the heart of it stayed the same.
Christmas through my seasons has taught me that traditions don’t disappear. They evolve. You carry them with you, adapt them, and make space for new ones along the way.
If you enjoyed this story, you might also like:👉 Christmas Who Raised Me, a look at the Christmases that shaped me before adulthood, from Cape Town and De Aar.
CocoaGirlinToronto 
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