| Say Safari in South Africa and one
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| | Christmas to those portrayed in the
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| immediately thinks of hot, dusty plains
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| | cards. Barbeques take the place of the
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| filled with Mopani trees. And you
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| | fireplace and swimming in the sea is a
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| wouldn't be wrong!
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| | must to cool the fevered brow.
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| Add Christmas into the equation and the
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| | Of course, over time, new traditions
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| picture becomes a bit skewed. Surely
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| | become woven into the fabric of the
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| tinsel, angels and carols, let alone
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| | celebration, which only seeks to enhance
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| Santa in all his red and white clothing,
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| | this time of year. Instead of having the
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| have no place in this land of wild
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| | main meal of the day at lunchtime, in
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| animals, birds and sunshine?
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| | South Africa it is usually moved to the
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| No snow gently falling, no fireplaces
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| | cool of the evening. The long summer
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| filled with roaring, log fires, mulled
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| | days encourage friends and family to get
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| wine and frost, but wide, blue skies
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| | together enjoying each others company.
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| filled with sunshine, white sandy beaches
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| | The main message of Christmas is family.
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| with warm water lapping the shores and
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| | Spending the time together, re-connecting
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| photographs filled with - you've guessed
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| | in this mad, harried world is what
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| it - tinsel, angels and carols!
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| | matters most. Remembering, giving thanks
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| Historically, South Africa has had a
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| | for tradition past and present, renewing
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| tremendous European influence, right from
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| | our faith in one another.
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| the early settlers from Germany, Holland,
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| | Whether Christians, Muslims, Shintos,
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| France and of course Great Britain,
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| | Buddists, Jews, Hindus or the many other
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| bringing with them their traditions of
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| | religions - they all celebrate something
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| Christmas trees, holly, lights and
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| | at this time of the year and light plays
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| turkey.
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| | a big part in most of them.
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| Many of these traditions survive with
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| | We all love to drape tiny, sparkly lights
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| Santa visiting excited children in his
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| | into the trees in the garden; candles
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| grotto in all the big shopping malls in
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| | flicker on the table; glittering
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| the run-up to the big day, large fir tree
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| | jewellery given as gifts; the glint of
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| branches being sold beside the road for
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| | sunshine on the spray of the wave
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| you to take home and decorate with shiny
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| | crashing on rocks. It's a celebration.
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| baubles and golden stars.
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| | And somehow that's right. It feels good
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| Carols blare from loud speakers
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| | to be a part of something that transcends
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| proclaiming Good King Wenceslaus' trudge
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| | colours, creeds, hot and cold, north and
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| through snow-filled forests whilst the
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| | south. For at least one day in the year
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| temperature soars outside to 30 degrees
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| | everyone can rejoice.
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| in the shade. It's certainly a different
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