Merry Christmas - Tim Minchin-style

I was introduced to this new Christmas song today ... this White Wine in the Sun song and I wandered into it, smiling at first but then falling into the great deep hole known as ‘Oh!  I miss my family terribly at Christmas time’.

You can read more about the superb Tim Minchin over on his Official Website, and if you’re cleverer than me, you can install iTunes and purchase the song. (Oh the shame of not managing to install iTunes yet), with 50% of the proceeds from White Wine at Christmas going to Autism research.

The song led me into the land of amused then suddenly, at about 4 minutes, Tim veered off into tear-making lyrics about home .. a home that I know.  Like him, I’m a creature from those lands downunder. 

You see, my eyes are blue, I still consider myself one of dad’s girls, and I’m at least 9000 miles from home ... I have one brother living in Perth, another in Adelaide and my beautiful sister back home in Dunedin.  And as chance would have it, Dad walked in at her place just now ... as I phoned home to wish her and her family a Merry Christmas on their Christmas morning, 12 hours ahead of us over here in Belgium.

But the lyrics that got me…
Tim sings to his baby daughter:
And you’re too young to know
But you will learn one day
That wherever you are and whatever you face
These are the people
Who’ll make you feel safe in the world
My sweet blue-eyed girl

Girl when Christmas comes
Your brothers and sisters
Your aunts and your uncles
Your grandparents, cousins
And me and your mum.
Will be drinking white wine in the sun
Waiting for you in the sun
Drinking white wine in the sun
Waiting for you

Mum used to drink white wine and she would have loved this song.  It brought back memories of the family gatherings we had when we were all still living at home ... those days we didn’t know were golden because Mum was alive and we were all doing that thing we imagined we would be doing forever ... a little of the drinking white wine in the sun even.

Have a lovely Christmas where ever you are and all the very best things in 2010.

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RD writes on Fri Dec 25, 2009

Beautiful lyrics! And meaningful as I enjoy some Christmas with family I don’t see too often. These people are my foundation—I understand what he’s telling his baby. I hope you and your family, the one you can surround yourself with, have a beautiful Christmas!

• Author:RD
• Posted:Dec 25, 2009

Judy writes on Fri Dec 25, 2009

We have family overseas too and having been an expat several times I have had the holiday ‘blues’. Maybe a good idea is to make a video of special and just normal moments (f.e. a meal) during the year and share it with them at Christmas.Not the same as being there, but very precious. I hope u have a lovely day today, one that makes you smile when u remember it.

• Author:Judy
• Posted:Dec 25, 2009

Lisa writes on Fri Dec 25, 2009

Okay, I gotta stop coming here because every time I do I cry.   This is so true though!  Coming from a girl 4,600 long, long miles from home on the holidays.

• Author:Lisa
• Posted:Dec 25, 2009

Di writes on Fri Dec 25, 2009

I’m glad you thought they were beautiful too, RD.  I had a lovely day with Gert’s people, even if they will never love me as my family back home in NZ loved me.

Thanks Judy, and yes, I think today was special enough. I haven’t been ‘home’ in more than 5 years but believe me, when I finally get there, I will photograph ALL those normal moments for later, when I’m missing home.

I’m sorry, Lisa but they were delicious tears, weren’t they?  I listened to that song so many times last night. He captures it so perfectly.  I do believe that we must hook up in 2010 though.  We have stuff to talk about xx

• Author:Di
• Posted:Dec 25, 2009

Robyn writes on Fri Dec 25, 2009

As a kiwi on the other side of the world too, the Tim Minchin clip made me feel rather homesick! But he is a talented guy and I love what he does. So thanks for sharing.

• Author:Robyn
• Posted:Dec 25, 2009

christina writes on Fri Dec 25, 2009

7,850 km for me (don’t know how much that is in miles!)

That’s a very touching song. I can relate as well. But luckily we also have people here that love us very much and that makes things a little bit easier, doesn’t it?

Merry Christmas to you and yours, Di.

• Author:christina
• Posted:Dec 25, 2009

Shashikiran writes on Sat Dec 26, 2009

Merry Christmas, Di. And more joy, and more achievement in 2010. You are remembered in Bangalore, which is somewhere halfway between your two worlds.

• Author:Shashikiran
• Posted:Dec 26, 2009

Di Mackey writes on Mon Dec 28, 2009

Lovely to find you here, Robyn and then to wander over to your blog.  Glad you liked Tim

It does make it easier, having people who love us here in our European world, Christina   I was just missing my dad, sister and brothers something fierce, and then there was the memory of Christmas’ past to contend with ... the one where mum made everything right.

Thank you, Shashikiran.  I appreciate someone in Bangalore remembering me and I hope that 2010 is full of even more of your beautiful stories.

• Author:Di Mackey
• Posted:Dec 28, 2009