South African celebrities share their Christmas traditions and wishes

As the festive season approaches, South African celebrities are opening up about how they plan to spend Christmas, their traditions, and their wishes for the season.

Artscape Theatre Centre CEO Marlene Le Roux reflected on the deeper meaning of Christmas.

“Advent is a period of hope, serving as a season for reflection, renewal, and the promise of a brighter future. While tradition calls for joyful gatherings with family and loved ones around the Christmas table, the festive season is not universally joyous.

“For many, it is marked by deep personal loss, personally I remember the passing of my mother on Christmas Day. 

“This complexity serves as a poignant reminder to look beyond our own celebrations and remember the less fortunate and those in mourning. Ultimately, the season's significance lies in balancing cherished traditions with a compassionate heart, ensuring that the spirit of the holidays emanates a commitment to supporting others.”

Comedian Marc Lottering shared that his Christmas will be a family affair, with a practical twist. 

“I plan to spend a large part of Christmas Day with relatives. I'll keep it neat and tidy as it's back to Colleen the Musical at the Baxter the next day.” 

Reflecting on a difficult year, he said: “This year has gone out of its way to remind me that life is short. I lost a close friend to cancer and have others in my circle dealing with cancer. 

“So my wish for all of us is to remember that we are all on borrowed time. And to treat each other kindness.”

Lottering added that he does not cook for Christmas: “I pay someone fabulous (my chef-friend Brenda) to cook for me, whatever my contribution to the table might be. And usually that would be a massive pot of lamb curry with roti and rice.”

Singer Salome Damon-Johansen spoke about continuing family traditions. 

“Every year Christmas would be at our house. I recently just was telling someone the story about how and why Christmas is so meaningful…

“I remember one year where I had nothing to offer my mother for Christmas. And it was just so sad for me to see how my mother had to struggle to make Christmas as beautiful as she did. So yeah, we always have Christmas at our place with my family and this year we decided to go to my wife's family.

“So that's what we're going to do. We'll be celebrating Christmas with Rosie's family.”

Salome also made sure to mention her trifle making skill.

“Making trifle is always my thing to do, because I am the trifle queen in my family. I'm making one for my family, I'm making one for Rosie's family, I'm making one for another friend, and so I don't know, I should start charging them, you know.

“But yeah, that's what it is.”

Salome also touched on the bitter-sweet side of Christmas: “You know, for me, recently, seeing so many people that have passed on just before Christmas, my wish is that families that have lost their loved ones, to make things easy on them. You know, it's going to be a bittersweet Christmas for people who have lost loved ones recently.”

Singer Robin Joorst-Pieters shared that his first Christmas as a husband will be extra special.

“My first Christmas as a husband. So that's going to be special. I love tradition, so I love the Christmas tree. So we haven't set that up yet, but we're en route to do that. And my best wishes for my supporters is that they get everything they want, anything they dream of.

“I pray they get any wish they would like to fulfill, that they fulfill it. And a happy, happy new prosperous year to each and every reader.”

Robin bragged about his husband making tiramisu. 

“My husband will be making tiramisu, we are not doing a Christmas lunch at our place even though we moved into a new home, we are going out for lunch and I'm making a lamb curry so that's what's happening for the first Christmas for these newlyweds.”

Salome and Robin will also be gifting their fans with a special show titled Dis Festive Hier Buite, to be hosted on 28 December at Fairbairn College in Goodwood, promising a festive line-up to close off  the year.

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Weekend Argus