Contributing writer, as well as United Kingdom native, David Nesbit reminisces about how he has embraced the ‘tropical Christmas’ in Indonesia for the past three decades.
Christmastime in the United Kingdom tends to arrive in the midst of rather uninspiring – if not downright freezing – weather, whereas Indonesia’s near-equatorial location ensures that, weather-wise, it is “just another day”. Namely, exceedingly hot.
Growing up as a boy and then morphing into an adult in England, Christmas meant waking up and leaving the house in darkness, then returning long after nightfall. It meant duffel coats and shivering, breath visible in the air, Christmas lights against cold skies, and trips to the pub.
In contrast to the reality I have been fortunate enough to experience over the last three decades, it truly is a world apart. My first Christmas as an expatriate in Indonesia was back in 1993 – more than three decades ago now – and it was certainly somewhat different in format and style from the twenty-odd Yuletides I had experienced in Blighty. The weather was not the only difference that grabbed my attention all those years ago; it was merely one of many that took some getting used to.
Coming from a non-Muslim country like the United Kingdom, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect in terms of festive celebrations or even acknowledgement of the season, but once again, I was in for a bit of a shock.
I had a vague understanding that Indonesia was – and still is – predominantly a Muslim country, so I assumed that any Christmas celebrations would be rather subdued. Imagine my surprise, then, to see malls and other public places decked out in holly and other Christmas-style decorations, complete with hymns and Christmas songs playing in the background – just like back home.
Christmas, I have long since realised, is indeed a time of celebration for Indonesian people – only the focus is somewhat different from that in the West. Rather than being – ostensibly, at least – a commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas in Indonesia is a celebration of community and society as a whole. It is a time when smiles abound, and differences are put aside so people can enjoy one another’s company.
Why do I say this? Well, in my opinion, there is an ease, a friendliness, a genuine hospitality at the heart of the festive season here in Indonesia. You feel it in the way colleagues ask about your plans, in the way communities come together, and even in the cheerful “Merry Christmas, Mister!” from people who may not be celebrating the holiday themselves. No one makes a fuss about differences. December simply becomes a month when everyone shares good wishes, offers food, and joins in the joy wherever they can.
And then there is the creativity – Indonesia doesn’t do Christmas half-heartedly. Step into any Jakarta mall in December, and you’re greeted with towering trees, shimmering lights, animatronic reindeer, and the occasional Santa Claus who looks suspiciously comfortable in sunglasses. Hotels compete to produce the most Instagram-worthy displays, churches are beautifully decorated, and even small shops get swept up in the sparkle. It’s festive, colourful and, most importantly, fun.
Food, too, takes on a life of its own. You might still attempt the traditional roast dinner, though cooking one in thirty-degree heat tests your stamina more than any school sports day I’ve ever supervised. But the alternatives are equally joyful: fresh tropical fruit, local Christmas dishes, and fusion meals that somehow blend British nostalgia with Indonesian flavour. I’ve learnt that a bowl of mango and rambutan can be just as festive as a mince pie. These things, taken together, give Indonesian Christmas its unexpected charm.
So, do I miss England and its rather chilly “traditional” Christmases? Sometimes. There is still something unique about the Yuletide season in the United Kingdom that simply can’t be replicated here, and I’m not merely talking about the weather. Shopping for Christmas goods and presents in England – although exhausting, expensive and time-consuming – is all part of the fun. Of course, all of this can be done in Indonesia just as well as anywhere else, but there is a special kind of magic in doing it on a busy high street rather than in an air-conditioned mall.
Likewise, as nice as the food in Indonesia is at Christmastime, the turkey and mince pies don’t quite have the same kick somehow. And there is something special – if a little masochistic – about wrapping up warm and taking in a Boxing Day football match while trying to burn off some of the Christmas pudding or the hangover from one too many sherries.
Finally, although technology helps bridge the gap nowadays, the tradition of sitting around the television on Christmas Day to watch the seasonal “specials” is another wistful memory that can’t easily be recreated here.
Nevertheless, all things considered, the festive season in Indonesia teaches us that, in the end, it isn’t snowflakes that make the season magical, but the people who stand with you in the rain.
That is where you find Christmas – not in the weather, but in one another.