Matty Ambrose and Tracey Sergiacomi are radio hosts for the Breakfast Program on 93.9 Hitz FM, weekdays from 6 am. Crush Magazine asked them how they traditionally spend their Christmas.
MATTY
Unfortunately, COVID cancelled my Christmas plans last year so I haven’t seen my family in a long while. My first plan is just to get to Sydney! Once on holidays my days consist of sleeping as much as possible, eating amazing food, reading and lots of beach.
There is a beautiful bush track near my parents’ house, and I walk that a bit. It’s my moving meditation and it feels so calming and nice. I also use the break as a chance to shush up my mind. After a big year, my overactive, overthinking brain needs to shift down some gears so I try and practice mindfulness. I’m not as good at it during the stressful parts of the year but the holidays are the perfect chance to slow it all down.
Christmas plays out the same way every year. Dad starts drinking champagne very early. He offers it to the rest of us, but we decline for a couple of hours. Mum gets Dad something thoughtful. Without fail, Dad gets Mum boxes of Lindt chocolate that he got for 40 per cent off at Woolies. Mum is disappointed. She doesn’t eat Lindt chocolate. I get Bonds underwear, chocolates that I actually like and a gift voucher. I then hit the kitchen to do the cooking. I enjoy it and it’s good to give mum a rest. We then eat until we can’t and end up going to bed a little heavier.
The rest of the holiday is spent finishing leftovers in a brutal period of ham or turkey sandwiches. I’ll fix whatever technology my parents have saved up for me and that’s about it.
Trace
I love Christmas time but who doesn’t! I am taking two weeks off over the holiday season and will be spending Christmas Day with my family at my place—which I haven’t done in a while because I am not known for my cooking. I told my daughter Sam that she has to help with lunch so everyone is happy about that!
I guess our Christmas is similar to many peoples. We open presents early, have ham and eggs for breakfast, more ham, roasts, salad and veggies for lunch, and of course we all wear our paper crowns that we get from the Christmas crackers. Then it’s usually nothing for dinner as we are too full from eating all day.
Boxing Day is the same every year. We have another breakfast of ham but mix it up and have scrambled eggs instead of fried. We settle into the lounge room and wait for that first cricket ball to be bowled in the Boxing Day Test. And of course, a beer is opened on the first ball, but that is just an Aussie tradition isn’t it?