Observing Christmas far from home's hearth

By Lila Fitri Aly

JAKARTA (JP): That humble soybean curd, tempeh, dressed up for Christmas dinner?!

It is a vegetarian dish, along with gado-gado, which might turn up at the family gathering of Margaret Renault, head of AusAid at the Australian embassy.

She has to come up with suitable dishes for her vegetarian daughter and her friend -- and the local nonmeat options make for a little variation on the traditional theme of roast turkey, ham, potatoes, baked pumpkin, carrots and vegetables.

"I'm so lucky this year," Renault said. "My husband and my four children are with me."

This will be her last Christmas in Jakarta after she was posted here in 1994.

She said there would be no trouble to prepare the traditional dishes as she had heaps of help at home.

"It is so sad I have to leave Jakarta," she said, although Christmas in Canberra would mean being with the extended family.

For Delores M. Mortimer, assistant press attache at the American Embassy, this will be her third Christmas here.

She said she was thrilled to be able to celebrate with her husband this year, though she added she had always managed to create an atmosphere of home away from home.

"You have to make your friends as your family," she said. After Christmas dinner at a restaurant with friends, whom she said come from several countries besides Indonesia, champagne, music and dancing would follow at a friend's house.

With all that, she said, although far from hometown Michigan, "there is no reason to be lonely".

But of course there are the things not to be found in Jakarta -- the snow, the gathering around the fireplace. "I miss seeing smoke from the fireplace coming out the chimney. It is so romantic," reminisces Mortimer.

"The house is warm. In one corner, one group is chatting, while others are watching television, or listening to music or reading."

This is where technology comes in. To ease those feelings of homesickness, Mortimer uses photographic facilities on the Internet.

"Of course, it's not the same as being able to touch them," she said.

Mortimer also sends everyone letters, cards and gifts -- "I've sent 12 boxes... I'm so proud of myself for being on time."

French

General manager of Air France, Christian Herpin, who has been resident here for 15 months, said Christmas Eve for the French is a real family gathering.

"We don't invite friends. No dancing. Christmas is a very closed family party. Possibly, just one or two very intimate friends are around."

A pine tree two meters high is cut from the forest and decorated.

"I love the smell of the tree. It is very special," Herpin said.

The trees are visible in all their splendor in every big square in the country, with all the department store windows adorned with small beautiful dolls and mobile electric toys.

"The view is very beautiful, especially if you have a chance to travel from one city to another by train, like from Paris to Versailles. It will be full of lights."

Every Christmas Eve, Herpin said he and his family decorated the dining table to look its best. Food is prepared and everyone exchanges small gifts.

"Just for fun," he said.

"That is our traditional way of celebrating Christmas."

After midnight mass at church, worshipers hurry home from the cold and continue their family gathering.

How will Herpin mark the day here this year after celebrating his first Indonesian Christmas in Ubud, Bali?

"I am celebrating it with my wife, a daughter, mother-in-law, and a couple of friends with one child," he said. "So there will be seven of us. Christmas time for us is very special with special food and champagne, of course."