Christmas on the farm was a big thing. All my aunts, uncles and their children would go to my grandparents’ place. The table that could seat 20 people buckled under all the food every meal.
Christmas day would always start with church in town 60km away and then lunch with the family 50km from town but 30km from our farm.
There would be rice 2 ways, potatoes 3 ways, fresh mixed vegetables, sugared bright orange pumpkin, greenbeans with onions, salads, chicken and different meats. The plates were long oval plates and no-one was shy to shovel food on.
Much later the family would all go down to the river for a swim. Watermelons would be placed in the pools to cool down. There would be cake and Oros.
I grew up with my uncle’s 3 boys and 4 other town cousins. We all got along but, but when there are 3 Susanna cousins and 2 Anna cousins it could get confusing at times.
My sister, I and my 3 farm cousins were very close. The other town cousins were usually at the receiving end of pranks and jokes – and sometimes the prankster would be my grandfather.
A favourite story in our family is about a prank my grandfather pulled on my cousin Gerrit, a townie. This cousin wanted a moustache like his dad and my grandfather told him to put chicken poop on his upper lip. An hour later my cousin was back at the house with poop on his face and wanted to know how long he should keep it on!