The last few weeks have been very hot with a 100% chance of greater than Stage 4 loadshedding. To say South Africans are gatvol heading into the holiday season is an understatement.

I’ll admit I wasn’t totally prepared for my first Christmas in South Africa. I mean, part of me knew that Christmas comes as summer begins, but I (optimistically, perhaps) thought that it would still feel like…you know…Christmas.

It…well…doesn’t.