by Ndapewa, age 8, asks when a Christmas cactus blooms, about the Namib Desert, and summer Christmas
Dear Santa,
Moni from Windhoek. My name is Ndapewa and I am 8 years old. Our Christmas cactus has never once bloomed on actual Christmas Day, and this year it started opening its pink flowers weeks before, which my mother says is either very early or possibly very confused.
My first question is: when does a Christmas cactus actually bloom?
My second question is geography: what famous desert covers much of Namibia?
My third question is from school: why does Namibia’s Christmas fall during hot summer weather?
I left you kapana, grilled meat, and a slice of fresh melon.
Love, Ndapewa, age 8, Windhoek, Namibia
From the Desk of Father Christmas
Dear Ndapewa, kapana and melon were a delicious combination, and neither your cactus nor your mother should worry too much. Now, to the blooming mystery, and your other questions.
When does a Christmas cactus actually bloom?
A Christmas cactus blooms in response to shorter days and cooler nights, a natural signal that tells the plant it is time to flower, which usually happens sometime between November and January in places with a typical autumn and winter. That is exactly where its cheerful name comes from, even though the exact blooming date can shift earlier or later by several weeks depending on the specific conditions of light and temperature in each home. So your cactus is not confused at all, just responding a little early to its own private autumn.
What famous desert covers much of Namibia?
The Namib Desert stretches along Namibia’s coastline, considered one of the oldest deserts in the entire world, home to towering red sand dunes among the tallest on Earth, including the famous dunes at Sossusvlei.
Why does Namibia’s Christmas fall during hot summer?
Namibia sits in the Southern Hemisphere, where the seasons run opposite to countries north of the equator, meaning December falls in the middle of summer rather than winter. That is why Christmas in Namibia, much like in Australia or South Africa, tends to be warm and bright rather than snowy and cold.
Tell your mother the cactus is right on schedule, just an early bloomer, and I shall see you very soon.
Ho ho ho, Santa
