That’s how I felt this year, like it wasn’t
really Christmas. In the States, from mid-October through
Christmas, it’s pretty much all Christmas all the time whenever you’re outside
your home (I can't vouch for what goes on inside). It basically looks like Christmas threw up on, well, everything--lights
and decorations everywhere. The Gingerbread Latte and Peppermint
Mocha make their annual arrival.
You can’t walk into a store without non-stop
Yuletide songs, and you inevitably leave with the most annoying ones stuck in
your head (I won't mention any names, Mariah). Those smushed-up words come out, too: Christmahanukwanzakah, turducken. For Christians, there's the debate on whether Xmas takes "Christ" out of Christmas. Local performances of The Nutcracker Ballet and A Christmas Carol are put on.
The weather is a signal that Christmas is approaching. It gets cold, hat and scarf weather, and it just might snow. It's so uncomfortable; I feel like the kid in A Christmas Story because “I can’t put my arms down.” Of course, for the Americans, there’s Thanksgiving a month before, so you gorge yourself for the whole month leading up to it. Everyone asks all month whether you have your Christmas shopping done, because we all know that gifts are the most important part of Christmas.
Australia, on the other hand, takes a milder approach to the holiday. First, it’s a summer holiday for them, so you’re more likely to have a barbeque than turkey and stuffing. Because who wants all that heavy food when it’s hot out? The mall Santas look out of place in their North Pole gear when it's 90 ° F out. And they decorate, sure, but it’s just a few decorations here and there. And you might hear a festive tune while shopping, but it’s not a guarantee. Boxing Day, not Christmas Eve, is celebrated.
The weather is a signal that Christmas is approaching. It gets cold, hat and scarf weather, and it just might snow. It's so uncomfortable; I feel like the kid in A Christmas Story because “I can’t put my arms down.” Of course, for the Americans, there’s Thanksgiving a month before, so you gorge yourself for the whole month leading up to it. Everyone asks all month whether you have your Christmas shopping done, because we all know that gifts are the most important part of Christmas.
Australia, on the other hand, takes a milder approach to the holiday. First, it’s a summer holiday for them, so you’re more likely to have a barbeque than turkey and stuffing. Because who wants all that heavy food when it’s hot out? The mall Santas look out of place in their North Pole gear when it's 90 ° F out. And they decorate, sure, but it’s just a few decorations here and there. And you might hear a festive tune while shopping, but it’s not a guarantee. Boxing Day, not Christmas Eve, is celebrated.
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| Christmas at Lake Tinaroo |
This year, I did not really have Christmas shopping to do. Oh, I made some ornaments, but not the all-out crafting I usually do. I only made 4 kinds of cookies, instead of my normal 10. And since I didn’t have presents, I almost didn’t get to wrap anything. But my friend Andrew and his family pulled through for me and let me wrap many gifts. I love wrapping presents, so this was exciting for me. Then on Christmas, I went to a breakfast and Lake Tinaroo with some friends. My boss had a seafood extravaganza for dinner.
So when people asked if I was missing my family for the holiday, “yea, I miss them, but it doesn’t really feel like Christmas.”
