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| This is our 2011 tree because I'm too busy to go take a picture of this year's tree. |
First, when is ever it weird to talk about ice cream?
But it got me thinking. We didn't used to be such a global society. I grew up in Massachusetts and I don't think I even knew anyone in or from Florida or other southern states, never mind people from the other side of the world. Christmas is Christmas, and it meant snow and cold, and that's what all the Santa Claus traditions are founded on.
As I got older and the world shrank and we all started moving around more, it was laughing about how those poor people down south had to endure warm weather and no snow on Christmas, but we still didn't really *think* about it.
Now I talk routinely to people all over the world. When closing an e-mail, I have to be careful whether I'm wishing someone in Canada a happy Thanksgiving in the wrong month, or someone in England happy Independence Day (whoops!). I know people in South America and Australia are starting their summer, as we're starting our winter.
But what I really started wondering last week was how that changes the details of Christmas. I mentioned this to someone at work, and she looked at me like I was dim. "Santa has a sleigh. He needs snow."
Well, yeah, our Santa has a sleigh. But maybe the Santa in Australia doesn't have a sleigh. Maybe their stories say that he starts his "one-night" ride in a bathing suit, riding the clouds on a wagon-toting surfboard or something. I mean, does the Santa who delivers presents in Australia even live in the North Pole?!
I'm hoping some of you who read this blog live down under (or in South America or Indonesia or anywhere not the US!) and would be happy to share your Santa Claus with us.
If poor Santa hauls your presents around in that heavy, fluffy suit, I hope you leave him ice cream instead of cookies and milk! LOL
In the meantime, wherever you are, whatever you do this week, I wish you the loveliest of holidays and/or "the last week of the year." :)
Merry Christmas!
4 comments:
I can't imagine Christmas in Australia being any different than Christmas in Southern California (where I grew up), or in Florida (where my husband grew up)! Although, in Hawaii Santa can be seen wearing a grass skirt! Over his red suit, that is. Haha!
When I was a kid, I was amazed Santa could even get inside our house. We didn't have a chimney! But I sure yearned for snow. Now I've got it every year and wonder what the heck was I thinking! :)
Merry Christmas!!
Merry Christmas to your house. Ours was lovely.
But Stacy, you were still part of the culture of the northern hemisphere. You might have had warmth and no snow, but you still had winter at the same time as those of us in the colder, snowy parts, and you were subject to the same advertising (and let's face it, modern Santa has always been driven by advertising). I didn't have a chimney, either. I imagined Santa having the kind of magic that allowed him to squeeze through locks. LOL
And I still love the snow, though perhaps a little less than I did when I was a kid. LOL
Thank you, Sue! I'm glad to hear it! :)
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