I'm trying to get festive, I really am. Al's been playing Christmas music albums for a few days now, hence the previous thread about Christmas songs.
It just doesn't feel Christmassy to me, I think the main problem is the culture shock really that comes when celebrating Christmas in Australia after years of celebrating in the Uk and also the weather. It's just not right!!!!

What i also find a bit strange is the obsession with the "Traditional" Christmas ideas, a large portion of Aussies have never seen snow yet don't bat an eye lid at picking the christmas cards showing a little cottage, all covered in snow with glowing fires and lamps inside, and then spend Christmas day in boardies round a barbie, to me it's odd.
before I came away I was searching the internet for Australian Christmas cards because I couldn't believe you'd have the same ones as us up north.....
Shouldnt Australia have it's own Christmas with a twist.......
Maybe it's just me over thinking.......
What are your thoughts?

We don't get really festive down under Timmey..

Christmas is just a great opportunistic time to get shit-faced, attempt to "play" with half the hot straight boys you work with, and take some time off to recover and sleep. and get a tan.. Well that's my 2 week break summed up nicely!

Who cares or even thinks about snow on a chrissy card.. i have seen Kangaroo and koala photographs with superimposed santat hats and shit.. cute for about 2 seconds..

Christmas has been toooooo commercialised.

Not to mention Americanised. Hence the Snow thing.

Timmey, i feel the same way and i've lived here 10 years. I just totally can't get into the whole "let's have a BBQ and then go to the beach" Christmas vibe. Doesn't do it for me at all. If there's one time in the year i'm the most nostalgic for the northern hemisphere, this is it.

If you're looking for Aussie Christmas cards, there's tons. As someone said up there - tacky koalas and kangaroos with santa hats, santa with shorts, etc. Personally i prefer the traditional ones just because... well they make me happy. Thinking about a little cottage covered with snow and pretty lights outside is a lot cozier feeling than thinking about being sweaty and sandy drinking beer.

A sunburnt Christmas is just the best thing ever! You get to have a swim on xmas day, how good is that?!

Yeah I have to agree Christmas Day is just not the same as back home but its what you are used to I guess. The weather has not been great on xmas day for the last few years so hopefully this year will be better.

The great thing though is that new year is just one week later and new year in sydney is just about the best you can get. Much better than going out on new years eve in the cold back in the UK. I always found new years day very depressing back in the UK whereas here you are smack bang in the middle of summer still.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim D

A sunburnt Christmas is just the best thing ever! You get to have a swim on xmas day, how good is that?!

Sure is. and you get to have a tan and dance with your shirt off with all the hot boys! I have fond memories of getting it on with a hot, shirtless boy wearing a santa hat a few moons ago.. he turned into my boyfriend for a year or 2.

My Mate has come back from New York and she says it's like Christmas should be, snow and lights and having to wrap up warm!!!
I'm slightly jealous!!!!
yeah its' good that New year is warm, saves standing outside for ages in the cold waiting to get into clubs but Xmas day heat just seems odd,altho did do the whole beach thing last year and then went back and had a full roast dinner, was lush!!!

i have to say, i have never had a cold christmas. i don't feel like i'm missing out.

christmas for me is so far removed from the traditional cliched notions anyway. it's meaningless. i just like seeing people that i never get a chance to see, having some time off and of course, the whole gift giving thing can be fun.

I did have a White christmas while i was in Greece when i was 7 and i have to say it was nto a good experience... cos i ended up with the flu and injections daily on my butt.

That was the only time i had white Christmas and i can't imagine going through it again.

I LOVE Christmas... it is the time of the year when everyone seems positive and in the mood for celebrating. I love the anticipation of all that will happen soon. I love the colour and bling of christmas decorations and night lights. I love giving gifts to people. I love having family home for those special days when we inevitably get out the old videos of past christmases... and all the old photos. It is so rich!!!
The food is great!!! Eat too much...drink champagne...too much. Reflect upon and discuss old times memories and crazy family stories. Laugh a lot!!!
I miss it already.
As family go home back to work and their lives and we get on with the everyday business of living, Christmas is so different to the daily routine. It is wonderful. Of course it couldn't be sustained in everyday life... it is not reality... it is a moment in time at the end of every year where we get together briefly to contemplate the outcome of the year and discuss the expectations for the following year.
Christmas 2008 BRING IT ON!!!