sf wrote:
> On 8 Dec 2004 14:53:13 -0800, "Bronnie"
> > wrote:
>
> > our Christmas Dinner is doubling in size from 2
> > to 4! Last year DH and I had dinner on the deck (warm
> > 25degC/80deg+/-F), by candlelight,
>
> As a kid, I went from a snowy xmas season enviornment to one
> w/o snow, but not as warm as yours....
>
> I'm assuming that you're a native of OZ, so I'd like to know
> what your take is on the Northern Hemisphere xmas snow idea.
> Do you feel out of the loop/cheated? Or is it just one of
> those things that has always been different from what's
> considered "the rest" of the English speaking world? How
> did you deal with Santa Claus and the concept of snow as a
> kid? Is Christmas more religious than commercial down
> under?
>
> Just curious.
> Thanx
>
> sf
> Practice safe eating - always use condiments

G'day,
Yeah, we do feel cheated somewhat about the lack of snow!!
Growing up, the whole Christmas/nativity story was about snowy
settings; Xmas cards, store decorations, depict the northern hemisphere
style. As a child I don't recall questioning it, I remember liking all
the presents! We have some cards with Santa surfboarding in red shorts,
but it doesn't have the same ring about it. I am not sure he can really
swim....
So, we all dash through the snow and have hearty fires in the grate in
our imagination whilst the reality is heat, flies and beer. However, we
are all still into home Xmas decorations and Christmas lights outside,
Xmas trees - real and artifical.
I had my first snowy Xmas visiting friends in Niagara Falls, Ont. in my
early 20's and was blown away by whole experience. I had another one in
Virginia one year which was great.
In 2001 my husband and I won a trip to Austria and spent 10 days in
Vienna and Salzburg over Xmas week, just beautiful.
To answer your question about the Aussie reaction to the real meaning
of Xmas, well, just my take, but I think it is pretty much commercial
these days, too many excesses, and way too expensive gift giving etc.
Obviously, some of the population go to church and celebrate the
Christianity of it, carol services and the like...but we don't have the
equivalent of 'middle American bible belt'. The weather has something
to do with it, the kids would prefer to be playing outside and going to
the beach rather than indoor activities.
Now, these ramblings are just my thoughts...we don't have
children/grandchildren and I really think children bring out that
innocence and enjoyment of it all.
Back to the OP, being Japanese, I heard the other day that Japanese
schools were trying to introduce the Xmas story to their students and
one school got a bit muddled up and depicted Santa nailed to the cross!
True!
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Bronwyn