Christmas in Australia Feels More "Ho Hum" Than "Holly Jolly"
For the first time in my life, I'm missing American excess.
For the audio version of this article, read by the author, go here.
It’s the holidays, and Brent and I are here in the Blue Mountains above Sydney, Australia. But Christmas is celebrated rather differently in this country than in Europe or my home-country of America.
How different are things here? Take a look at our neighbor’s decorations.
I’d like to say this lackluster effort is an exception to the holiday rule here, but it’s not. For the most part, Aussie’s don’t spend a great deal of effort decking their halls, inside or out.
Compare that to two years ago, when Brent and I visited the Christmas markets in Vienna, Austria:
For the record, I love Christmas. But this year, Australia is making it very hard for me to feel much holiday spirit. I’m not feeling Grinch-y — I’m just not feeling very festive.
As a boy growing up in Colorado, I was as excited about my Christmas art projects and decorating trees as I was about getting presents. Sparkly lights! Glitter! And colored construction paper!
Yeah, I don’t know how no one knew I was gay either.
As for Colorado’s white Christmases? Hark, the herald angels sing!
Back when Brent and I had a house in America, we hauled out the holly the second Thanksgiving was over.
Then in 2018, we became nomads.
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