Ba humbug in Oz

Its Christmas time but its summer time here in Australia. Quite frankly it's just plain wrong. Here's what I miss about our lovely Scottish Christmas:

Christmas shopping when its cold. The air is crisp, daylight is dim, hundreds of multi-coloured scarfs zoom by but the cold grey light only highlights the twinkling Christmas lights that saturate the streets and shops. Buchanan St and Princes Square, Glasgow never look so lush and loved than at Christmas.  Rosey fresh faces puffing liitle clouds of breath as they dash about looking for gifts to cheer up their loved ones in the middle of a cold bleak Scottish winter. A manic atmosphere that is infectious. Its just more of a thing, a big hulabaloo than out here in hot country NSW where twinkly lights just don't have the same effect.

The cold December party nights, dressed in inappropriate non-seasonal clothing and filled with silly silly dancing and a good few 'swallies.' When its cold outside, it makes so much more sense to down a few too many and dance the night away or stuff your belly full of rich food and put the world to rights.

Wrapping pressies on a cold snowy afternoon by the fire with a Chrissie film on the telly, the 1946 classic 'Its a Wonderful Life.'

Ice skating on St Georges Square, Glasgow under 'the lights'. 
 
A wee wee bit of gorgeous shortbread with your coffee after all those big meals - you know you shouldn't but hell its Christmas.

But of course the real reason that an Aussie Christmas will never quite hit the mark is the absence of so many loved ones; my mum and dad whom I've not seen for nearly 2 years now, my four bothers and 2 sisters and of course the real spirit of Christmas, those 11 nieces and nephews who are growing up way too fast far from my eyes.

Still, all is not lost, I get to spend a hot Christmas, being fed like a Queen by the in-laws and enjoy seeing their faces as they spend those precious days with our little ins. Oh and then we get to go our summer holidays - weird but yay!

Ba humbug in Oz