The strangest Christmas

Christmas has taken me somewhat by surprise this year. The first time I realised it was coming was earlier this month when, while battling through Santiago's busy shopping district in sweltering heat, I noticed pictures of snowflakes in shop windows. "Snowflakes?", I thought, "but it's not ski season any more." And then it hit me - this was Christmas in the southern hemisphere. Temperatures may peak at 33 degrees on Christmas Day but the image of a winter wonderland pervades.

Thanks to Ruth for the little reminder of
Christmases past - a poinsettia

And yet it doesn't feel like Christmas. Dutifully, Santa sits in shopping malls, robed in a thick red coat, boots and fake white beard, surrounded by Christmas trees, brightly wrapped presents, reindeer, snow and helper elves, but it seems out of place somehow (and my goodness he must be hot). My language school hung some paper garlands and installed a massive Christmas tree in reception; lovely to look at, but strangely incongruous against the 'hot country' building design of white plaster walls, light wood, cacti and palms. Christmas lights adorn the city streets, but they don't accompany any Christmas shopping trips, because it doesn't get dark until 9.30pm.

I guess that this must be normal for Chile, but for me, and for all of my northern hemisphere friends, it's just plain weird. There are two reasons as I see it. Firstly, Christmas isn't as prominent. Yes, there are adverts everywhere, decorations, lights, special food in the supermarkets and Christmas songs in the shops, but this doesn't start until at least the 1st of December. A very welcome and refreshing change to the flood of Christmas merchandising that appears before the school holidays are even over in the UK. Secondly, it's hot! It's summertime and the kids are enjoying their long holiday from school. So why do Christmas cards here feature snow-filled scenes, when that is never, ever going to be reality? Why not have Santa on the beach?

And this, I think, is the strangest thing for me to get my head around. Yesterday, I sweated over a pan of hot mulled wine while wearing shorts. For me, and I think for anyone who is accustomed to celebrating Christmas in the northern half of the world, the brain cannot compute that we should be putting up tinsel and roasting a turkey, when all we want to do is grab an ice-cream and a long cool drink in the shade. Merry Christmas from the other side of the world!