A young boy stretching to decorate a gum tree is part of an Australian summer – not a cold Christmas!
From Christmas cards to movies to wrapping paper, we see images of Christmas that have snow-covered trees, snowmen, Santa in a sleigh, reindeer, open fires and icicles.
Occasionally, and increasingly so, we see images of a warmer Christmas although most are cartoon-like – have you ever seen a Christmas card showing a tree in sunshine or with summer-clothed people around it?
Let’s face it – the entire Southern Hemisphere is in summer for Christmas – it’s not just Australia and New Zealand having warm Decembers – so why should our imagery be limited to half the world’s experience of Christmas?
Do you look for more relevant images when choosing Christmas cards and wrappings? Maybe the lack of snow in Love Santa letters is important to you?
What do you use as backgrounds in Christmas photos or scrapbooking pages?
Since I live in Florida, I have had many hot Christmases where I was sitting in front of a fan trying to keep cool.
Sometimes I do buy warm Christmas theme items. One year my Christmas cards featured Santa Claus in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts riding in a boat filled with gifts, being pulled by 8 alligators.
It’s funny how snow is linked to Christmas in so many people’s minds and I’ve never experienced a snowy Christmas.
Pulled by alligators is a new one on me! In Australia, where it is too hot for reindeer, Sant’s sleigh is pulled along by kangaroos but if kanagroos and reindeer can fly why can’t alligators be tamed to pull a boat and not snap at anyone?
Yes, the white Christmas concept has stuck despite finding so much of the world just doesn’t have snow at Christmas!
Love Santa’s sleigh being pulled by kangaroos, that’s great. Not sure about the alligators. I guess I think cute and cuddly animals are a nicer way to transport Santa.
Kangaroos do look more cute and cuddly than an aligator, pocs – but don’t ever try and cuddle one as they can attack 🙂 But I still would go closer to a ‘roo than an aligator any day, lol!
Christmas has a few cliches it’s true. Even I used to think of this sometimes. Even carols have everything to do with snow and snowmen etc.
Yes, many carols do include snow but there also fun ones like ‘six white boomers’ that are very summer orientated!
Maybe in a few years some new carols and stories about warmer climates will come to pass. It is a bit sad that Christmas can be a bit stereotypical.
It is a bit sad, isn’t it pocs? Hopefully we’re slowly changing Christmas thoughts to being more about family, giving, love, cheer and magic than snow and gifts!