Christmas thoughts

Sydney is very transient city, despite being at the end of the line, as it were. So many people come here for work, or simply to experience the great Australian lifestyle, at the same time as having every city amenity on one's doorstep. There aren't many cities where you can be on the beach one minute, splashing about in turquoise blue Mediterranean waters, and twenty minutes later be rubbing shoulders with crowds in places like Chinatown or Oxford Street. 

You would expect a city that is so transient to be well-equipped for expats, but unlike the Asian cities of Singapore or Hong Kong, which are geared towards an expatriate lifestyle and have ready-made communities to join, Sydney is has such a wide diaspora of people it is far harder to make like-minded friends and Australians can be quite insular in sticking to their own.

Christmas, on the other hand, appears to be the same the world over. Throngs of people wending their way through shopping malls wearily buying in to today's consumerist religion. It has been said a thousand times before, but it is so easy to lose sight of Christmas and the religious aspect that it represents, when faced with unashamed commercialism. However, even for those who have a secular outlook on the festivities, the key is to remain true to traditions and above all to celebrate family, friends and, ultimately I suppose, love. Happy Christmas. 

Christmas is coming

In the spirit of all things Christmas, I took Charlie to meet Father Christmas yesterday. He was all gung-ho and then came over shy when we got there. However confidence was resumed at the suggestion of showing "The Man" his cars and they chatted about the merits of BMWs versus Minis while the obligatory photo was taken.  We were offered a somewhat overwhelming choice of photos on bookmarks, photos on keyrings, photos blown up to poster size and photos in a snow dome. An unashamedly commercial experience, just like they had back in Bethlehem. Father Christmas looks a little worse for wear in the photos, which lead me to believe he kept something stronger in his sack than the shopping-centre-branded antlers he extracted for Charlie.  I suppose if I had to ask 87 children each day what their name was and what they wanted for Christmas, I'd be on the sauce too.

Strange to be seeing Christmas decorations everywhere, mulling over present lists and trying to work out when is a suitably appropriate time for a Christmas tree - given the Yuletide excitement that has been provoked in Charlie - when the sun is blazing outside. Odder still to hear strains of "Jingle Bells" wafting through the air-conditioned shops and fake snow scenes in windows. We pass one house each day that has a host of decorations outside, making up for in quantity what it lacks in taste or charm. A rather sad and deflated-looking blow-up Santa, endless strands of wispy cotton wool and lots of brightly-coloured present boxes. Still, it guarantees excitement from Charlie every time we pass, so at least they are spreading the joy.