Not Quite Right Christmas

The weirdest thing about Christmas here is that it feels nothing like Christmas. I know that's becuase I'm used to it being dark and freezing, but the date seems like some dislocated thing and I feel in no way festive. Obviously you boys that were here in '98 will know what I mean, but the dark and cold of December is normally pretty bearable because there are parties to go to, decent gigs and celebrations. There's also a million Christmas ads on the box, which they don't have here. They've got a few but they're poor and only related to specific festive products (like 20% off turkeys or 'stock up on Toohey's at Bruce's Bottle Shop this Christmas!'). Seeing deccies and trees up in the heat is weird and sweating round the shops in your shorts whilst 'ding dong merrily on high' blasts over the pa system is pure mental. Plus the odd festive ad that does air normally gets sandwiched between summer ads ('Get down to Brenda's Bikini Hut for the start of the summer season!'), making the thing even weirder. I hate the cold and dark in January and February, but never mind it in December when it feels Christmassy and when there're birthdays, CITs, gigs, parties and days off work to look forward to.