"Growing up in Australia, December 25 meant swimming in the backyard pool, playing cricket on the beach, and eating cold prawns for lunch. Whenever I watched American holiday movies, I felt like I was witnessing a completely different, surreal celebration unfold, complete with snow, fireplaces, and people bundled up in heavy coats. Those movies might as well have been depicting the holiday on another planet - I didn't even see snow in real life until I visited Europe as an adult."
"On my wife and I's first Christmas together in Australia, the weather was pushing 100 degrees Fahrenheit. We spent a lot of time outside and ate fresh seafood, just as I always did. In Australia, we often queue at fish markets before dawn on Christmas to get the best prawns and oysters. That evening, while walking along the beach, my wife said the day just didn't feel right."
A person grew up in Australia where December 25 involved swimming in backyard pools, playing cricket on the beach, and eating cold prawns. American holiday imagery of snow, fireplaces, and bundled coats felt like an entirely different world. When an American wife moved to Australia, she found the heat, shorts, and late darkness made Christmas feel wrong. The couple later celebrated in Texas, encountering sweaters indoors, early evening lights, turkey, stuffing, and an open fire, which produced culture shock. After experiencing the US celebration, Christmas back in Australia began to feel odd to the person.
Read at Business Insider
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