Growing up in Australia, December 25 meant swimming within the yard pool, enjoying cricket on the seashore, and consuming chilly prawns for lunch.
Each time I watched American holiday movies, I felt like I used to be witnessing a totally totally different, surreal celebration unfold, full with snow, fireplaces, and other people bundled up in heavy coats.
These motion pictures may as effectively have been depicting the vacation on one other planet — I did not even see snow in actual life till I visited Europe as an grownup.
It by no means occurred to me how unusual my Christmas may appear to others till my American spouse moved to Australia and we celebrated collectively for the primary time in 2014.
I did not get my spouse’s emotions about Christmas till I celebrated along with her within the US
Ash Jurberg
On my spouse and I’s first Christmas together in Australia, the climate was pushing 100 levels Fahrenheit.
We spent quite a lot of time outdoors and ate contemporary seafood, simply as I at all times did. In Australia, we frequently queue at fish markets earlier than daybreak on Christmas to get the very best prawns and oysters.
That night, whereas strolling alongside the seashore, my spouse stated the day simply did not really feel proper.
The warmth, folks sporting shorts and T-shirts, ready till 10 p.m. for it to get darkish sufficient to see vacation lights — it was all so overseas to her.
She joked that Christmas right here felt just like the Fourth of July with jingle bells. I believed she was overreacting, as this was all I would ever recognized.
Two years later, once we celebrated along with her household in Texas, I lastly understood what she meant. This time, I used to be the one experiencing tradition shock.
Ash Jurberg
We wore sweaters indoors, the lights got here on at 4:30 p.m., and we ate turkey, stuffing, and different heavy consolation dishes in entrance of an open hearth whereas ingesting eggnog.
My father-in-law insisted we watch the Dallas Cowboys on TV, which struck me as unusual once I was used to enjoying cricket.
Regardless of by no means experiencing this earlier than, the entire ordeal felt oddly acquainted as a result of I would watched all these vacation motion pictures.
Nonetheless, the toughest adjustment was being inside a lot. Again dwelling, we spend many of the day outdoor — within the yard, on the seashore, and enjoying video games within the pool.
However I cherished this American Christmas celebration, though I did miss having a pool to leap in.
We now fly to the US yearly, and I am unable to return to celebrating Christmas in the summertime
Ash Jurberg
Our household has spent 9 of the previous 10 Decembers in the US.
The one time prior to now decade that we stayed in Australia for Christmas actually felt unusual, as I would change into so accustomed to the cold-weather model of the vacations.
Final 12 months, we even took my sons to Chicago, braving the 20-degree temperatures for our most festive vacation but.
Watching my household drink scorching chocolate from large mugs at Christkindlmarket whereas bundled up in gloves and scarves made the season much more particular. Retailers had gone all-out with decorations, and the early sundown meant the lights got here on earlier than 5 p.m.
The truth that the vacation basic “Home Alone” was filmed within the space solely added to the sense that we might stepped into the last word winter celebration.
Trying again, I lastly perceive what my spouse meant that first 12 months. Christmas actually does really feel totally different when it is chilly and darkish, even in the event you spent your complete childhood pondering prawns by the pool was completely regular.
If there’s one factor I do miss about celebrating again dwelling, although, it is the solar, outdoor, and power of summer season. Nonetheless, that is not sufficient to surrender my new traditions — particularly since my spouse will not have it some other means.
As for which is healthier? I will need to plead the Fifth.
