Do They Know It's Christmas Time At All?

You can't say I haven't tried. I have. I really have. So I may not gone as far as buying a Christmas jumper - in the humidity that would be verging on suicidal - but I have done everything else; bought Christmas decorations, played Christmas songs on the iPod, watched Christmas episodes of TV programmes. Heck I'm even, as I type this, drinking out of a Christmas themed mug. 

But it still doesn't feel very Christmassy. Even the weather is trying to help, well a little bit anyway. Today's weather effort has a very British feel to it - it's overcast with a little bit of drizzle. OK so it's also 20 degrees. But apart from that I can almost imagine I'm back in the good old North East of England when I gaze out of the window. But still no twinge of the festive season.

The shops are doing their bit as well - all decked out in tinsel, baubles and, it has to be said, some rather sinister looking Santa Clauses. But rather than adding to the festive feeling, they are just adding to the feeling of disconnection from all things Christmassy. 

So what is it? Have I missed something? We're the songs not Christmassy enough? Have I skimped on the tinsel? Maybe I should go and get that novelty Christmas jumper. But I don't think it would work. It's the light. Or rather the absence of darkness. You see it's mid summer here, the equivalent of June in the UK, and whilst we many not be enjoying the really long days of a British summer, it is still light at 6am and right through to 8:30pm. Or thereabouts. Give or take. And it's just plain weird.

"Ooh, hark at him!", I hear all you northerners say, "All lovely and warm in the sun - he's only saying that to make us feel better. "

Well maybe I am. Just a little bit. But it is also true. In all the time I've been here, this is the most distance and disconnected I have felt from home. Oh what I wouldn't give for a bone-chilling wind, some frost and just a bit of ice. The only ice we get here comes in a glass of gin and tonic. But it's all good. All part of life's rich pageant. And you know what? It's only for a short while and pretty soon 'normality' will resume. In the meantime I'll wish you all a Merry Christmas, a fab New Year and console myself with a walk on the beach, maybe an ice cream in the park and raise a glass of cold beer to absent friends and family whilst I watch the sun set on Rangitoto Island. Hhmmm, OK maybe it's not all bad!