It's christmas. It doesn't feel like christmas though. Maybe it's because I live in an area where most of the people are students who go home in the holidays. Maybe because I've spent the last three days in front of the computer trying to configure coLinux and I really don't know what's out there. Maybe it's because I can't be bothered to go to the downtown area to see what's up there.
It feels so different from my childhood in Australia. Even though I didn't celebrate christmas, there's always this buzz around christmas. My friends would be excited over christmas. The school would be decorated in green and red. We would talk about santa claus. We would go to the mall, and see the christmas decoration and participate in the well known christmas tradition of gobbling everything that's on sale :).
It's quiet here. The television shows show christmas specials. There are lawn ornaments. I feel the buzz is missing. I'm not sure if it's because I don't look for that christmas environment, or because there are none.
One of the things missing here is the chants and writings of "Merry Christmas". It's been usurped by the "Merry Xmas" or by the generalized form of "Happy Holidays" (which by the way consists of hannukah, christmas, and maybe even new year). Part of the reason for this is that Americans are trying hard not to offend people who do not share their beliefs, in doing so, they do not want to be affiliated with a particular religion or group. Because christmas itself is affiliated with christians (duh) people here tend to shy away from using the words "Merry Christmas".
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it.
Happy new year to all who celebrate it on the first of January.
Happy holidays to all who are on holidays.
Good luck to the rest of us.
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