In NZ, apart from the glorious Pohutukawa, the Christmas season is mostly visible in the orgy of retail madness that seems to overtake the nation. I just got back from the Woodfield Mall tonight and I can report that the US also suffers from the same excess.
However there are some interesting differences between the two countries. In the US, people seem much more enthusiastic about decorating their own homes to mark the season, which I think is pretty cool. I guess Christmas trees are still reasonably popular in NZ, but outdoor decorative lights are much more prominent here, perhaps because they make a nice contrast to the pretty bare natural landscape this time of year. I was out in the neighbourhood this morning and I saw I think three different people out with their step-ladders putting up lights around their houses.
The reason I happened to be outside was that I was trying to get back on the road after my running injury earlier in the week. Everything went fine for the first two and a half miles, but at that point my knee problem reappeared. I pulled up and walked the rest of the way. I’m not sure what was more painful – the frustration of not being able to run properly or having to walk three and a half miles in subzero temperatures wearing only two thin layers. The cold isn’t a problem as long as I’m running, but it gets pretty chilly once you stop.
Speaking of cold, it started snowing while I was out tonight, making the drive home a little challenging. There is a weather advisory in force tonight with a prediction of 3-5 inches overnight. So I might get to do some shovelling in the morning. Joy!