Where Is Santa Claus

12/14/08

I looked at the calendar yesterday and was shocked to see that it’s less than two weeks before Christmas. I’ve been so busy working on our Christmas party and on other work projects that I didn’t even realize it. However, I think it’s more than just work that caused me not to realize it is the holiday season… it’s the lack of holiday reminders.

In the states during this time of the year there’s Christmas everywhere. In music, television, stores, everywhere. That isn’t the case here. There’s no constant commercialism. We don’t have stores here so there’s no Christmas reminders. No singing Santa Clauses, no malls with children lined up for hours waiting to get a picture with Santa. No constant run of Christmas music or Christmas trees, ornaments or children screaming for presents. It’s a different time of year.

It’s weird in the sense it’s like Christmas doesn’t exist here. I will celebrate it with my host family here and with the other volunteer, but like many other countries the new year celebration is their big holiday. They take a two weeks off and celebrate it. They go all out with patties and guesting and food. It’ll be the first time for me to have a big new year celebration. It’ll be interesting to experience it.