Nowhere Near Christmastime

I have probably written about this before, but... here we go again:

I have gotten used to the fact that Christmas is in the summer down here, that it falls during summer holidays and that Christmas decorations are sold next to sun block products. I can deal with the fact that turkey, stuffing, and hot chocolate have been replaced with a braai and cooldrink. But I CAN'T get used to the fact of a long, cold winter without Christmas!

Every year when the weather turns cold here, I want to play my Christmas albums, make hot cocoa, and decorate the Christmas tree. Except that it's May, and nowhere near Christmastime. I feel like I'm in Narnia, and I keep waiting for Father Christmas to come and break the White Witch's spell of always winter, never Christmas.

I took a long walk tonight and listened to Christmas songs, which brought on a sudden loneliness and fresh wave of culture shock (why does it come back just when you think you're over it?) And then I cried, which made the security guard at the gate wonder what was wrong. I tried to explain that it was the Christmas music, but...it's May and nowhere near Christmastime.

So now I'm hungry for gingerbread men, the guard at the gate thinks I'm weird, and I have "I'll Be Home For Christmas" stuck in my head. I was about to cry again, but then I got the giggles. It's pathetic, but sort of funny, too.