It is hard to get into the Christmas spirit here. Charlotte is the epicenter of Christmas, and it is a beautiful time of year there. So, being in a place where Christmas is an acknowledged, yet peripheral, event is a very different thing.
A few observations:
A family must seek the authentic Christmas when no one is forcing Christmas down your throat as they do in the States. This has been surprisingly difficult. I suppose Christmas is an authentically communal event. As it should be...
It is refreshing to be away from the marketing of "American Xmas". Other than the street folks with Santa caps, no one is marketing Christmas in a very overt way. In this way it is nice.
A mere screen saver can make a difference. I have our Apple with a series of Victorian-era Christmas card images as our screen saver, as we do every year. I keep it on at night. It is nice to wake up and see these images float by when you are in that serene zone between sleep and consciousness. Those pictures are below.
Warm weather and Christmas are incongruous. Charlotte was almost too warm for two natives of Connecticut. Hyderabad is far too warm.
Christmas is still a great time of year.
A fragile child was born into strange surroundings to join humanity and divinity. I guess this experience has brought us closer to His experience in a stable and His hiding in Egypt. Far from home are we all, at times....
Merry Christmas!
