Social Location: Santa in Sandals!

               

By Jennifer Tran

One of the biggest holidays of the year in the United States is Christmas. It’s the time of the year where friends, families, and loved ones gather together to share the holiday spirit. Religiously, it is a Christian holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Traditionally, it is celebrated by standing up a Christmas tree adorned with decorations and lights, fun-filled and interactive activities, and the most favored part: the exchange of gifts. It all happens within the comfort and warmth of households, behind the windows looking out to a snowy, cold night where the true spirit of Christmas seems lively. Especially, when it means no school or work for those snowed-in days.

On the other hand, on the other side of the earth on an island-continent called Australia, it is celebrated quite differently. During the same time of the year, its 90 degree weather with beautiful sunshine on the southeast coast of Sydney. Santa’s in shorts and ready to barbie (BBQ) with the reindeers! In Australia, Christmas is celebrated in thongs (also known as flip flops), going to the beaches with hot Aussie blokes, and “bloody oath, it’s so hot.” No matter if you’re from Parramatta, Cabramatta, or a place that doesn’t really “matta,” this is how it’s done in Australia.

But all religious and traditional values are not lost! Both destinations still carry on the values of the holiday spirits but they are celebrated based on the social location and mainly, due to season changes. From a perspective of a person from Philadelphia, it may seem a little bit odd to be celebrating Christmas not indoors and without snow, especially, if they’ve never been elsewhere out of the country. Many places celebrate certain holiday occasions quite differently.

For example, I, personally have visited Australia quite a bit during my summer vacations from school in the States, and even had the opportunity to live there for over 2 years in many locations such as Pennant Hills, Hornsby, Burwood, Strathfield, and Enfield. But before all of my experience, I assumed many stereotypical things about Australia that I had been taught by the media. It included the popular show of “The Crocodile Hunter”, the assumption that Australia was an uncivilized place that had dirt roads with wild-life everywhere, and that residents of Australia were all natives. These conclusions that were assumed and made were really unjust and put in their place when I finally made my visit. I learned that Australia was one of the most beautiful, inspiring, and diverse places I’ve ever visited and lived in. 

	Strathfield Girls High School, 2006

 

It’s best to leave all the assumptions, judgments, and predicaments that any form of media gives you, and consider being more open to the possibilities and the impossibilities. Lesson learned: Be open-minded!