Re: Country Related: Christmas

On Thu, 24 Dec 1998, Tom Wier wrote:

> Hmm.  That seems to only to be the case, though, because they are aware
> of their separate identity from the Americans.  Take me, for example.  I could
> just as well say that all the stuff about Santa and the Reindeers in all that cold
> weather with snow and stuff is cultural colonialism perpetrated by the Northern
> mercantile establishments like Macy's and such, because I for one have almost
> never actually seen snow.
I remember seeing snow fall once in December when I was five.  It was a
freak unseasonal weather because I associate December with  early summer.

The tradition of Christmas symbolism in NZ is British with accretions of
North American symbolism as trimmings.  The part of NZ I live in was
intended to be a settlement established by the Free Church of Scotland and
observance of Christmas as a festival of that church did not start until
after the original settlement.

>  Certainly, if the people at large had no
> interest in such bits of Americana, and didn't support it by their purchases, the
> stores wouldn't have them. They aren't being forced to have them. :)
>
In this case it is being reinforced by the practice of tradition, even if,
in my perspective, it has lost its original context.  A voice for a
midwinter feast in July is beginning to be heard, if not widely observed.
A pagan friend invited me around to a yule meal this year.  But it is
interesting that the celebration of Christmas in this form is being
adopted in parts of the world where its Anglo-American tradition is not
endemic.

- andrew.

Andrew Smith, Intheologus                       hobbit@earthlight.co.nz
Q. Why are there so many Smiths in the Phone Book?
A. Because they all have telephones!

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