Some of you might have read about Leigh’s stance against the promotion of snow related Christmas products in Australia a few weeks ago. Personally, I’m all for getting rid of the notion of a white Christmas in Australia. With the exception of hail storms and freak summer snow falls in the mountain ranges of Victoria and New South Wales, Australia does not have a white Christmas. Do we feel bereft for this? No, we don’t because we don’t know any different.
We don’t dream of chestnuts roasting on an open fire, we dream about prawns sizzling away on the BBQ. We don’t hear silver bells on every street corner, instead we hear neighbours shouting “Merry Christmas mate!” (if they’re on good terms, let’s just forget those on bad terms). Good King Wenceslas wouldn’t have looked out on a white snowy ground, he would have looked out through the hazy heat rising from the bitumen or concrete driveway. Our Santa doesn’t wear a big furry suit, he wears a pair of bathers and snorkelling gear….well that’s when he’s taking time off from taking the Six White Boomers all across Australia.
There are a few Aussie Christmas carols out there and I play them loud and proud on Christmas Day, simply because they mean something to me as an Australian. But the Christmas card selection has always been shamefully northern orientated towards the white snowy Christmas. So I’d like to say a big huge tah and good on ya mate to John Sands who have kindly put out an Australian range of Christmas cards….for those of us who would tell the white Christmas fanatics where they can kindly put it. 
This Christmas, say no to snow!
With you on that one..though I got a set of muppet chrissie cards with nary a snowflake in sight.