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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 1997)
- ;,',1 ■zi'i ' Jl PETER VASEY is a senior broadcasting major and a Daily Nebraskan staff reporter. Dashing through the snow, In a one-horse open sleigh. O ’er thefields we go, Laughing all the way. As a child I never questioned these lyrics, nor the lyrics of other Christmas songs. I did not question their logic that Christmas meant snow. Problem was, I was in Australia. While the northern hemisphere freezes through the Christmas holi days, down under we celebrate the ‘silly season’ in temperatures some times reaching 90 degrees. But the strange part for northern hemisphere visitors who spend holi day time in Australia is the juxtaposi tion of decorations symbolizing a win try season in the heat of our summer. Snowmen, candy canes, snow and pine trees — we have it all. Australia’s Christmas season begins in earnest in mid-November. We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, so retailers get an early start on their bombardment of junk mail and deco rations to show Christmas is closing in on the unsuspecting hordes. The shopping centers are decorat ed with tinsel garlands, artificial pines standing at center stage, under which Santas of various shapes and sizes sit Large mats of soft, white foam lie around them to simulate snow. Over the speakers mounted in the shopping center streams lyrics such as: “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas/Just like the ones I used to know." At home stands a 6-foot artificial Canadian pine in our lounge. The tree is decorated with tinsel, glass balls, lights, angel’s hair and other ornaments -just your common Christmas tree. Around the house, garlands of tinsel are hung and, yes, even stock ings are hung though not by a fire place since it is not a common fea ture of homes in Sydney. The weeks before Christmas see many carols-by-candlelight concerts. They vary from the local community gatherings to spectacular events broadcast across the country. In the evening, the windows around the house may be opened to let the cool, evening breeze from the south float through. That is, it has cooled down from the stifling dayls heat Around the suburbs the colored lights flicker and dance on houses, bushes and around letterboxes, though this phenomenon is not as big here as in the United States. And what of Christmas Day? Beaches such as Sydney's famous Bondi Beach are filled with families indulging in the joys Christmas brings in the best weather summer can offer. At the beach, children get to try out their new boogie boards and play beach cricket using their new cricket sets. Christmas means family time, so the gatherings stretch the holiday. My family visits one side of our extended family the weekend before Christmas. Christmas Day is spent with my parents and siblings, and the other side of the family visits on Boxing Day, the day after Christinas. Among Australia’s created tradi tions, are our own Christmas carols. typically they talk of summer. "The north wind is tossing the leaves, the red dust is aver the ground.” But these dp opt replace the older carols from other, colder parts of the world. But of course the big question regarding Christmas is what Santa does with his reindeer when he reach es the heat of the Australian sumiqqr. Such goes one Australian song: “Six white boomers, snow whjte boomers / Racing Santa Claus / through the blazing sun / Six white boomers, snow white boomers / On his Australian run.” A boomer is a kangaroo. Hey, you use what you’ve got. Have a happy holiday. ». - . - , . .. ‘ v; ' • . X ■ ■>** r :?$. '• •/. Vv ’'5’ ’ : :* Students Join IJS. traditions By Kim Sweet Staff Reporter Some students aren’t able to spend the holidays like most stu dents - with family and friends, celebrating traditions that are spe cial and unique to their families. Those less-fortunate students sacrifice seeing their loved ones in order to celebrate the holidays American-style. For many, this also means sacrificing their tradi tions for American ones as they spend the holidays with American families and friends they meet at school. While traditions in some coun tries are only slightly different, in others such as China, the Christmas holiday doesn't even exist, Na Xu, a sophomore pre dentistry major from China, said. While some Chinese Roman Catholics do celebrate, they cele brate privately. The holiday is seen as a time to celebrate quietly with family, he said. The majority of the country, however, postpones celebrating until the country’s new year, which comes at the end of January. During that time, many fami lies celebrate in die same manner as Americans celebrate Christmas. Women clean the house from top to bottom, cook large meals as many as IS days in advance, and hang cutouts of snowflakes and animals in the window. Parents spoil their children with gifts that include new clothing. “In the young generation, everything is new for the new year,” Xu said. For other students, the American Christmas traditions aren’t much different from the ones in their own countries. Senom Gol, a graduate student from Turkey studying internation al business, thought the commer cialization of Christmas and its traditions has spread to countries around the world, including her own. “We still have Santa Claus . HU JJ..U .il^UUlU ‘WM—<■ a——— We still have Santa Claus because it is so universal.... We' don’t have sales, though.” SenomGol graduate student from Turkey because it is so universal and com mercial,” Gol said. “We don’t have, sales though” i Many students aren't used to celebrating religious holidays in their home countries. “We don’t celebrate religious holidays, we celebrate national holidays,” Gol said. Students often celebrate these holidays alone or with a few friends who are from their country. Sometimes, being caught up in American culture causes students1 I to forget holidays of their own. In Natasha Sekitoleko’s coynf-t} try of Uganda, Independence Day is (me of the major holidays. “Last year, we forgot it was Independence Day, Sekitoleko, a junior environmental studies major said. Some students give up tradi tional celebrations with an American family and travel over the long break., “Last year, I went to Florida. I want to go to warm places,” Gol said. Others make the long trek home.'Sekitoleko will go home to Uganda for Christmas. Despite the differences in tra ditions and holidays, international students appreciate the holidays no less than other University of Nebraska-Lincoln students. “I think holidays are great It js a nice opportunity to be with oth ers and not worry about classes,” | Sekitoleko said. __,l_—JUJU Ml4*1 44»<t U .biaa