Here we are, a week before Christmas. Many of us are up to our hubcaps in ice and snow while the rest of us still bundle up tightly before leaving the house for the mall. Ahhhh! Christmas! A time of icicles, snow drifts, crystal clear nights and frostbite! This is the time of year when we sing Christmas Carols, dream about Santa Claus and make angels in the snow. But this week, we are going to celebrate Christmas in a very different way!

Remember, that half the world is in the southern hemisphere and south of the equator, it just happens to be summer. Don’t believe me? Just ask Paula in Chile, Hillie in Australia and Marion in New Zealand! So how do you celebrate Christmas without being surrounded by ice and snow and slush and temperatures in the minus degrees! How do you think Santa gets his sleigh to all the homes in the southern hemisphere without all the glistening, white snow? And what would Santa wear when he delivers toys to Sydney or Melbourne? Seems kind of ridiculous, when the temperature is over 80 degrees, to put a decorative sleigh on top of your snowless roof with all the reindeer and a big Santa bundled up in his red winter suit!

Maybe, south of the border, you could find Santa sunning himself in a red bathing suit, lounging around the pool drinking a Fosters! Aye Mate! Put another shrimp on the barbie! Perhaps the reindeer are sitting in the Jacuzzi complaining that the water is too hot! Some of the elves may be running around playing shuffleboard or tennis while other elves are busy salsa dancing with the cute lady elves on the dance floor. Then, of course, there is Mrs Claus in her bikini! Quite a sight!

Your challenge this week is to take Christmas south of the equator. I guess Paula, Hillie and Marion have an edge here but I want all of you to think about Santa in sunglasses, red shorts and a tank top! Elves with golf clubs and tennis rackets! Perhaps a cool lemonade instead of a hot chocolate!

Your job is to bring Christmas out of the cold and into the heat of summer! No icicles or snowballs! Use your imagination! Tie Christmas into summer and as Paula would say in Chile “Feliz Navidad!”

Birgit	Hillie