I always laugh at the selection of Christmas cards on offer when I go into stores around Christmas time. They are inevitably covered with scenes of snow and snowflakes and poor Santa is dressed up in his hot, hot red suit. He wouldn't last five minutes in Australia on Christmas Day in that outfit. As a child the whole winter theme that is prevelent at Christmas time perplexed me; we didn't have snow...and where was the beach?

The whole ritual of Christmas is set around the Northern Hemisphere. Even in Australia those images abound. The decorations are winter inspired, as are the cards and the TV specials all have a theme of the wonder of the first drop of snow. It's a far, far, cry from the reality of Christmas Day.

I want you to imagine, if you can, sitting down to a traditional baked dinner, complete with hot pudding in 40 degree (104F) Celsius heat. I've done this on more than one occasion. The air conditioning can't cope with the heat, let alone the additional strain of a baked dinner.

Over the years the baked dinner has been put aside, or at least scaled down to include cold foods. It makes eating dinner a lot easier, and the seafood tastes better on a hot day than roast beef.

More than one Christmas dinner was spent at a camping area on the beach, as well. Christmas time coincides with our summer holidays, and it seems a fair chunk of the population tries to get their little slice of the coast, if only for a few weeks. The strange part is that the same people will come year in and year out. The camping area is a home away from home where all of your annual friendships are renewed.

I know there's a lot of sentimentality behind the fresh cut Christmas tree, but in the heat they wilt fast, and in a camping area they are just annoying. Instead, we've always had a fake tree. At least we aren't sweeping up nettles constantly from the ground.

I'd say the main difference between an Aussie Christmas and a Northern Hemisphere one is the season. Summer is at the end of the year, not in the middle, and slowly, I think we are adapting to the fact, even if it has taken a little over 200 years to do it. Mind you, I wouldn't trade it for anything. There's something magical about celebrations and the sand between your toes.