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For me any place in the Southern Hemisphere. I would love nothing more than spending a day at the beach on Xmas day swimming in the hot sun while singing Xmas carols. Perth looks particularly appealing at this time of year
I was 10 years old and my father had been assigned to Bitburg Air Force Base, Germany. The base set us up about 10 miles away from the base on the 2nd floor of a Gasthaus. A beautiful little town named Edingen along the banks of the Prum and Sure rivers.
It was Christmas eve and we had been there 2 days. I was out on our balcony and could hear people walking down the street towards us. It was a procession of townspeople singing caroles and carrying tall poles laden with homemade pretzels. They were dressed in Christmas costumes and German outfits. They stopped below our balcony and waved us down. Our parents gave us permission and we walked with them up a mountain/hill where they lit a bonfire, ate and sang.
It was amazing.
Last year I went back and found that gasthaus. It had been 40 years but I was not only able to find it, I found the son of its owners who I had played with as a kid and had a beer with him.
For me any place in the Southern Hemisphere. I would love nothing more than spending a day at the beach on Xmas day swimming in the hot sun while singing Xmas carols. Perth looks particularly appealing at this time of year
Unfortunately Sydney this year has a real dampener on it with the fires. We have had the worst bushfire smoke ever blanketing the city with the quality at extreme levels. Today the temperature in western Sydney, away from the coast is expected to hit well over 100F. It is the end of our school year and warnings to stay inside are causing picnics and sports events to be cancelled.
Today we have officially moved to level 2 water restrictions so children cannot run through sprinklers in the heat. Christmas here is very rushed for most families. Many people spend much of the day on the road, having lunch with one side of the family and dinner with the other. Then many pack up and hit the road again on Boxing Day to head off on holidays, often up and down the coast. Many businesses close between at least Christmas and New Year. But this year the main coastal highway south has been closed because of the fires and there are many cancellations happening. Very sad for these coastal towns that rely so much on Christmas tourism.
We do not have especially nice Christmas decorations partly because it does not get dark until about 8pm. Some homes do have lights but as the price of power has escalated so much the past few years they are not as prevalent.
So Sydney may be normally good for tourists at this time but perhaps not nearly as nice as places where it is cold.
Unfortunately Sydney this year has a real dampener on it with the fires. We have had the worst bushfire smoke ever blanketing the city with the quality at extreme levels. Today the temperature in western Sydney, away from the coast is expected to hit well over 100F. It is the end of our school year and warnings to stay inside are causing picnics and sports events to be cancelled.
Today we have officially moved to level 2 water restrictions so children cannot run through sprinklers in the heat. Christmas here is very rushed for most families. Many people spend much of the day on the road, having lunch with one side of the family and dinner with the other. Then many pack up and hit the road again on Boxing Day to head off on holidays, often up and down the coast. Many businesses close between at least Christmas and New Year. But this year the main coastal highway south has been closed because of the fires and there are many cancellations happening. Very sad for these coastal towns that rely so much on Christmas tourism.
We do not have especially nice Christmas decorations partly because it does not get dark until about 8pm. Some homes do have lights but as the price of power has escalated so much the past few years they are not as prevalent.
So Sydney may be normally good for tourists at this time but perhaps not nearly as nice as places where it is cold.
Yeah I initially thought Sydney but then realized Perth would be a better option as the fire situation on that side of the country seems better at the moment.
I am sure Xmas is a busy time for all families but seeing as I would just be spending time with my partner, it would be no problem for us to lounge on a beautiful Australian beach on Xmas day
As a catholic, I have to say that, for me, the best place to experience it is at home, with my wife, my sister, my son, my nephew and my parents, because it's a holy date for us.
However, if we talk about the entire season (not only the Christmas Eve), I think about a small village anywhere in Central Europe, with lots of Fachwerk houses, pines covered by light and balls, churches with cribs, snow flurries, small shops selling handcrafts and chocolate boxes, children choirs singing carols, and old white-bearded guys in red robes impersonating Santa Claus everywhere for entretaining the children.
The town of Colmar, in northeastern France, would be a good example of what comes to my mind.
Yeah I initially thought Sydney but then realized Perth would be a better option as the fire situation on that side of the country seems better at the moment.
I am sure Xmas is a busy time for all families but seeing as I would just be spending time with my partner, it would be no problem for us to lounge on a beautiful Australian beach on Xmas day
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