After years and years of wondering if Santa was sweating under that heavy suit and thinking that lighting the Christmas pudding was a fire hazard finally living in the Northern Hemisphere has finally made sens of it for me.

When you are a child growing up in Australia there are a lot of things about Christmas that seem bizarre: What is eggnog and why would you drink a creamy drink in 100 degree heat? Why do we cover the Christmas tree in a white styrofoam mess?

Christmas in Australia was a very different experience. We went for a swim to cool off after unwrapping presents. Every year we were all given water pistols and pool toys. We sang songs about the hot North wind and had ice cream plum pudding for dessert.

But there are a few things that are the same about Christmas no matter what hemisphere you are in:

-You will get stuck for more than an hour trying to leave at least one shopping center parking lot.
-There will be at least one person at the Christmas table that the rest of the tabel doesn't want there.
-You will always receive one gift that you can't even pretend you like.
-You will lie to at least one family member and tell them "No I don't already have it!"
-The day after Christmas you will swear not to eat that much next year!!

Merry Christmas Americans!!