How I Feel Home for the Holidays, While Living Half a World Away
"I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas." It's always been one of my favorite Christmas carols and something my brother and I used to cross our fingers for every year. Sledding, snow men, snow angels, snow cream, snowball fights - it doesn't get much better for a kid. Growing up in North Carolina, then beginning my TV anchoring career in Ohio, and spending five years at Fox News Channel in New York City - I was lucky enough not to just sing about having a white Christmas, but actually have a white Christmas - a number of times.
This year the only white Christmas I'll be seeing - isn't snow - but white sandy beaches. Santa will be riding a Sea-Doo instead of a one horse open sleigh, and ugly Christmas sweater house parties will be replaced with ugly Christmas wetsuit beach parties. For real! You see it's summer where I live. I live in the place Americans fondly refer to as The Land Down Under. I'm not complaining, just noting the stark contrast.
I'll be kicking off my Christmas morning with a cool swim at Australia's most iconic beach, Bondi Beach, and then heading to my brother-in-law's house for a poolside Christmas feast with 'prawns' the size of your fist! That's 'shrimp' for folks in our corner of the world!