Packing Away Christmas

While putting away the ornaments and taking down the Christmas tree today (yes, it's artificial), I finally realized why it did not feel like Christmas to me in South Africa. I thought that maybe it was the weather, but I think I could live with a warm Christmas (-42 with the wind chill today!!). I mean, I could make that sacrifice if I really had to. In taking down our decorations, I realized that people did not have Christmas lights on their houses or trees all decorated inside. I left mid-December, so maybe the decorating happens closer to Christmas time itself. Or maybe they just celebrate Jesus' birth. . .and maybe we just decorate. . .