Tag Archives: light displays

Christmas Greetings from Down Under

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December 23:   Growing up in Wisconsin, I was used to white Christmases and even liked them, if we didn’t have to go outside in the cold. Later, we spent many a Christmas in Hawaii, preferring instead to lay in the sun and sand rather than go skiing or make snow angels or forts (though we made our fair share of those, too!). 

So, being down under, in the Australia summer for Christmas (two years in a row), isn’t much of a shock.  The cities down here really know how to celebrate!  I even found this store.  My favorite displays are the ones where the whole front face of the building is lit up with some kind of colorful scene.

"Lights of Christmas" displays (set to music) on St. Mary's Cathedral (Sydney).

 

Light displays on buildings in the CBD (Perth).

 
Perth celebrates with a month of activities in the Murray St./Hay St. Mall areas, from holiday markets, to concerts in the arvo, to a spectacular Christmas pageant, while Freo celebrates with a mini carnival.

Santa and Rudolph are special guests in the Christmas Pageant (Perth).

 

Christmas Ferris Wheel, on the Esplanade (Fremantle).

 

Probably the biggest news down here, display-wise, had to do with the family that decorated their house “Gangnam Style”.  It took 200 hours to set up 41,000 light bulbs and two kilmeters of cable. I didn’t get a chance to see it, but here’s a picture of the house (from Perth Now):

Christmas Gangnam Style (photo from Perth Now).

The display was so popular that the street couldn’t handle the number of people (and their cars), so after three nights, the display was taken down.  I guess all good things must come to an end, even in Australia!

I wish all of my family and friends, and you readers whom I don’t even know, a Happy Christmas and the very best for 2013.

Happy Christmas to all!

Other links:
Video link to Christmas Gangnam Style
Best places to celebrate Christmas