'It doesn‘t really feel like Christmas at all'

The last week of my trip has begun and I'm spending it in beautiful (*cough*) Auckland. Although I have to admit that on warm, sunny summer days the city doesn't look as gloomy as it did in my first week. And the Christmas decorations also play a not insignificant part in making Auckland shine in the summer.

Huh? What now? Christmas, sunshine, and summer? For those of you who haven't followed every post and therefore my regular weather report: in New Zealand, unlike in Germany, summer is starting. It's unbelievably hot and the sun is practically burning all of our skin cells.

And yes, this combination actually feels as weird as it sounds. Walking down the street with about 30 °C, everywhere you see angels, stars, and garlands. Christmas tree after Christmas tree, each one higher and more festive than the next. The central department store is dressed up with an oversized Santa Claus and two reindeer, and the supermarket employees wear antlers and Santa hats. All you can hear amid the street noise is Christmas music. In the past few days, I've often wondered if the New Zealanders themselves feel a bit strange when they hear 'I'm dreaming of a white Christmas' while doing their weekly shopping - because more than a dream, it will probably never be here. I suspect that's why people here almost go overboard with the decorations. There is actually a street that is considered an evening attraction for tourists in December because of the Christmas lighting - but how else can you get into the Christmas spirit with these conditions? Even though it still hasn't quite worked for Ulli and me, Auckland had another ace up its sleeve for us: Christmas in the Park, sponsored by Coca Cola. The entire evening, stars of the New Zealand music industry entertained us with Christmas music while we sat comfortably on the grass, drinking free ice-cold cola, and waiting for the exaggeratedly large Christmas tree to light up at dusk. The crowd celebrated and sang along with every single song as if there were no tomorrow, children played in the light of the spotlights, friends and couples held each other in their arms. When the tree was finally lit, a murmur went through the crowd. There seemed to be something very special in the air for the New Zealanders, and we were grateful to be a part of it. The conclusion and highlight of the evening was a fireworks display. Unfortunately, it was already set off during the second-to-last song, so we can't necessarily judge the singing talents of the last two acts. Nevertheless, you can definitely imagine worse ways to spend an evening in December.

Although the whole event felt more or less like I was experiencing a Christmas review with a six-month delay, it was very interesting to understand this unique Christmas tradition. And all of it completely free of charge, as always. New Zealand really does its best to make art, culture, and entertainment accessible to all sections of the population. Germany could definitely learn a thing or two from that.

Now I wish all of you, dear readers, pleasant winter days, while I soak up the last rays of sunshine before I sink back into the cold and darkness (but hopefully also into the Christmas spirit).

* Title: Christmas Lights - Coldplay