Seasonal gifts

I suspect not many of my readers have lived for any length of time in the other hemisphere to where they were born. On top of the inevitable cultural differences, there are the seasonal differences too. I've written about it before here. But today I was musing on the different gifts which are given. It seems obvious, really, Christmas = summer gifts in Australia and winter gifts in the northern hemisphere. So sometimes we get interesting presents from Australia, but usually they are things that can be put away for later when it is warmer - like a pair of shorts.

My birthday is in April, so it is the start of spring here and the beginning of the cooler seasons in Australia. I've decided there are benefits to being born at the change of season like that. In Australia presents related to the upcoming cooler seasons are appropriate. In Japan, spring-type presents are welcome. This birthday I received two flowering potted plants. Beautiful spring gifts after the bleakness of winter. One year I celebrated my birthday picnicking under the Sakura trees at CAJ (cherry blossom trees). They're a tiny bit later blooming this year, and I'm about to go and enjoy them today as I pick up my sons.