Being in Sydney while leading up to Christmas has been an … interesting experience.

And by “interesting” I mean different. Just very different. Check out this magazine spread:

It obviously is not to say that one is better than the other. I’ve actually quite enjoyed wearing shorts while listening to Christmas music (let’s be honest – it’s not quite different from Texas), but the difference has made it hard getting into the Christmas spirit.

I depend heavily upon snuggly sweaters and burning fireplaces to get into the spirit. Neither of which I can find in Sydney.

So instead, I started looking around for fun events that would make it feel like Christmas. And through that determination, I discovered Carols in the Domain.

Everyone brings out their lawn chairs and coolers, buckle in for a few hours of hanging out, and then enjoys the show.

It was exactly what I needed. Granted, it was still a really weird sight seeing people wear summer dresses and Santa hats – it was an odd combo. But outside of that, it was a really great time. I went with Pasq’s roommate, and during the down time, he further explained the rules of cricket.

Y’all. I think I actually understand the game now. It’s a Christmas miracle!

Though I’m far away from home for Christmas this year, it’s nice finding some sort of Christmas spirit along my travels.