At a house near me I always have mixed feelings about this, in the same way that I do about New Year fireworks. At least no animals are as traumatised by this, so while it might be a bit kitschy, it does bring good cheer. It also brings people together -kids love it - and raises money for charity. You also have to admire the love and labour which have gone into it. I guess what I don't want, is that it becomes a new competitive sport - i.e. yours has to be bigger and better than your neighbour's each year. In Brisbane it's become a regular tourist attraction and the Government or Council supplies a bit of green energy for it. Meanwhile, I have bought my first Christmas present this week. It's a book for one of my granddaughters. I am so pleased that some of the youngest members of my family have taken up reading in a big way, despite the allure of electronic media. At the risk of being accused of cultural appropriation, there's an Icelandic Christmas tradit...
Practising Geographer - nature culture places people