More Christmas in Australia

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published this story of mine last week about Christmas in Australia and India:

Can you catch the Christmas spirit in sun-baked Australia? (A sidetrip to India helps.)

Here's an excerpt from the story, and a bit that got cut, that describe the pictures above:

"Each day seems to bring another jarring Aussie Xmas juxtaposition.

Like my recent Sunday excursion to a Christmas concert in a local park. Small children dressed in T-shirts, flip-flops and Santa hats lined the steps of a Victorian bandstand. On the lawn, an expanse of proud parents lolled on blankets and lawn chairs, knocking back cold beers and glasses of "chardy" as they swatted at flies.

Traditional carols were a little too heavy for this fine afternoon in the land of "no worries." Instead, the kids belted out pop tunes about putting the turkey on the barbeque and wishing for a warm Christmas, chiming over and over, "San-ta's wearing shor-orts ... San-ta's wearing shor-orts ...

The final song in the program heralded the great man’s arrival.

Covered head to toe in a red suit, Santa hid out of sight behind a gnarled fig tree near the edge of the park, waiting for the singing to stop.

“You’re supposed to be wearing shorts,” I joked as I walked past him.

“I wish I had a pair,” he said."

Here a trio of young elves play Christmas melodies on clarinets outside a newsagents in Hunter Street Mall. Another trio of larger elves wear Christmas shopping bags at the annual candlelight Christmas carol concert and fireworks event at King Edward Park, on the cliffs above Newcastle Beach and the ocean. It seemed to be the city's premiere Christmas event.