General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Curious about Non Christians on DU [View all]wickerwoman
(5,662 posts)Also I'm in New Zealand and it's the middle of summer so it doesn't feel Christmassy. The last thing you want to do when it's 85 degrees out is bake a turkey all morning, eat all afternoon, curl up in front of a fire and drink hot chocolate.
I sent a few presents off to my nieces in October and bought myself a few nice things but that's mostly because I don't have time to shop during the rest of the year.
I think it is nice to have little traditions to mark the changing of the seasons. Otherwise I get so wrapped up in work I lose connection to the natural world and the days all blend into each other. So I mark the summer solstice on my calendar and make sure to buy cherries which are my favorite and are always coming into season. And I have particular jobs I tie to those kinds of "holidays" like flipping the mattresses, going to the dentist, reseasoning my cast iron pans, cleaning and sharpening the garden tools, etc. And then I treat myself when all that stuff is done by going out for a movie or a meal or going hiking someplace new.