Curious: Traditional Carols in the Southern Hemisphere?

[Menolly]

When the new Kevins Watch banner was being commented on, I think it was Avatar that pointed out that it's not winter all over the world. I was listening to the radio station that is currently playing holiday songs 24 hours a day, and noticed how many of what I consider traditional carols have to do with holly, mistletoe, snow, sleighs, etc.

Living in Florida, we still sing these songs and don't think twice about them, as the weather does get cooler and it has snowed here (flurries that melted right away) on rare occasions.

But for those who are in the height of summer during Chr-stmas, do you have other seasonal songs that have to do with the holidays that I have probably never heard of? If so, I would love to see some lyrics, or be guided to streaming audio files of them.

If ya'll sing what I think of as the standard traditional seasonal songs, do you think it may have been because of the British influence on your culture?

:::probably a stupid thread, but I am curious:::

[High Lord Tolkien]

That's what I wanted to ask in my Christmas traditions thread but never got to it.
What do people who celebrate Christmas when it's 90 degrees think as they sing "Dashing through the snow, on a one horse open sleigh....."
Or are these types of songs skipped in favor of others.
And if so what are some examples?

BTW, I got about 2 or 3 inches of snow last night.
It really put it all in the mood.
I was singing "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" to my kids.
But I think it will be all melted before the day is done.

[Warmark]

:::probably a stupid thread, but I am curious:::

heh, you have made me curious aswell now.

[Rincewind]

it finally snowed in boston! ... im from upstate new york, so i usually expect 4 to 5 feet by now, but nevertheless

[sgt.null]

congrats.

i miss the snow during Christmas and have trouble getting in the holiday spirit because of it.

[Avatar]

Sorry Menolly, told you I'd make it here eventually.

It does sound pretty weird to be singing songs about snow etc. when it's blazing hot over Christmas, (and don't forget, we very rarely get snow in winter either, except over the mountains. In fact, the first time my GF ever even saw snow in "real life" was a couple of years ago in the UK.)

Christmas carols here tend to be pretty much the religious sort anyway, you know, Silent Night, that sort of thing, but places, especially stores, do play all that jolly "holly" type stuff. Jingle Bells for example, is not considered a christmas carol per se.

It is most definitely the colonial influence in our history, which, never forget, only ended with independance in 1961, so it's pretty damn recent.

It's incongrous, but I can't say that anybody ever remarks on it much. Also, carols are traditionally sung at night here, so it's not blatantly obvious...sorta gets lost in the spirit of things I guess.

But yeah, I'd wager that they're pretty much the identical carols that you guys sing...certainly no regional variations. And considering that the tradition, along with christianity itself, came from European roots, I doubt there are local African versions other than direct translations.

Remember though, it's highly unlikely that Jesus, (positing his existence of course), ever saw snow himself. The whole thing springs from the churches takeover of existing pagan rituals of renewal and rebirth, celebrations of summer and winter solstices, etc.

Snow only forms a part of "christian" tradition because humans made it so, in regions where the church gained and maintained power over existing pagan traditions. Not much room for snow in the deserts of the middle east.

--Avatar

[sgt.null]

so O Tannenbaum must be sung, eh?

my daughter in law refuses to believe that we stole the 25th of December from the pagans. no helping some folk.