Santa Claus is coming to town...

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Our first European Christmas! A much looked forward to, highly anticipated event! At last the chance to see a picture card white christmas! Winter certainly descended upon us very fast. It felt like one minute we were in t-shirts and jeans...the next we were layered up with thermals and jackets and big winter coats...hats, gloves and scarves to boot! Outdoor to indoor transitions suddenly required the removal of layer upon layer til one was surrounded in a cafe by piles of one's clothing!

The dark was the other big sign that heralded the arrival of the festive season. In these past few weeks before Christmas, leading to the winter solstice on Dec 22, daylight has endured from 10am to around 3pm (if lucky) each day. The rest of the time it hasn't been just dusky...it's been midnight-esque!!! It has truly been the most bizarre thing to wake up and head off to work in pitch black and to be greeted with more of the same at the end of the work day. The sun seems to have almost disappeared here-even at midday the light can best be described as 'dull'. While low hanging clouds, mist and fog make the sky seem so much closer to the earth...almost within reach, the sun hangs suspended...a small, coulouless ball that barely seems to glow, casting only the dullest light. One day when the sun did break through the multiple cloud layers, I was dazzled by the sheer richness of the light. I realised then it had been about 10 days since I'd even seen the sun..absolutely unimaginable in Australia but parr for the course on this side.

To say it has been 'disturbing' to us adults, gives no concept of how crazy this darkened world must seem to children. Two children I was treating in an outpatient clinic in Belfast cracked me up when they asked if they could go home early this week because last week I'd kept them there until midnight! (Their appointment time was actually 3-330pm). Needless to say, the cold, wet and dark days are a huge talking point among all the locals here in Belfast. While Christmas is a highly antiipated event, people are already lamenting the fact that long winter months will inevitably follow..

So in an attempt to break the gloom accompanying the arrival of the dark and cold, so too has come the time where no excuse is necessary to engage in all things decadent. 'Lighting of the Christmas lights' events have been the hallmark of late November and December, with Christmas marketplaces springing up in quick succession. The markets are primarily Germanic in their style, even to the extent that huge German beer halls have been recreated in the main city square in Leeds! There are stalls selling lots of art and craft and gifty-type things, as well as international food and best of all, mulled wine on every corner! Believe me, its cold enough to need it too!!!

So we have been indulging ourselves...tis the season to be jolly after all! The traditional French patisserie stand in Belfast's market has been a favourite of mine...the pastries are so fantastic that I can even forget how incredibly bad they are for me and keep on munching without even the slightest guilt...they are that good!!! Meanwhile the beer hall and german sausage stands have been Adam's mainstays...after work drinks at the German beer hall are almost part of the regular work day right now! So while the Winter here is living up to its reputation in every aspect, we are managing to keep a spring in our step as we join in all the festivities in the lead up to Christmas.

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