I've wondered at this penchant Americans (and Japanese to a smaller degree) have with seasonal decorating. I don't think I know any Australians who decorate their houses for seasons, except for Christmas. From what I've seen some Americans love to change the decorations for several seasons including autumn, winter, spring, Easter and Christmas. And even special holidays like Valentines day, American Independence Day etc.
This photo from a meal I had with a bunch of missionary women this week doesn't show it well, but both the tables and the walls have "autumn" decorations. Predominantly orange-yellow colouring including leaves and pumpkin-type decorations. Here's a link to a blog post of a missionary friend of mine that shows her "fall wall-decorating quilt".When I hand around with some of my American friends I feel very different when they start talking about these decorating things. But I don't think it is because I'm a bad housekeeper, but because I'm an Australian and we do things differently.
Australians or at least Queenslanders don't seem to decorate for the seasons or even special holidays. I wonder if it is because of our predominance of Eucalyptus trees that are the same all the year round. We don't have seasons any where near as marked as some places in the world. Has this made us more low-key than our northern hemisphere cousins?
I'd be interested to hear from any of you Aussies who do mark seasons with house-decorations.
Maybe we Aussies just want to keep it simple, and can't be bothered with all that changing decorations stuff. They get all four seasons in the southern states, and I haven't noticed any decoration changing.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it has more to do with our "convict" and "farming" roots, when most people were too busy just surviving to worry about decorating, and especially changing those decorations with the seasons.
Yes, it does seem to be a rather North American phenomenon. And while I like the pretty colours, I'm not about to start doing it myself. It's a good reminder that Western culture is not completely uniform. And it's also a reminder to think through cultural aspects when we are learning about home-making and glorifying God as wives and mothers. Not everything from one Christian culture applies in another culture. Japanese women might feel very strongly about how a family handles matters relating to shoes and socks. American women might feel a good wife would make a certain amount of effort to decorate their home. An Australian wife might feel it is sufficient for it to be clean and welcoming. Each to their own - to the glory of God.
ReplyDeleteInteresting observations. I probably wouldn't decorate as much if we were in the states, but I put up some autumn decorations just to remind myself that it is that time of year. (I'm not an Aussie, so I'll be quiet and listen now.)
ReplyDeleteI'm Canadian living in Australia, does that count? Though I'm not a decorator anywhere I live.
ReplyDeleteI suspect you're right that it's a lack of distinct seasons in Australia. I've lived in Melbourne for 5 years and although there are definite seasons, they are not nearly as distinct as what I grew up with. Take spring for example:
Canada (Ontario) spring = first flush of bright green grasses and flowers from under brown muddy fields and snow. Literally a rebirth of the world.
Victoria spring = warmer days, less rain. Hmm, not so dramatic!
And autumn:
Canada = first frosts, brilliant leaves, cold noses and the joy of going from chill outside to warm inside.
Victoria = goodbye to scorching days and the start of rain, re-greeening of dry burnt lands.
I wonder how Americans decorate when they've grown up in the southern states, with less distinct seasons. Do they still use "autumn" colours in Florida? :)
I'm in a tiny bit of trouble for generalising about Americans! Only some Americans do it and probably mostly those who come from the northern more dramatic weather areas. Someone thought it might be a country thing too.
ReplyDeleteJapanese are pretty focused on the seasons, but I'm not sure how much that extends to their homes, I haven't actually been inside too many homes. And I'm not sure how that changes across the country. I know that the seasons aren't quite as dramatic here in Tokyo as they are in Sapporo. We're more as Martha described Melbourne to be.
I wonder about how much influence commercialism has on all this too, because shops like to do it and therefore make money by selling it too? Just another thought there.