My first winter in the UK was bleak. It was lockdown, I got covid… It just wasn’t a great time.

But the thing that I will always remember was how beautiful the lights were.

It took me a while to figure out why they were so much more beautiful than in Australia.

Then I realised.

The dark here is different.

And this opinion is not just mine – quite a few of us from the southern hemisphere feel the same.

The dark here feels ‘denser’, more impenetrable.

Therefore, the lights are more beautiful, because they stand out against their background more.

There’s a lot of ‘meaning’ in this that I could explore, but really, all I have to say is, enjoy the lights.

Merry Christmas. Have a peaceful, restful time, all.