Walking around Redmond Town Centre yesterday, I realised that Christmas in the States is - shockingly - not as festive as it is back home.

The decorations are not loud and assertive. The music is played down low. There are NO shoppers thronging the streets. In fact, there is a subdued, almost depressing mood everywhere we went.

In Malaysia, Christmas is a time for nightlife and shopping. Although perhaps only half of us buy gifts for others to celebrate this Christian/Western tradition, most of us STILL shop because it is this time you get all the best stuff and sales (I think), or because there is little else to do.

Here, not so much. Just check out these empty streets, both during and after office hours. Each shop has no more than two or three people in it (except for EBGames - video games are very popular during this time of the year, I guess). Where is everyone?

“Probably at work or home,” answers Lokes. And he may be right. We know that during Christmas, the real tradtition involves travelling home and spending time with your loved ones, which is why the shops may be empty. But before?

“Christmas is pressure,” says Melissa, the Avignon lady who was showing us around on our first day. “What to get for whom, will they like the present…urggghh” she mimics pulling her hair out. This was odd to me because I always enjoyed getting stuff for people (even budget items) ‘coz in Malaysia, any present you get makes you happy perhaps because you don’t really get a lot of opportunities where you get presents. Your birthday, anniversaries, and then Christmas - that’s all.

Hmm. Learn a new thing everyday.

Anyway, yesterday evening was REALLY cold. Lokes and I were all wrapped up tight!