Holidays feel different after years abroad

Stylish Christmas street decor. [iStockphoto]

Is it just me, or does the meaning we attach to holidays metamorphose as the years pass? In the last five years, I've noticed feeling a disjointed relationship with Christmas and New Years it feels as if my holiday spirit is still searching for its identity.

Whenever December rolls in, it has borne a stark resemblance to any other month of the year for me and, in fact, has felt a tad lonelier than I imagined. For many years in Australia, the holidays were celebrated with chosen family. We cooked and ate too much food, we played games, exchanged gifts and found creative ways to hide from the punishing heat of Australian summers.