I admit to a deeply ingrained cultural bias: that Christmas is a cold-weather holiday. Therefore, my eye was constantly drawn to what was, for me, a novelty - the combination of Christmas and summertime, desert, or tropical images.

At Yulara, Northern Territories (near Uluru)	Our hotel lobby, Cairns	Darling Harbor, near our Sydney hotel
In Sydney	Auckland....reindeer and palm trees?	"Boxing Day Summer Sale on Now!" at Christchurch Re:Start mall