Growing up in Milwaukee I always loved Christmas time. In fact, it doesn't take much for me to daydream back to the 1960s – cold air, snow, lots of lights and decorations on people's houses and as we would drive from Fox Point to downtown (seemed like a big deal). We would get to Wisconsin Avenue and it was magical. I can still summon up the sights, sounds and smells of the season.

A visit to Gimbel's (of course my fave as it was my namesake) or Boston Store was awesome with all the decorations, the exciting toy departments and, of course, a visit with Santa. Being Jewish in no way diminished my love of the holiday. I remember one year one of the stores had a real kid-sized monorail traveling on the ceiling in the toy department. It seemed so lavish. I know my mom still has pictures of me with Santa. I especially remember a photo of one year brother Josh is crying as he is being forced to sit on the lap of the fat man in the red suit.

It was a simpler time, but of course everyone's childhood was simpler.

I'm sure the Milwaukee Christmas situation has changed a lot in the past 45 years but the one thing that still adds to the season is the cold and hopefully, snow.

Christmas in Asia is also a big deal. Interesting and even enjoyable, but in a completely different way.

Here in Singapore the mercury might dip down to about 80 degrees or a nippy 79 in late December. Humidity stays in the 70+ percent range.

Not too different from the rest of the year.

Snow is something people have only heard about or seen on TV, unless they have the means to travel many time zones away. Singapore is also a country where the population is 33 percent Buddhist, 17 percent Muslim, 10 percent Taoist and 5 percent Hindu. The fact that fewer than 20 percent are Christian does not stop the Christmas Express from revving up and moving full steam ahead.

Beginning around Nov. 1 the festive season kicks in. Christmas music becomes omnipresent and decorations start to go up. There is no Tha…