That makes sense - it certainly winds me up listening to the Snowman when there is still a hosepipe ban!
It does vary from place to place, in NL they do Sinterklaus on the 5th December, in Egypt they do Christmas on the 7th Jan, think they are coptic Christian there and it is a very religious affair.
Funny about the lights, didn't know we took them along with our chip shops when we emigrate
, I will have to make a note of that. A few houses down from here they go nuts with lights glares up the whole area. I dont get it, spend a fortune on lights and put them outside where you can't see them...odd