Lexi Webster
There are several animals that are commonly associated with Christmas around the world, including reindeer, donkeys, camels, robins, and penguins. In Australia, kangaroos are often associated with Christmas due to the popular song Six White Boomers, which depicts Santa Claus trading his reindeer for kangaroos when delivering presents in Australia. Additionally, the Christmas Island red crab, a native species to Australia, has a festive-sounding name and is known for its annual migration during the Christmas season.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Animals associated with Christmas in Australia | Red-capped Robin, Western Rosella, King Parrot, Koala, Wombat, Kangaroo, Christmas Island Red Crab, Christmas Island Flying Fox, Christmas Island Blue-tailed Skink, Christmas Island Chained Gecko |
| Animals associated with Christmas in other parts of the world | Reindeer, Robin, Partridge, Donkey, Camels, Polar Bear, Penguins, Moose |
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What You'll Learn
Kangaroos, dingoes, wallabies, wombats, koalas, platypuses, and echidnas
Kangaroos are an iconic symbol of Australia, and they also feature in the Australian Christmas song "Six White Boomers". The song tells the story of how six white male kangaroos, or "boomers", lead Santa's sleigh through Australia. While albino kangaroos are rare, they do occasionally occur in nature.
Dingoes are an ancient lineage of dogs found in Australia, with remains dating back around 3,500 years. They possess a lean and hardy body adapted for speed, agility, and stamina. Dingoes have three main coat colours: light ginger or tan, black and tan, or creamy white. The name "dingo" comes from the Dharug language used by the Indigenous Australians of the Sydney area.
Wallabies are also native to Australia and are closely related to kangaroos. They are smaller and more agile than their larger cousins, and they are often found in more rugged terrain.
Wombats are another iconic Australian animal, known for their sturdy build and strong claws. They are nocturnal creatures, spending their days sleeping in burrows and emerging at night to feed on grass, roots, and shrubs. Wombats have been featured in Australian Christmas-themed media, such as the children's book "Christmas Wombat".
Koalas are native to Australia and are known for their love of sleeping, with 18 to 22 hours of sleep per day. They primarily feed on the leaves of eucalyptus trees and spend most of their waking hours eating or resting in the trees. Koalas have become an unexpected part of Christmas celebrations in Australia, with reports of families finding wild koalas in their Christmas trees.
Platypuses are unique monotremes endemic to Australia, distinguished by their egg-laying ability. They are dependent on freshwater systems, inhabiting rivers, streams, and bodies of freshwater in eastern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania. Platypuses are active all year round, especially during twilight and at night.
Echidnas are another monotreme species native to Australia, along with platypuses. They have short, stout legs and a small, narrow head with a long, pointed snout. Echidnas are covered in coarse fur and have sharp claws for digging.
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Six White Boomers
In Australia, the Christmas song "Six White Boomers" is a fun twist on the traditional story of Santa Claus and his reindeer. The song, written in 1960, tells the tale of Santa swapping out his reindeer for six large white kangaroos—known as "boomers" in Aussie slang—to help pull his sleigh through the Australian heat. The lyrics describe how Santa's reindeer get a well-deserved rest, while the powerful white kangaroos take over, thundering through the blazing sun with a booming sound.
The song also includes a charming subplot about a lost joey (a baby kangaroo) who hops onto Santa's sleigh and, with the help of the boomers, is reunited with his mother. This local twist on the classic Christmas story adds a touch of Australian flavour to the festive season.
"Six White Boomers" has become a beloved part of Australian Christmas traditions, especially for school-aged children. It captures the unique nature of Christmas in Australia, where the holiday falls during the summer months. Instead of bundling up in warm clothes, Australians often spend Christmas Day playing backyard cricket, going for a swim, and singing carols in the warm night air.
The song also highlights the lighthearted and playful side of Australian culture, with Santa adapting to the local customs and even changing into cooler clothes to cope with the warmer climate. The inclusion of native wildlife, specifically the iconic kangaroo, adds a sense of national pride and ownership to the Christmas celebrations.
"Six White Boomers" is a delightful example of how Christmas traditions can be adapted and localised to suit different cultures and environments, ensuring that the festive season remains relevant and enjoyable for people all around the world.
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Christmas Island red crabs
Every year, millions of red crabs make a mass migration from the forest to the ocean to breed. This migration, described as an "epic" event, is one of the most incredible natural processes on Earth. The migration begins with the first rainfall of the wet season, usually in October or November, but can start as late as December or January. The crabs leave their homes simultaneously and march towards the ocean to mate and spawn. The male crabs lead the migration and are joined by females along the way. The exact timing and speed of the migration are determined by the phase of the moon.
During the migration, the crabs abandon their burrows and travel to the coast. The males arrive first and excavate burrows, which they defend from other males. Mating occurs in or near the burrows, after which the males return to the forest. The females remain in the burrows for another two weeks, laying and incubating their eggs in their abdominal brood pouch. The eggs hatch into larvae as soon as they make contact with water. The larvae develop into shrimp-like animals called megalopae, which eventually become baby crabs and march inland, taking around nine days to reach the centre of the island.
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Robins
There are several legends that explain the link between robins and Christmas. One legend dates back to Victorian times, when postmen delivering Christmas cards wore bright red uniforms, earning them the nickname "robin" or "redbreast". Artists began to illustrate Christmas cards with pictures of post-boxes or postmen, eventually drawing the familiar brown and red bird delivering letters instead of the postmen.
Another tale links robins to the traditional Christmas story and Christianity. In this story, a small brown bird appears as Mary is giving birth to Jesus and starts flapping its wings in front of the fire, causing it to roar back to life. As the bird tends to the fire, a stray ember scorches its breast, turning it bright red. Mary declares that the red breast is a sign of the bird's kind heart, which its descendants will wear forever.
A third legend links back to old Celtic-based traditions and tells of the feud between the Holly King of Winter (a wren) and the Oak King of Summer (a robin). The Holly King is driven away and replaced by the Oak King on the Winter Solstice, but on the Summer Solstice, the Holly King returns, taking the Oak King's place. This annual exchange is said to represent the changing of the seasons.
In Australia, the red-capped robin is one of a handful of red-breasted robins found in the country. They are found in warm, open woodlands and arid landscapes and are spread throughout most of Australia, except Tasmania and the northernmost regions. While they look similar to European robins, they are not closely related and likely split from the evolutionary tree early on.
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Camels
In Australia, camels have an additional significance at Christmas, as they were used by missionaries in the 1920s and 30s to spread the gospel in Central Australia. The missionary Ernest Kramer, who often employed an Arrernte man, Mickey Dow Dow, as a cameleer, guide and translator, would give out boiled sweets, tea and sugar to the local people he encountered. At night, he would use a projector to show slides of Christmas and the life of Christ. For many people, this was their first experience of Christmas, and it established a strong association between camels, gifts, and Christianity.
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Frequently asked questions
Kangaroos are associated with Christmas in Australia, as they are mentioned in the song "Six White Boomers", where Santa swaps his reindeer for kangaroos when delivering presents in Australia.
Reindeer are the classic Christmas animal, pulling Santa's sleigh. This was introduced through the poem ""Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement Clarke Moore in the 19th century. Other animals mentioned in Christmas songs include partridges, doves, and turtles.
Yes, there are several species named after Christmas Island, Australia, including the Christmas Island red crab, the Christmas Island flying fox, the Christmas Island blue-tailed skink, and the Christmas Island chained gecko.
