Leslie Massey
Christmas in Australia falls during the summer season, and while many of the traditions are similar to those in the UK, US, and Canada, some unique local traditions have also developed. Australians sing a mix of classic Christmas songs, such as Jingle Bells, and modern Christmas songs from pop stars like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande. There are also some original Australian Christmas songs, including White Christmas, How to Make Gravy, Aussie Jingle Bells, and White Wine in the Sun. These songs often feature Australian themes and locations, and reflect the hot summer weather, with references to the beach, sun, and sand.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Popular Christmas songs in Australia | "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey, "Last Christmas" by Wham!, "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" by Michael Bublé, "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" by John Lennon, Yoko Ono, The Harlem Community Choir & The Plastic Ono Band, "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" by Frank Sinatra & B. Swanson Quartet |
| Popular Christmas albums in Australia | "Christmas" by Michael Bublé |
| Popular Australian Christmas songs | "How to Make Gravy" by Paul Kelly, "Aussie Jingle Bells" by Colin Buchanan, "White Wine in the Sun" by Tim Minchin, "White Christmas" |
| Christmas songs that reflect the Australian landscape in summertime | "A Christmas Day" and "The Three Drovers" |
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What You'll Learn
Christmas songs in Australia: winter wonderlands vs beaches
Christmas in Australia falls during the summer season, which has resulted in the development of local traditions and songs. While traditional Christmas songs and carols from the UK and the US remain popular, there are some original Australian Christmas songs that reflect the Australian landscape and the unique Christmas experience in the country.
Traditional Christmas songs that are popular in Australia include "Jingle Bells", "White Christmas", "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey, and "Last Christmas" by Wham!. "Christmas" by Michael Bublé is also a popular album in Australia during the festive season. These songs often feature winter iconography, such as snow, fireplaces, and Santa getting frostbite, which contrasts sharply with the hot summer days experienced in Australia during Christmas.
To address this discrepancy, Australian composers have created new carols and songs that reflect the Australian landscape and culture. These songs often mention the summer heat, native birds, and other unique Australian elements. One example is "How to Make Gravy" by Paul Kelly, which has been described as "a classic festive tale of a criminal who is extremely concerned with the right way to make gravy on Christmas Day." Another popular song is "Aussie Jingle Bells" by Colin Buchanan, which replaces the snow and sleigh in the original "Jingle Bells" with bush and a "rusty Holden Ute."
In addition to these original songs, Australians also enjoy parodies of traditional Christmas songs. For example, one version of "The 12 Days of Christmas" replaces the various birds in the original with Australian birds such as galahs, emus, and kookaburras. These parodies add a touch of humour and local flavour to the festive season.
While Christmas songs and carols are an important part of the festive season in Australia, the warm weather also brings other unique traditions. Many people spend Christmas at the beach or by the pool, enjoying cold foods such as prawns and fruit salad instead of traditional hot roasts. Overall, Christmas in Australia is a unique blend of adopted traditions from colder climates and local customs that reflect the country's summer season.
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Australian Christmas songs: sun, prawns, and native birds
Christmas traditions in Australia share similarities with those in the UK, US, Canada, and Ireland. These include traditional Christmas symbols featuring winter iconography, such as a red fur-coated Santa Claus riding a sleigh, songs like "Jingle Bells", and Christmas cards and decorations. However, Christmas in Australia falls during the summer season, leading to the development of unique local traditions.
One such tradition is the creation of Australian Christmas songs that reflect the country's warm weather and cultural nuances. These songs often feature themes of sun, prawns, and native birds, offering a unique twist to the traditional Christmas carols.
One popular Australian Christmas song is "How to Make Gravy" by Paul Kelly. This song tells the tale of a criminal or a prisoner who provides a recipe for making gravy on Christmas Day. It showcases the Australian tradition of discussing the hot weather and includes references to classic Australian locations like Queensland.
Another well-known Australian Christmas song is "Aussie Jingle Bells" by Colin Buchanan. This song takes the original "Jingle Bells" carol and gives it an Australian spin. Instead of snow and a sleigh, the song mentions the bush and a "rusty Holden Ute," capturing the experience of a summer Christmas in Australia.
In addition to these unique songs, Australians also enjoy mainstream Christmas music. Songs like White Christmas and "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey are popular and re-enter the charts every year during the holiday season.
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Australian Christmas carols: addressing climate dysphoria
Christmas traditions in Australia share similarities with those in the UK, US, Canada, and Ireland. However, the occurrence of Christmas during the Southern Hemisphere's summer has resulted in some unique traditions. For instance, Australians typically opt for a cold Christmas lunch, such as prawns in ice buckets, cold ham, and fruit salad, instead of a roast dinner.
Australians also decorate their homes and streets with Christmas lights and arrangements, with displays ranging from modest to elaborate. Many homeowners decorate the exterior of their houses, and it is common for people to drive around in the evening to look at the lights.
Christmas parties are also common in Australian workplaces and schools, although they rarely take place on Christmas Eve. Schools usually end the week before Christmas and restart in late January or early February.
There are a few original Australian Christmas songs, including Paul Kelly's "How to Make Gravy", Colin Buchanan's "Aussie Jingle Bells", and Tim Minchin's "White Wine in the Sun". These songs tend to be parodies of traditional Christmas carols, featuring Australian-specific references to the hot summer weather, native birds, and other Australian flora and fauna. For example, "Aussie Jingle Bells" replaces the snow and sleigh in the original song with bush and a "rusty Holden Ute".
In 2018, Christian choirs across Australia changed the lyrics of traditional Christmas carols to emphasize the importance of clean energy and a stable climate, pushing for a switch to renewable energy sources. For instance, the lyrics of "Joy To The World" were changed to "Cool down the world, the time has come, for targets tight and fair".
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Popular Christmas songs in Australia
Christmas in Australia falls during the summer season, which has resulted in the development of local traditions and songs. While traditional Christmas songs and carols like ""Jingle Bells"" and "White Christmas" are still popular, Australians have also created their own unique Christmas songs that reflect their culture and climate.
One of the most well-known Australian Christmas songs is "How to Make Gravy" by Paul Kelly. The song tells the tale of a criminal or a prisoner who is concerned with making the perfect gravy on Christmas Day. It has been described as "baffling to an outsider" due to its specific references to Australian locations and traditions. Another popular Australian Christmas song is "Aussie Jingle Bells" by Colin Buchanan, which replaces the traditional sleigh with a "rusty Holden Ute" and the snow with the Australian bush.
Tim Minchin's "White Wine in the Sun" is another beloved Australian Christmas song. It encapsulates the sentimentality and comedy that are often associated with the holiday season and has gained popularity both in Australia and internationally. "Santa Never Made It Into Darwin," recorded by Bill & Boyd, is another notable Australian Christmas song. It was released in the wake of Cyclone Tracy, which devastated Darwin on Christmas Eve in 1974, and became a unifying experience for Australians, peaking at #2 on the Aussie charts.
Other popular Australian Christmas songs include "Oh Christmas" by Zefereli, which focuses on the theme of togetherness during the holidays, and "Little Drummer Boy (Up The Khyber)" by Hoodoo Gurus, which offers a unique take on the classic Christmas song. Additionally, many Australians enjoy the classic "All I Want for Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey, which has been reimagined and included in many Christmas playlists.
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Christmas in Australia: traditions and celebrations
Christmas in Australia is a unique affair, with the country's warm and sunny weather leading to some interesting traditions and celebrations. While there are similarities to Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere, Aussies have put their own spin on the festive season.
One of the most notable differences is the food. While turkey is a popular dish in many countries, Australians often opt for seafood like prawns, crayfish, and grilled fish. They also enjoy cold meats such as lamb, sausages, and steak, often cooked on the barbecue. This is accompanied by salads and traditional Australian desserts like pavlova—a light and fluffy meringue cake topped with fresh summer fruits.
Another unique aspect of Christmas in Australia is the presence of native fauna. Instead of snow-covered pine trees and reindeer, Aussies decorate their homes with Australian flora and fauna, and Santa might swap his sleigh for a surfboard. The traditional Christmas tree is still central to decorations, with strings of lights and tinsel, but these can be found alongside more unique Australian motifs.
Australians also enjoy carol concerts and singing Christmas songs, though with a twist. There are some original Australian Christmas songs, such as Paul Kelly's "How to Make Gravy", Colin Buchanan's "Aussie Jingle Bells", and Tim Minchin's "White Wine in the Sun". These songs often parody traditional carols, replacing snow and winter imagery with references to the Australian summer, native birds, and the bush.
The Christmas season in Australia is also a time for gift-giving, with the popular tradition of Secret Santa or Kris Kringle. Families gather for parties and big meals, and many attend church services on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Boxing Day is also celebrated as a national holiday, with people relaxing, decorating their homes, and taking advantage of post-Christmas sales.
In the lead-up to Christmas, Australians also enjoy festive markets, and many businesses and homes are decorated with lights and arrangements. It is common for families to drive or walk around their neighbourhoods to admire the displays. Overall, Christmas in Australia is a joyful and unique celebration, embracing the warm weather and Aussie culture.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Australians sing Christmas songs.
Popular Christmas songs in Australia include classics like ""Jingle Bells", "White Christmas", "All I Want for Christmas Is You", and "Last Christmas". There are also some original Australian Christmas songs like Paul Kelly's "How to Make Gravy", Colin Buchanan's "Aussie Jingle Bells", and Tim Minchin's "White Wine in the Sun".
Australians often sing Christmas carols that reflect the Australian landscape in summertime, such as "A Christmas Day" and "The Three Drovers". They also have unique Christmas songs that mention native birds, the hot weather, and Australian locations.
Christmas songs start appearing in Australian stores and on the radio around November, with decorations and festive moods in full swing by early December.
Yes, most workplaces in Australia hold Christmas parties sometime in December, but rarely on Christmas Eve. Schools and universities also break for summer holidays, usually in the week before Christmas.
