Ruqayyah Snyder
Christmas in Australia falls in the summer, which means Australians often spend the day at the beach, enjoying barbecues, seafood, and outdoor activities. The day after Christmas, December 26, is known as Boxing Day, a national holiday when people relax, decorate their homes, and enjoy shopping sales. In the lead-up to Christmas, Australians decorate their homes and businesses with Christmas lights, trees, and arrangements, and many workplaces hold Christmas parties in December. On Christmas Eve, children are told that Santa Claus visits houses, placing presents under the Christmas tree or in stockings. Australians also celebrate Christmas in July, allowing them to experience a more traditional winter-style Christmas dinner.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 25 December |
| Season | Summer |
| Weather | Warm |
| Food | Seafood, salads, glazed ham, roast turkey, potatoes, roasted vegetables, Christmas pudding, mince pies, trifle |
| Drink | Mulled wine |
| Activities | Going to the beach, playing beach cricket, swimming, surfing, sailing, riding bicycles, barbecues, fireworks, carol concerts, shopping sales, sporting events, picnics, visiting Santa, community events |
| Decorations | Christmas trees, flashing lights, tinsel, fake snow |
| Songs | "Jingle Bells", "White Wine in the Sun", "How to Make Gravy", "Aussie Jingle Bells", "All I Want for Christmas Is You" |
| Traditions | Sending Christmas cards, Christmas postage stamps, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve dinners, dances, and parties, Twelfth Night party |
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What You'll Learn
Christmas decorations and lights
Christmas in Australia falls during the summer, which means that the traditional Christmas tree is often decorated with fake snow. The tree is central to Christmas decorations, and strings of lights and tinsel are standard. In the lead-up to Christmas, many businesses and residential houses will be decorated with Christmas lights and arrangements. Some local councils hold street light competitions, and maps are posted highlighting the best displays.
In Sydney, the Martin Place Christmas Tree is a festive tradition. This tree is adorned with over 110,000 LED lights, a 3.4-metre colour-changing star, and 330 glossy baubles. The Harbour Village in Sydney also offers children the chance to write letters to Santa, join workshops, and meet him.
In Melbourne, Christmas Square transforms with festive projections, while Brisbane lights up with enchanting displays along the river. Adelaide's Christmas Pageant is the Southern Hemisphere's largest parade.
Many Australians also celebrate "Christmas in July". This mid-year celebration allows people to enjoy a more traditional winter-style Christmas, with roast meats, mulled wine, and festive decorations.
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Christmas music and carols
Christmas in Australia is often hot and sunny, a stark contrast to the wintery scenes described in many traditional Christmas carols. As a result, Australians have created their own versions of Christmas carols, swapping out snow and Santa for the summer weather and native wildlife of Australia.
One example of an Australian Christmas carol is 'The 12 Days of Aussie Christmas', which replaces the birds of the original with Australian birds such as galahs, emus and kookaburras. Another is 'Santa Koala', and there is also an 'Aussie Jingle Bells'. 'Six White Boomers' is described as "probably the most Aussie of our songs".
Some Australian Christmas carols are taught in primary schools and sung at school assemblies. One example is a carol about "brolgas dancing, 'lifting their feet like war horses prancing'".
There are also some well-known Australian Christmas songs by Australian artists. 'How to Make Gravy' by Paul Kelly is described as an "ultimate Australian classic", and Tim Minchin's 'White Wine in the Sun' is "a Christmas song for the non-believers". 'Little Drummer Boy (Up the Khyber)' by Frenzal Rhomb is another unique take on a Christmas classic.
In addition to carols and songs, Australians also enjoy classical music at Christmas time. George Frideric Handel's 'Messiah' is a beloved favourite, and many churches hold lessons and carols services, alternating readings from the Bible with choir singing.
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Christmas cards and postage stamps
Christmas cards in Australia often feature traditional Christmas symbols, including a red fur-coated Father Christmas or Santa Claus riding a sleigh, songs such as "Jingle Bells", and various Christmas scenes. These scenes may include the beach, as Christmas in Australia falls during the summer.
Australians with British and Irish backgrounds leave tips for the grocer, postman, and newspaper carrier on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, to thank them for their help in the past year.
Christmas is a busy time for hospitality and retail in Australia, with many casual job opportunities available.
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Christmas parties and gifts
Christmas in Australia is a unique affair, with the day falling in the middle of summer. This means that the traditional ''white Christmas'' is replaced by a sunny one, with many people heading to the beach or enjoying a barbecue. The warm weather also lends itself to outdoor parties and gatherings, with an increase in food and alcohol consumption.
In the lead-up to Christmas, Australians decorate their homes with colourful lights and inflatables, and many businesses and residential areas follow suit. The Christmas tree is also a popular decoration, along with garlands and stockings.
Gift-giving is a customary part of Christmas in Australia, often reserved for close family and friends. Aussies embrace the Secret Santa tradition with a twist, exchanging gifts anonymously and adding an element of surprise to the festivities. This custom is popular in workplaces and at family events, bringing excitement and a touch of mystery.
Christmas parties are a common occurrence in December, though rarely held on Christmas Eve. These celebrations are often end-of-year or break-up parties, with minimal reference to Christmas itself. Australians also enjoy a unique ''Kris Kringle'' tradition, where gifts are exchanged secretly, creating a joyful and unexpected festive experience.
Christmas Eve is a significant part of the celebrations, with many families attending church for special carol services and midnight masses. Children eagerly await Santa Claus, who fills stockings with treats and gifts, and snacks are left out for him and his reindeer. On Christmas Day, families gather for a traditional lunch or dinner, often featuring roast turkey, ham, and rich plum pudding. However, the warm weather has influenced some menu changes, with cold meats, seafood, and salads becoming popular alternatives.
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Christmas food and drink
Christmas in Australia is a summer affair, so the food and drink tend to be lighter and less wintry than in the Northern Hemisphere. Seafood is a popular choice, with prawns, oysters, crayfish, scallops, salmon, and Moreton Bay bugs all featuring heavily on Christmas menus. Prawn cocktails are also a staple, with some families having enjoyed them since the 1970s.
Meat is also a big part of the Australian Christmas spread, with many firing up the barbecue to cook lamb skewers, chicken, burgers, steaks, and sausages. Some families also serve ham and turkey, but these are often served cold, along with salads, instead of roast vegetables.
For dessert, pavlova is a firm favourite, piled high with cream and fresh fruit, such as berries, mangoes, and passion fruit. Another popular dessert is chocolate log cake, made with Arnott's Choc Ripple biscuits and decorated with chocolate bars and berries.
For those who want something a little more traditional, there's always Christmas pudding, which can be served with custard or brandy sauce, or even as an ice cream. Lamington, a dessert made with candied fruit, desiccated coconut, and puffed rice, is another popular choice.
As for drinks, Aussies tend to opt for cold, refreshing options, such as beer, wine, cocktails, or punch. Mango daiquiris and fruity rum cocktails are popular choices, as are non-alcoholic punches like raspberry rosé.
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Frequently asked questions
Australians often opt for barbecued seafood, grilled to perfection and served with fresh salads and dipping sauces. Some popular dishes include grilled prawns, crayfish, oysters, fish, lamb, sausages, and kangaroo. Glazed ham is also a popular choice for Christmas lunch, and some people still enjoy a traditional hot roast turkey with potatoes and roasted vegetables. For dessert, some favourites are Christmas pudding with custard, fruit and mince pies, trifle, and pavlova.
Australians often spend Christmas outdoors, going to the beach, playing beach cricket, surfing, or having picnics. They also decorate their homes with flashing lights and Christmas trees, and many businesses and residential areas host light competitions. Carols by Candlelight is a popular tradition, where people gather outdoors to sing carols and light candles. Australians also exchange gifts, often playing Secret Santa, and some attend church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day for special carol services.
Boxing Day, celebrated on December 26, is a significant part of the holiday season in Australia. It is a national holiday rooted in the tradition of granting servants a day off after Christmas. It has evolved into a day of shopping sales, sporting events, and outdoor activities. Many Australians spend the day at the beach or with family and friends.
Christmas in July is an Australian tradition that began in the 1980s when a group of Irishmen missed having a winter Christmas. It has become a beloved tradition, with people hosting parties, wearing ugly Christmas sweaters, and serving winter-style Christmas dinners with roast meats and mulled wine. It provides an opportunity to experience the cosy winter traditions often associated with Christmas in other parts of the world.
