Celebrating Christmas in Australia

 Hi dear blogging friends, and welcome to my Christmas edition. 

I was wandering around blogland wondering what to do for my Christmas post and I came across this site - Why Christmas.com I found it to be a really interesting site explaining the traditions and customs of Christmas, and how different cultures celebrate Christmas around the world. Not everyone celebrates Christmas, but for those you do, or for those who are interested to know more, I suggest you take a look. When you go to the site, just click on the links to learn more. 

So for my post today, I've taken a little from the site (though I've made quite a few changes) about how Christmas is celebrated in Australia. 

In Australia, Christmas comes towards the beginning of the school summer holidays - which run from mid December to the first week in February, so many people plan this time for their summer getaway holidays. Because it is hot (usually around the mid to high 30sC or low 40sC) many people head to the beach on Christmas Day or Boxing Day, or laze around the pool (if they lucky to have one!). 

I think this Christmas song from You Tube (Strolling Through a Summer Wonderland) sung by Ronan Keating (even though it was recorded for Air New Zealand) sums it up - New Zealand is only just across the ditch from us after all!

In 2021 is was so hot on Christmas Day (around 43C) that our grandson cooked a fried egg in a pan on the driveway. 

Some people hang wreaths on their front doors and decorate their houses and gardens with Christmas lights. People drive around in the evenings to look at the light displays. Some people must spend days/weeks putting up their Christmas lights. Sometimes the displays are set up as early as December 1st. We took a drive around on Saturday night in our area. Some of the displays were truly amazing. 

The shopping centres, hotels, and city streets, etc also put up Christmas displays. 

In each State capital city there are Carols by Candlelight concerts. Famous Australian singers help to sing the carols and those who attend are encouraged to join in the singing. These concerts are broadcast on TV across Australia. There are also Christmas pageants and street parades in capital cities, that are also broadcast across the country. Most towns and cities have festivals and parades. 

You can see a short video of some of Carols in the Domain in Sydney, Australia, in 2023 here from YouTube- 

Many towns, cities and schools also hold their own Carols by Candlelight concerts, with local bands and choirs helping to perform the Christmas Carols and songs. In the past we held candles to read the words in the song book, whilst today it will probably be a battery operated candle.  

As it is the middle of summer in Australia at Christmas time, the words to carols about snow and the cold winter are sometimes changed to alternate Australian words. There are also some original Australian Carols.

A couple of years ago I brought you a few Australian Christmas carols including two versions of The 12 days of Aussie Christmas - one showcasing our unique Australian animals. 

There are some beautiful Australian trees flowering around Christmas.  Below are the candlestick banksia (they remind me of giant Christmas candles) blue/purple jacaranda (beautiful - but not an Australian native), the yellow/orange Western Australian Christmas tree, and the red flowering gum. So vibrant. 

When he reaches Australia, it is said that Father Christmas sometimes gives the reindeers a rest and might use kangaroos. He also changes his clothes for less 'hot' ones! Children often leave out carrots for Santa's reindeer. They might leave out milk and cookies or cake for Santa, with some cold beer - but should be non-alcoholic because Santa has to drive his sleigh!

There is a popular Christmas song about Santa using six white kangaroos, called "boomers"  to deliver presents to children in Australia. The song explains that Santa's reindeer can't handle the Australian heat, so the kangaroos take over pulling his sleigh

Most families try to be home together for Christmas and the main meal is normally eaten at lunch time. Although many people still have the traditional roast English Christmas lunch (turkey, pork or ham and roast vegetables), in more recent times a cold Christmas dinner or a barbecue with seafood such as prawns and lobsters is popular. Some people like to have 'traditional' English Christmas Pudding but there may also be cold desserts like pavlova and trifle. An ice-cold 'punch' drink is also popular. 

I always make sausage rolls and these little Christmas puddings you can see below here top left. I have shared the recipe here - Christmas baking when it's baking hot

After lunch on Christmas Day we often flop in front of the TV to watch a movie - especially if someone has been given a new DVD for Christmas, or collapse on the lounge with a book, or play a board game. Or for those with enough energy - a game of back yard cricket. 

Dinner Christmas evening for us will usually be a casual affair of leftovers - a ham sandwich maybe and a bowl of icecream. 

On Boxing Day many people visit friends for a barbeque. And there is often a new release movie at the cinemas - a good way to keep cool on Boxing Day in the cinema.  People very often travel on Boxing Day to start their summer holidays. 

A famous Yacht race - the Sydney to Hobart - from Sydney in New South Wales to Hobart in Tasmania is held on Boxing Day. Another Boxing Day tradition is the Boxing Day Cricket Test Match. It starts every year on Boxing Day and is held at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) in Victoria. 

On Christmas Day we need to remember the service people in our community who continue to work for us - like hospital workers, doctors, nurses, ambulance officers, community service personnel, police, firefighters (bush fires in Australia are common this time of year), and the Australian Royal Flying Doctor Service who are on hand if someone in remote Australia needs help. Thankyou to all those people. 

This year is the 50th year anniversary of the Christmas Day cyclone that hit Darwin in the Northern Territory in the early hours of Christmas morning 1974 - Cyclone Tracy - when Santa didn't make it into Darwin. It devastated 80% of the city, and 66 people were killed. More than 36,000 people were evacuated from the city. Singers Bill and Boyd wrote a song about it - you can hear the song and see vision from the aftermath of the cyclone here on YouTube - 

A bushfire came scaringly close to our house on 21 December 2021 - and I was so grateful to the firefighters who brought that bush fire under control. We had never been in that situation before. 

And for those who are missing someone from their table for the first time this year a very special song on YouTube from Anya - Spirit of Christmas Past. 

Here are some of my previous Christmas posts you may enjoy

A Christmas wish for you - and the Ghosts of Christmas Past - 2023

The 12 Days of Aussie Christmas - 2022

Christmas in Australia - 2021

Christmas waves a magic wand over the world - more about Christmas in Australia 2021

The Christmas in Australia edition - 2020

Christmas baking when it is baking hot in Australia -2013

I wish you all a blessed festive season spent with those you love. And for all a prayer for peace and safety around the world in these troubled times. 

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. How do you celebrate Christmas? Perhaps you would like to tell us about it in your comment. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 
I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
   

Mosaic Monday @ Soul & Mind & So On

Saturdays Critters - Viewing Nature With Eileen

Travel TuesdayTalking About It Tuesdays @ Slices of Life

ThroughMy Lens 
Image-in-ing
My corner of the world through my camera 
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global hosted by Randomosity. 
       and Little bird - Pienilintu
Thankful Thursday 
Welcome to Nature Thursday

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Until then, enjoy your day... it won't be back.