How to Celebrate an Australian Christmas

by Tanya Davis

In Australia, Christmas is celebrated during the summer months. This may seem strange to people who are used to colder climates at Christmas time; there is no snow and no log fires, no warm milk and cookies left out for Santa. For the Christmas meal, many Australians have given up the traditional hot roast in favor of cold turkey, ham, or seafood.

If you want to celebrate a traditional-style Australian Christmas, Father Christmas or Santa will be complete acceptable, although his picture is as likely to depict him in a swimming costume as a snow scene. This costume you choose to show him in might be a striped neck-to-knee swimmer. Or if you would prefer it, go ahead and send the Christmas cards portraying snow or winter, as these are considered normal.

 

House decorations in Australia are not usually as elaborate as in the United States, although there are plenty of decorations and symbols, and even a few wreaths. Because it is warm weather, there are many native plants in bloom. These are easily picked for decoration around the holiday season – orchids, Christmas bells, and the like are common.

In order to celebrate an Australian Christmas, consider displaying a map of Australia on the wall as a reminder of the country you are honoring. Use an Australian animal, like a kangaroo or koala, as the gift or favor of choice for your guests. Create a beautiful tree with wooden decorations, tinsel or garland, and the fairy, angel or star on the top.

Serve up a picnic instead of dinner, with champagne and pavlova, a meringue dessert that is topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit. Or if you choose to serve traditional Christmas plum pudding, offer ice cream or cream on the side. The Christmas pudding during Australian gold rushes often contained a gold nugget; the lucky person who found it was considered to be blessed with good luck for the coming year. These days the gold nugget is replaced with small favors; consider adding these to your pudding.

 

An outdoor Christmas Eve carol service was started in Australia in 1937 by a radio announcer named Norman Banks. This is now a tradition outdoor service, and many of them are televised live. So for your own celebration, consider caroling out-of-doors.

Celebrating a holiday in the tradition of another country gives an opportunity for guests to learn about other cultures as well as try something new and different. Children who participate in such a celebration will remember the details clearly for the rest of their lives. Sometimes a break from your holiday tradition can be a positive experience; consider offering up a “different” Christmas this year.