Christmas in Australia is the most unique thing you will ever witness
Christmas in Australia is quite different from the way we know it to be. Songs and stories often tell us about the hope of a “White Christmas”. This makes sense to most of us living in the northern hemisphere. Christmas does after all fall in winter and snow does make it pretty. The lands of the southern hemisphere, however, have reversed seasons. This means that Christmas in Australia is celebrated in the summer season.
Naturally, the celebrations are a bit different due to the different culture but an entirely different season makes Christmas in Australia a unique affair.
Here is a list of things that one can experience while celebrating Christmas in Australia:
- The biggest cultural shock comes when Christmas falls during the beginning of summer vacations. The summer vacations in Australia start from late December and last till mid- February.
- Australians often go camping during their Christmas vacations. Though that the intense cold of the north makes impossible for us.
- It is very hot in Australia at this time of the year. Christmas in Australia is characterised huge bushfires throughout the country. Many volunteer firefighters spend their Christmas holidays travelling the country. They fight bushfires and prevent damage to life and property.
- Australians do have a Christmas tree like the rest of the world. However, they also decorate their houses with a “Christmas Bush”. Christmas Bush is something unique about Christmas in Australia. It is a native tree which has small green leaves and cream coloured flowers. The flowers are known to turn a deep red during the Christmas week.
- The carols that are about winter and snow would never fit in Australia where it summer. Australians thus change the wordings of such carols to something more suitable! There are, however, tons of original Australian carols that one doesn’t normally hear anywhere else in the world.
- It is also said that in Australia Santa Claus does not travel with help of reindeers. Santa Claus is known to give his reindeers a rest when he reaches Australia. Instead, he uses kangaroos to deliver presents to children of this country.
- Christmas in Australia is characterised “Boxing Day”. On Boxing Day, people go to the beaches to celebrate this festival. Several barbecues can be spotted on Australian beaches on Christmas. The famous yacht race between Sydney and Hobart is also held on Christmas.
This list of seven things is what truly makes Christmas in Australia a unique affair. One cannot help but feel a tinge of jealousy. After all, we are huddled in the cold while the Australians are enjoying barbecues on the beach. Plus they have Santa on a kangaroo!!
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