Christmas in Australia

Dashing through the bush....

Since Christmas in Australia comes in the middle of summer, there aren't snowmen or sleigh rides.  In fact, it can be 100° on Christmas!  Because of that, some Australians have their Christmas dinner at the beach, where Santa has even been known to arrive on a surfboard!  Those who choose to stay at home and have a more traditional meal feast on roasted turkeys or ham with the fixings.  A traditional flaming Christmas plum pudding completes the meal.  Plum pudding is really a steamed cake and the Christmas version has a small prize baked inside.  The one who finds the toy in their slice gets good luck (or a broken tooth!).  Australians decorate their homes with the native Christmas bush, so named because of it's bright red leaves, also evergreen branches and, of course, Christmas trees.

One nice tradition, that has been happening in the city of Melbourne since 1937, is called Carols by Candlelight.  Tens of thousands of people come to an outdoors candlelight concert to sing Christmas carols.  Many of the Christmas songs of Australia are the same classic ones that are sung the world over, but click here for a fun medley of uniquely Australian Christmas songs!!  So crank them up, put on your tank top and flip flops, throw some shrimp on the barbie and have yourself a very Merry Christmas mate!!