Here’s a riddle for Christ- mas: where does Santa arrive on a surfboard carried by an ocean wave, and not the traditional sleigh pulled by a reindeer? The answer is… in Australia.
Christmas in Australia
A Little Different
‘Down Under’, the weather is hot at this time of year, with temperatures around 30°C. Well, it is summer and the gardens are full of flowers, though it’s a curious experience to do your Christmas shopping dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. Australian homes are decorated in the traditional way, with Christmas wreaths on the front doors, and Christmas presents piled under a Christmas tree. Yet that Christmas tree may not be a fir tree, but a branch taken from an Australian gum tree, while the decorations include Christmas Bells, another plant native to Australia.
The Barbie
Most Australians celebrate Christmas Day around the swimming pool or on the beach. Santa arrives on that famous surfboard, and Christmas dinner is a barbecue or buffet. It’s out with the Anglo-Saxon tradition of stuffed turkey, roast potatoes followed by Christmas pudding (popular here until about 30 years ago), and in with barbecues and buffets of cold meat, salads and seafood. Christmas pudding is often substituted with Pavlova, a traditional Australian dessert with meringue, fruit and cream. We’ll ignore the Australian and the New Zealander arguing over who invented this dish, and just agree it’s delicious.
The Sporting Life
Boxing Day (December 26th) brings sports events such as the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and the Boxing Day Test match from the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Everyone can relax: after all, this is just the beginning of the summer holidays!
Australian Christmas Songs
The Australians have their own versions of many popular Christmas songs. For example, the traditional song The Twelve Days of Christmas lists the presents a lady receives from her true love, such as doves, hens and partridges; in the Australian version she receives kangaroos, emus and wombats. The most popular Australian Christmas song is The Three Drovers (or cowboys) who ride on “a starry night” when “the air was dry with summer heat,” they hear “ a wondrous tune” and sing "Noel! Noel! Noel! Noel! Noel!” Everyone knows Jingle Bells. Here’s the chorus, Australian- style:
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Christmas in Australia
On a scorching summer’s day.