Christmas in Australia

Hello all!

Elrich has asked me to make a journal about what happens at Christmas in Australia. The truth is that Christmas here is pretty similar to Christmas celebrations in the UK and the US, with the notable difference that it is summer here. This means no white Christmas for Australian children, we go to the beach or play games in the backyard.

The aftermath of a 6 year old at Christmas

When I was little I always remember Christmas being very hot and humid. I would lie awake on Christmas Eve and try to go to sleep, but the heat and the excitement always made it impossible. In recent years with the El Nino effect (or is it La Nina? I always forget) Christmas has been much milder with rain. (Oh I am getting so old.. talking about the weather).

The Tree looks munted because its not a real christmas tree. My Dad lopped the top off a tree in our garden.

My mum had an obsession with Santa photos. Some years I had 2 or 3 taken all in different shopping centres.

As for the traditions of Christmas, we don't have any unique ones as far as I know. Families will put up a tree with a star or angel atop around the beginning of December.

The wait until Christmas is marked by an advent calender which has lollies or chocolate behind a window for each day of December. Some people also go to Christmas carols at schools or parks, although people don't tend to do street carolling.

Why yes. I am 21 and have a hello kitty advent calender.

Houses are decorated and sometimes whole streets will put Christmas lights all over their houses.There is a really ugly house in the street in front of me and they always wrap cherry lights along all the railings.It looks so tacky and ugly I should really take a photo but it might cause you to vomit out of your eyes. The guy who owns the house is a newsreader on TV and his bogan children throw loud parties that have to be broken up by the police. /rant

Me in my school uniform. My sister is 1.

Most importantly, there is always lots of food at Christmas time. This is probably one of my favourite parts (aside from all the presents, that is). Most families will have a big baked dinner on Christmas day with either a baked chicken or baked ham and lots of vegetables and stuffing.

My family is weird, so we always have our baked dinner on Christmas eve because my mum doesn't want to have to have to do so much cooking on Christmas Day. Another popular thing to eat on Christmas is seafood. Because seafood can be eaten chilled it can be very refreshing to eat on hot Christmassy days.

The 2010 Christmas tree, decorated by my sister this year. We have to take it in turns or we fight.

Presents under my tree!!!!

The day after Christmas is Boxing Day. The name apparently comes from the olden days in which you would box up your old stuff to give to charity as a way of giving thanks for your Chrissy presents. I had to look that up though so I don't think anyone actually does that anymore.

My Sister: The Snowman

(It is ironic they asked some of the children to come as snowmen consider no Australian child actually ever gets to make them at Christmas, bahh cultural imports!)

When I was little I used to think that there must have been a big boxing tournament on Boxing Day every year, which seemed to be a bit bloodthirsty for the day after Christmas. I guess the truth makes a lot more sense.

Angel Ornament on the tree

My Christmas bear bauble

Boxing Day is when all the stores have their big sales, similar to the Black Friday Sales in the US near Thanksgiving. If you have relatives you dont see on Christmas Day and don't like very much, then buy them something for sale on Boxing Day. Why pay retail price on those bastards.

(Above and Below) Part of the ever growing reindeer collection

On Christmas Eve Australian children are visited by Santa Claus. He is fat and wears a red suit and the Australian rendition is pretty much identical to the American one, including reindeer and milk/cake left by the tree for Santa and carrots left for the reindeer. Some families leave Santa beer instead of milk, which I'm sure he appreciates.When you wake up on Christmas Day the old guy has left presents and the food/drink will have been nibbled/drunk.

1991 was a good year for Santa photos.

My doll Babar and I wore matching outfits.

When I was little my dad used to tease me every year by saying he was building a trap to catch Santa. This would upset me alot because none of the other kids would get their presents! Every year Dad failed to catch Santa and I would gloat at his ineptitude at trap building. Because it's hot here and no one has a fireplace, stockings are less of a big thing than in colder countries. Mostly presents are just put under the tree.

Yet more Santa photos.

Tinsel is awesome, just sayin'

We also are forced by our mothers to have Santa photos at the shopping centre. When I turned 17 I refused to do it anymore, but my mum still makes us take a photo every year in front of the tree wearing santa hats.

My gawky phase which lasted from Year 6 until Year 10. Really not a good time for me looks wise.

Look how goddamn cute I was.

For the most part Australians are not a particularly religious lot, so most people don't go to church on Christmas Day. My mum went to church one year and the rest of my family refused to go with her. An old guy had a heart attack in the middle of the sermon so she decided maybe she shouldn't go back again.

More Christmas morning aftermath

Me, my neighbour and my sister wearing reindeer ears.

Mum has been back to church on Christmas Day since (although not for a few years later..) and there were no heart attacks, only a couple of elderly transvestites. About as religious as most Australians get though is watching their kids do a nativity scene in a school play.

My Sister's friend and my Sister

Me and my sister constructing the Christmas Tree