They say it's gonna be a hundred degrees, even more maybe ...
Paul Kelly, How to Make Gravy
In most respects, people in Australia celebrate Christmas the same way people around the world do. They exchange gifts and cook delicious food, sing the season's songs and visit friends and family. It's just that we do it at the height of summer, not in the cold and snow.
People in the Northern Hemisphere often forget that our seasons are reversed. Their shortest, coldest days are our longest and warmest. Those conditions give us more to enjoy, and deliver more fun. Here, we spell out Australian Christmas traditions, starting with regional favourites.
| 🌆Where? | 🎄Tradition | 📆Since when? |
|---|---|---|
| Perth, Western Australia | Christmas pageant Christmas Lights Trail | 1972 2017 |
| Adelaide, South Australia | Christmas pageant | 1933 |
| Melbourne, Victoria | Carols By Candlelight | 1938 |
| Sydney, New South Wales | Carols in the Domain Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race | 1983 1945 |
| Canberra | Christmas Lights Trail | 2017 |
| Greater Brisbane | Santa Express | 2014 |
Facts About Christmas in Australia
If you ask anyone in, say, England or the United States how do Australians celebrate Christmas, they'd likely shrug and answer: "Well, just like us, I suppose". To an extent, that's true. Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas takes over our airways, just as that song does in the US.
We pull Christmas crackers before tucking into our Christmas feast, as they do in the United Kingdom. We might have mince pies and Christmas pudding, two more traditions from that island nation.
And, we revel in our Boxing Day celebrations, too.
Clothing is the biggest difference between Christmas traditions in Australia and elsewhere.
We try to wear as little as possible, because our Season comes during the summer.
For that reason, some people also enjoy Christmas in July celebrations. It gives them a chance to enjoy winter sports and foods like soups, roasts and hot drinks in a holiday setting.
We have Santa and reindeer, too, though Santa might wear an Akubra and thongs. Our kids like to leave carrots out for the animals, alongside treats for Santa. In some parts of the country, legend has it that Santa gives the reindeer and sleigh a rest, and enlists kangaroos to pull a ute. Other parts shed the sled, putting Santa on a surfboard, instead.
All of this aside, Christmas in Australia is less about religion, and more about fellowship and fun. In that way, Christmas follows the trend of Easter celebrations in Australia. It's a leisurely time, with lots of excitement, for grownups and kids alike. Now, let's look at particular aspects of Christmas in Australia.
How Do Australians Celebrate Christmas in Each State?
Christmas is far more popular in each state than most of our national celebrations, as Christmas is all about fun. We love our get-togethers, and all the summer activities people on the northern side of the planet must wait half a year to enjoy.
Western Australia
Perth has put on a Christmas Lights Trail since 2017. However, this city's biggest Christmas to-do is its Christmas Pageant. This two-hour event features floats, community groups, and lots of fun characters.
South Australia
This is the only state that celebrates its Proclamation Day on the day after Christmas, rather than Boxing Day. Activities include ceremonies featuring politicians and other officials, followed by public celebrations. Some families might watch films covering Australian history, while others only want to spend the day outdoors.
Adelaide also hosts a Christmas Pageant, in early November, to kick off the Christmas season. The parade is the largest of its kind worldwide, drawing massive crowds each year.
Victoria
Melbourne is famous for Carols by Candlelight, a Christmas tradition that is now Australia-wide. The Sidney Myer Music Bowl event is broadcast around the country. It has become a staple of Christmas in Australia.
New South Wales
The Christmas concert, Carols in the Domain, thrills audiences on the Sunday before Christmas Eve. This tradition found its inspiration from the other, more popular carolling events around the country. It features high-profile presenters like Natalie Barr and Barry Crocker.
The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is NSW's other major Christmas event. The party starts early on Boxing Day, and continues long after the boats have left.
Australian Capital Territory
Like Perth, our capital city puts on a Christmas Lights Trail. These Christmas-themed displays are scattered throughout the city. You have all of December to see them.
Queensland
In this state, Santa haunts the trains. Passengers can ride the Santa Express to visit with the Big Man as they commute. Should they not want to ride, they can wait at a station where Santa is due to exit the train, and visit him there.
Tasmania
In November each year, Hobart hosts the Myer Hobart Christmas Pageant to kick off the Christmas season. Like the Adelaide parade, Hobart's event features floats and music, though not on as grand a scale.
Northern Territory
Like many other Australian cities, Darwin hosts a Christmas pageant, which leads up to lighting the Christmas tree.
Fun Australian Christmas Traditions
We Aussies can be serious, but we'd rather have fun. We like good food and good times. Those two passions come together at Christmas.
And, the season is more fun because we celebrate during the summer! On the beach or in the bush, these are the things that make our Christmas great.
Foods
We enjoy watching imported Christmas films that might feature roast goose, ham, or turkey. But who wants to stand in a hot kitchen to cook one, during the hottest part of the year?
We'd rather roast our food on the barbecue and eat outside, where we might catch a light breeze.
That's why, on Christmas Eve, our fish markets are full of people buying fresh seafood for their big meal. We like fruit, too, and crisp salads for our Christmas dinner. After all that, we still have room for dessert!
The Pavlova is a meringue confection, typically topped with fruit. Crisp on the outside and spongy on the inside, this lovely treat makes the meal complete.
Our Christmas celebrations feature many of the same foods, and much of the same fun that people enjoy on Australia Day. Barbecues, parties, and large gatherings mark both holidays. One might expect that, as they are just one month apart.
Christmas Carols
As noted above, Carols by Candlelight is one of the top Aussie Christmas traditions. However, it's a bit silly to sing about sleigh rides and snowfall, when we're all baking in the summer heat. We enjoy standard Christmas carols. But we also like changing them to the Aussie vibe!
Most traditional Christmas carols sing about cold and snow.
Those are not features of Christmas in Australia, so singers change the words to reflect Australian culture.
To demonstrate, we compare lyrics from Jingle Bells, known and sung the world over, with the Australian edition. Below, you can hear the song.
Aussie Jingle Bells
- Dashing through the bush
- Kelpie by my side
- my singlet, shorts and thongs
- on a scorching summer's day
Standard Jingle Bells
- Dashing through the snow
- Bells on bobtail ring
- a sleighing song tonight
- in a one-horse open sleigh
Decoration Contests
Of all the public holidays in Australia, Christmas is the most lavish. Some people go all out to decorate their homes, and local television channels sometimes broadcast decoration competition results. Or, they tour the neighbourhoods with their cameras, to show off the decorations.
Driving or walking through neighbourhoods to see the Christmas lights is a favourite pastime. However, as the summer days are long, people have to wait until sundown to set out.
What Aussies Watch on Christmas
Love, Actually; The Holiday, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas all have their place on people's watch lists. In fact, streaming services give us more Christmas viewing options than ever. Still, we prefer our own broadcasts, whenever possible.
Besides the decoration contest broadcasts, many of us tune in for Carols by Candlelight. Above, you read that the event started in Melbourne. Today, it's nationwide. It's just the show to gather around the set for. Candy canes and other Christmas treats serve as snacks.
On Boxing Day, we're mad for our Cricket Test Match. Another Melbourne-born Christmas tradition, the match takes place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
How Does Australia Celebrate Christmas?
These days, with our lighting-fast, paperless communication devices, handwritten mail is a dying art. Except for around Christmastime, in Australia. We love to send each other Christmas cards! We even get a discount for doing so at the post office.
Kids get to make the most of their summer holidays from school by going on Christmas camping trips. Besides Christmas and Boxing Day, they have New Year's Day and (maybe) Australia Day to fill their break from school.
That's much more than students in Northern Hemisphere schools have to look forward to during their summer breaks.
On the downside, Christmas commercialisation is finding almost as much criticism as our celebrations for Anzac Day. As you discover that April day of observation, you'll find distaste for how marketers use that name. For now, Christmas is spared the worst of those displays. Let's hope things stay that way.
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