Traditions, foods, gifts… How to celebrate Christmas in Australia?

Southern Hemisphere forcing, December 25 Australia heat! That doesn’t stop us from celebrating Christmas as it should be on the main island. Decorations, food, events… What are Australian traditions at Christmas?

A secular country (ie no state religion), but with the majority of people identifying with a branch of Christianity, Australia retains its Christmas tradition and 25 December is a public holiday. Return to surrounding traditions Christmas day.

“Christmas Bush” replaces the Christmas tree

This shrub is a member of the Kunoniaceae family and is native to Australia. It is especially appreciated at Christmas time as its flowers turn bright red in summer, perfect for Christmas. Perfect for decorating your interior!

Christmas in Australian Aboriginal Culture

Colonized by missionaries and settlers until the 1970s, the tribes, somewhat out of step with themselves, celebrated Christmas. Today, many Aboriginal communities in Australia gather at Christmas to remember the dead and remember the dead.

“Carols by Candlelight”, An Australian tradition rooted in Christmas

The “Songs of the Candle Reflects a strong Christmas tradition in Australia. At the end of the 19th century, in South Australia, miners sang Christmas carols by the light of candles mounted on their helmets. Since then, Christmas concerts on the evening of December 24. Across the country, Australians gather in parks and public spaces, light candles and sing. In Melbourne, a major annual concert is organized at the Sydney Myer Music Bowl. With thousands of lights and voices, the show is magical, transcribed for television.

Christmas Day is more than Christmas Day in Australia

The Christmas meal does not take place on the evening of December 24, but rather on the afternoon of December 25, around a very festive lunch. Barbecue often replaces traditional roasts or turkeys.

After Santa Claus passes the night, the children open the presents early in the morning. Then, the day continues on the beach or at the edge of the swimming pool on this hot summer day. At Bondi Beach near Sydney, thousands of people gather every year with Christmas hats, food and surfboards.

The “Fireworks” Christmas in Australia

A tradition inherited from England, Australians love Christmas crackers. Pulled from each page, the little twists contain a joke, a puzzle, a trinket, a paper crown, a gift… for everyone’s delight.

The Boxing dayDecember 26 in Australia

The day after Christmas is a public holiday in Australia, as it is in England, New Zealand and Canada. When Australians aren’t shopping or recovering from Christmas, they’re glued to their televisions!

Why? Because it is on this day that one of the most popular sporting events of the year takes place: the Boxing Day Test: a friendly match between the Australian cricket team against another national team. Port Jackson also hosts the start of the Sydney-Hobart Regatta, a very popular event organized since 1945.

Yulefest, another Christmas in Australia

It would be a shame to avoid celebrating Christmas in winter, wouldn’t it? This is why many Australians take the opportunity to enjoy Christmas. “Christmas in July” ! The tradition goes back about 30 years, when young Irish people decided to organize a “traditional” Christmas in the Blue Mountains near Sydney. Concept hotels, restaurants, and A “Yulefest” becomes a party in its own right. For the occasion, depending on the region, we watch Christmas movies, we sing, we open presents and we taste a good turkey.