While Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere means a white Christmas is out of the question, Australian’s have their own traditions that make for a fun and vibrant festive season. The warm weather, the beautiful landscapes ready to be explored and the abundance of fresh fruit, make the Christmas season the perfect time to be in Australia. With the big day just around the corner, we’ve listed our favourite Aussie Christmas traditions that everyone’s come to know and love.
1. Hitting The Beach
Nothing screams Aussie Christmas more than swimming off a huge Christmas lunch at the beach. Australia is home to beautiful coastlines and some of the world’s best beaches, with stunning beaches in every state. Whether you live in Sydney in Bondi Beach, or you’re lucky enough to be spending the holidays at Airlie Beach in Queensland, Christmas Day isn’t complete without a swim or surf to cool off.
2. Throwing A Shrimp On The Barbie
While the famous saying may be wrong (Australian’s say prawns, not shrimp after all), the sentiment isn’t! As the weather is so hot, many Aussies swap the roast turkeys and baked potatoes for a BBQ lunch, and prawns are the unequivocal star of the show. “Prawn runs” happen often and early in the Christmas seasons, with fishmongers selling out the week leading up to (and the morning of!) Christmas Day.
3. Backyard Cricket
Backyard cricket is a summer staple, best played with the wheelie bin as stumps and Santa hats as the uniform. A great way to fit some activity in around a day of eating and drinking, you’ll find lots of Aussies playing cricket in their backyard, local park or on the beach. Watch out – one of your relatives may fancy themselves the next Donald Bradman and hit the ball into the neighbour’s yard – never to be seen again!
4. Eating Cherries
Fresh fruit in summer is sweet, fresh and delicious and cherries are an absolute favourite for the festive season. Bursting with flavour, you’re bound to find a few bowls (or crates!) of these at every Christmas event. Australian cherries are grown throughout the country – from humid Queensland to dry Victoria, so there’s always an abundance this time of year. Next time you’re in the Adelaide Hills or Barossa Valley you might even be able to spot the bright fruit as you wine and dine the day away.
5. Beer And Carrots For Santa And His Reindeers
Dropping off presents all night is hard work, especially in Australia where the temperature can soar this time of year. So, Aussies leave Santa a cold beer to cool off, while his reindeers get a carrot to chew on. Instead of going for an international staple, why not branch out this year and go for a locally crafted brew? Australia has brewery’s in every state – from WA’s Cheeky Monkey Brewing Co to Sow & Piglets Brewery in South Australia, there’s sure to be a refreshing brew that suits Santa’s taste.
What are your favourite Aussie holiday traditions?
