Christmas in Australia

People of Australia love to send Christmas cards. Each year the send more than 100 million of them. The first Australian Christmas card was made in 1881 by John Sands.

In Australia Christmas is celebrated in the summer. There is no snow which many in the northern hemisphere closely relate to Christmas. That is why some Christmas carols we know have been changed a bit. When Santa arrives to Australia he leaves his reindeers and changes them for kangaroos or "six white boomers." Boomer or an "old man" is a popular name for a male kangaroo. Santa also changes his warm clothes for something more suitable. There is an Australian Christmas song about it called "Six white boomers." Some of other Australian Christmas carols are "The Three Drovers", "Aussie Jingle Bells" and "Australian Twelve Days of Christmas."

One of the most popular Australian Christmas traditions is Carols by Candlelight. This tradition was started in 1938 by Norman Banks, who was then a radio presenter at Melbourne's radio channel 3KZ. People get together in parks and sing Christmas carols by candlelight. The most famous Carols by Candlelight event is held in Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Money collected from donations, ticket, and candle sales is given to Vision Australia, which is Australia's largest provider of services for people with blindness and low vision.

New South Wales Christmas Bush

In Australia people hang Christmas wreaths on their front doors. Christmas trees and lights are also regular part of Christmas in Australia. Neighbours sometimes compete whose house has been decorated in more spectacular way. In parts of Australia people decorate their houses with the New South Wales Christmas Bush (Ceratopetalum gummiferum). This shrub has flowers that turn bright red-pink just around Christmas.

Pavlova

Like everywhere else Australian people prepare many different dishes for Christmas meal. Considering the hot weather during Christmas season in Australia prepare appropriate food like cold turkey, ham, different seafood. The Christmas plum pudding, meringue cake Pavlova or "Pav" and many other delicacies are also served. Big public celebration of Christmas in Sidney is held on Bondi Beach. Up to 40,000 people gather there for the occasion. On the Boxing Day, which is on the 26 December, people visit their friends, have a barbecue etc. The Boxing Day is also known for the Yacht race from Sydney to Hobart, Tasmania.