Christmas in Australia

There is summer-like weather during December in Australia, and most Australian families go away and spend their holidays in a resort or on the beach. Swimming is always popular. Australians also sing carols by candlelight and decorate their homes with flowers and other plants. Generally, Christmas is celebrated along traditional lines and families often travel great distances to be together. Church is attended in great mass on Christmas Day. Services are often held very early in the morning.

Many carols sung are Australian, celebrating Christ's birth with an imagery drawn from the Australian Christmas Bush, which flowers at Christmas. Other songs sung and listened to are about Snow and Snowmen. Bing Crosby's christmas albums (with White Christmas included) would have to be the most commonnly owned christmas albums in Australia.

Due to the multi-culturalism in Australia food can vary. But meals mainly center around the traditional Hams, Turkeys and Plum Pudding. Often these dishes are cooked earlier and served cold. Salads and other summer foods are present as well as food from from other cultures. Many people go to church as well to celebrate and pray. Christmas is the most exciting time of the year. The school kids get six weeks off and all the shops close on Christmas day and Boxing Day.