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I know there's a couple Australians on here (don't want to embarrass myself by naming names and being wrong), so I thought "Who better to ask a question about Australian customs?". Now, I could wiki or Google it, but for some reason I have a hard time fully trusting resources like that. So, I come to Hatrack.
My question is, what's Christmas like in Australia? What kind of customs are there? What's the weather like? Is it hot this time of year? Do you listen to Perry Como? Do you have Christmas trees? Etcetera, etcetera. Anything you think would be interesting. Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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I suspect that Christmas is just like any other day in Australia. I mean if you have to hold on so you don't just slip off into space all the time it really doesn't leave much energy for anything else.
Posts: 1621 | Registered: Oct 2001
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We celebrate Christmas pretty much in the same way as Americans. It's possible that we take it just a little less seriously, since all the white Christmas imagery doesn't suit the summer weather. And at least in my experience, people aren't as eager to deck their halls with holly (decorate). But that all depends on how Christian/secular the area you live in is. A lot of people will have a tree of some description.
There is nothing diluted about the commercialist craze preceding Christmas though.
The weather can get pretty warm, and also very dry. So unfortunately, Christmas is a great time for bush fires. Not good news for a country that's currently experiencing a drought.
Right now it's relatively breezy and tolerable, but I hear cicadas outside my window.
Still, it's usually too hot for a traditional Christmas dinner, so a lot of people opt for seafood on Christmas day, and celebrate a separate 'Christmas in July', during our winter.
Not sure how many people listen to Perry Como. :shrug:
Anyway, that's my (rambling) take on the Australian Christmas, coming from a secular suburban resident of New South Wales.
How about Florida? What's the weather like there? Do you have any customs that distinguish the state from others?
I already answered elsewhere, I'll cut and post. It's very similar to Euripides' answer though.
quote: what's Christmas like in Australia?
Much like Christmas elsewhere, from what I understand.
Most people celebrate it, in a secular manner. Some people (Muslim, Jewish etc) do not.
Some people celebrate it religiously, but mostly it's all about Santa.
The shops are crazy, Christmas lights spring up everywhere, traffic becomes a nightmare.
quote: What's the weather like? Is it hot this time of year?
Yup. It's forecast to be 36C on Christmas day here. This is also bushfire season, so there are often very bad fires around Christmas time and afterwards.
Accordingly, there is a total fire ban in most places - no bonfires, open fires etc.
We are in the middle of a pretty severe drought, and have water restrictions. So everything is quite brown, dusty and hot.
quote: What kind of customs are there?
Again, much the same customs - we have Christmas trees, we have Santa, we have carols by candle light. No snow obviously.
Most people do a big Christmas lunch with family on Christmas Day itself, but that varies.
Because of the weather, seafood is very popular choice. Some people will go the whole duck/turkey/goose thing (and some people go turduken!) but cold alternatives are popular. So prawns, crayfish, bugs (a freshwater crustacean) are all good. Lots of salads, fruit (watermelon and cherries), ham on the bone, and often Christmas pudding icecream instead of the actual hot pudding.
A lot of people have a Christmas dinner in July just so they can have all the hot stuff.
Family christmases will often be congregated at the family member's house who has a pool - kids in bathers and thongs (flip flops) is quite normal.
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An example of an Australian Christmas
Our Christmas this year: the tree is up! We have a real pine, but a branch not a living one (like in a pot). It is decorated and looks beautiful. We also put fairy lights on one of our big (living) pines in the front yard.
The round of family Christmasses starts tonight: dinner with my Dad, his partner and my siblings.
Then lunch with the extended family on Saturday (presents for under 18s only).
My Mum arrives here Saturday night, and my brother and sister will come over on Christmas Eve. We will probably have a bbq or just get fish and chips - anything that is easy and minimal clean up. We may sing carols around the piano.
We wake up and - stockings! (For brother and sister primarily)
Then presents from under the tree, and a light breakfast (fruit, I imagine)
My mother-in-law and father-in-law are coming over for lunch.
We will have
To start: oysters, smoked salmon, prosciutto and bocconcini
Entree: A 'study' of seafood (my husband is teasing me mercilessly about this one): basically a plate of three little servings. Crayfish salad, with watermelon and grapefruit, barbecued king prawn in chermola and a barbecued scallop on the half shell.
Main: Dishes for everyone to help themselves from - duck confit (made and in the fridge, I think we'll bbq it on the day), ham on the bone, baby carrots from the garden, spinach, pear and walnut salad and fresh bread.
Dessert: walnut toffee semi-freddo with espresso syrup, fresh fruit. Maybe christmas pudding cassata, if my Mother-in-law makes it.
We will eat. We will probably eat too much. We will have crackers and wear silly hats.
Posts: 4393 | Registered: Aug 2003
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Thanks imogen and Euripides! It's weird how random thoughts can lead to incredibly interesting information.
Christmas in Florida ... well, it has its high points and its low points. Really, their kind of the same, it just depends on your inclination. You guessed it, I'm talking about the weather. The Sunshine State. Big woop. Me, I love the cold. I love snow. Florida is rarely either on Christmas. But to be fair, it really is almost always beautiful weather. Not too hot, not too cold, usually sunny, etc etc.
I can't think of any weird customs, except for the fact that some people go to the beach just because they can. Weirdos. Some people love Christmas in Florida because there is no chance of it being a white Christmas. Me, that makes me sad, so I dislike Christmas here and want to go up north. But hey. To each his (or her) own.
Yeah, overall pretty normal and boring compared to an Aussie Christmas. The whole sea-food thing is really interesting. Maybe I'll see if my family wants to try sea-food this Christmas. Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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