<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Expect hot, hot hot weather<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn Australia Christmas falls in the middle of summer. Forget snow-capped mountains and mulled wine by the fire. Think hot, humid days swimming in the sea and sipping cold beers on a patio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Christmas Day can be one of the hottest days of the month. In Sydney expect hot, humid weather with temperatures averaging around 26\u00b0C (79\u00b0F) and, just as importantly, the sea is a delightful 21\u00b0C (70\u00b0F). Further south Melbourne experiences hot, dry days with average highs of 24\u00b0C (75\u00b0F). But don\u2019t be fooled \u2013 the city known for having four seasons in one day can easily hit highs of 38\u00b0C+ (100\u00b0F) in December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2020\/11\/Australianbeachchristmas-credittourismaustralia-1440x810-1.jpg\")
\r\nImage: Tourism Australia<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Decorate the Christmas tree<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nJust like in the northern hemisphere, Australians love to decorate their house for the festive season and put up a big pine Christmas tree. Tinsel, baubles, fairy lights and all \u2013 the only difference is in Australia most people have a fake plastic Christmas tree! Most people put their Christmas tree up on the first of December and pack it away in early January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some families or communities turn their whole house or street into a DIY Christmas extravaganza with thousands of fairy lights, giant flashing or moving decorations and sometimes a real Santa. There are radio and TV competitions to win and spectators travel from other parts of the city \u2013 sometimes on special bus tours \u2013 to see the best suburban light displays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Homes](\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2020\/11\/LightdisplayinMelbourne-credittourismaustralia-1440x810-1.jpg\")
\r\nImage: Tourism Australia \/ Time Out Australia<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tune in to Carols by Candlelight<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nA favourite annual Christmas tradition across Australia is gathering the family and heading out to sing carols in the park. Across the country local towns and cities put on events in parks and outdoor stages. Families gather on picnic rugs with lyrics sheets and Santa hats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The biggest and most famous Carols by Candlelight event takes place on Christmas Eve in Melbourne\u2019s Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Every year a celebrity line-up takes to the stage singing everyone\u2019s favourite Christmas songs and Santa makes a special visit. Thousands of people squeeze into the outdoor stage to see the spectacular, while many more watch it on television while prepping food for Christmas Day lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
RELATED CONTENT: 9 ways to get in the Christmas spirit in Melbourne<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seek out a Christmas Parade<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAustralians love Christmas. And just because it\u2019s hot doesn\u2019t mean that festive spirit is not high. In the weeks before December 25 most major Australian cities put on festive programs including a big Christmas Parade that winds through city centres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In South Australia the Adelaide Christmas Pageant has been held in November every year since 1933. It’s Australia’s biggest celebrate with more than 3000 costumes, 270 clowns and elves, 160 moving theatrical sets, 33 dance groups, 18 bands, 7 choirs and more than 300,000 spectators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
GET INSPIRED BY: Taste of Southern Australia<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Join a Secret Santa<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nGiving gifts to all your loved ones, friends, family and colleagues at Christmas can get really expensive, really fast. That\u2019s why Australians love Secret Santa (or Kris Kringle). Popular with workplaces, social groups, friend groups or big families, each person is assigned just one person to buy a gift for, usually with a suggested price point to spend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2020\/11\/christmas-3015776_1920-1024x670.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marvel at the Myer Christmas windows<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFor more than 65 years the windows of one of Australia\u2019s largest department stores have swapped dress displays for story tales. Every festive season windows of Myer\u2019s city flagship stores attract families to marvel at extravagant and enchanting moving stories within a pane. Over the years the windows have filled with classic fairytales like Cinderella, Swan Lake and Peter Pan, through to modern Aussie festive tales by local authors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eat fresh seafood and pavlova<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s be honest with ourselves: for most adults Christmas is all about the food. Australia is a modern and multicultural place, so while the country has taken many Christmas traditions from the United Kingdom, Aussies have also invented their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Australia most families sit down at a long table outside on a deck in the backyard for a long Christmas lunch or dinner on December 25. Given the weather, some families skip turning the oven on for a traditional roast dinner and instead focus on fresh seafood and grilled meats with fun salads. While waiting for the barbecue to fire up or more traditional roast turkey or glazed ham to bake, expect to be snacking on fresh prawns with cocktail sauce or oysters while swapping stories with extended family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Prawns](\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2020\/11\/Seafood-Australia-CreditDestinationNSW-1440x810-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dessert at Christmas almost always features a platter of fresh seasonal mangoes and cherries and a pavlova, an Australia cake made of baked meringue and topped with whipped cream and fruit. There might also be a traditional boiled fruit cake or fruit mince pies too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to finish lunch? A nap under a tree, a game of backyard cricket and a swim in the ocean or a pool to cool off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\r\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Decorate the Christmas tree<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nJust like in the northern hemisphere, Australians love to decorate their house for the festive season and put up a big pine Christmas tree. Tinsel, baubles, fairy lights and all \u2013 the only difference is in Australia most people have a fake plastic Christmas tree! Most people put their Christmas tree up on the first of December and pack it away in early January.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some families or communities turn their whole house or street into a DIY Christmas extravaganza with thousands of fairy lights, giant flashing or moving decorations and sometimes a real Santa. There are radio and TV competitions to win and spectators travel from other parts of the city \u2013 sometimes on special bus tours \u2013 to see the best suburban light displays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\r\nImage: Tourism Australia \/ Time Out Australia<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tune in to Carols by Candlelight<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nA favourite annual Christmas tradition across Australia is gathering the family and heading out to sing carols in the park. Across the country local towns and cities put on events in parks and outdoor stages. Families gather on picnic rugs with lyrics sheets and Santa hats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The biggest and most famous Carols by Candlelight event takes place on Christmas Eve in Melbourne\u2019s Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Every year a celebrity line-up takes to the stage singing everyone\u2019s favourite Christmas songs and Santa makes a special visit. Thousands of people squeeze into the outdoor stage to see the spectacular, while many more watch it on television while prepping food for Christmas Day lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
RELATED CONTENT: 9 ways to get in the Christmas spirit in Melbourne<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seek out a Christmas Parade<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAustralians love Christmas. And just because it\u2019s hot doesn\u2019t mean that festive spirit is not high. In the weeks before December 25 most major Australian cities put on festive programs including a big Christmas Parade that winds through city centres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In South Australia the Adelaide Christmas Pageant has been held in November every year since 1933. It’s Australia’s biggest celebrate with more than 3000 costumes, 270 clowns and elves, 160 moving theatrical sets, 33 dance groups, 18 bands, 7 choirs and more than 300,000 spectators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
GET INSPIRED BY: Taste of Southern Australia<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Join a Secret Santa<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nGiving gifts to all your loved ones, friends, family and colleagues at Christmas can get really expensive, really fast. That\u2019s why Australians love Secret Santa (or Kris Kringle). Popular with workplaces, social groups, friend groups or big families, each person is assigned just one person to buy a gift for, usually with a suggested price point to spend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marvel at the Myer Christmas windows<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFor more than 65 years the windows of one of Australia\u2019s largest department stores have swapped dress displays for story tales. Every festive season windows of Myer\u2019s city flagship stores attract families to marvel at extravagant and enchanting moving stories within a pane. Over the years the windows have filled with classic fairytales like Cinderella, Swan Lake and Peter Pan, through to modern Aussie festive tales by local authors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eat fresh seafood and pavlova<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s be honest with ourselves: for most adults Christmas is all about the food. Australia is a modern and multicultural place, so while the country has taken many Christmas traditions from the United Kingdom, Aussies have also invented their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Australia most families sit down at a long table outside on a deck in the backyard for a long Christmas lunch or dinner on December 25. Given the weather, some families skip turning the oven on for a traditional roast dinner and instead focus on fresh seafood and grilled meats with fun salads. While waiting for the barbecue to fire up or more traditional roast turkey or glazed ham to bake, expect to be snacking on fresh prawns with cocktail sauce or oysters while swapping stories with extended family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dessert at Christmas almost always features a platter of fresh seasonal mangoes and cherries and a pavlova, an Australia cake made of baked meringue and topped with whipped cream and fruit. There might also be a traditional boiled fruit cake or fruit mince pies too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to finish lunch? A nap under a tree, a game of backyard cricket and a swim in the ocean or a pool to cool off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\r\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tune in to Carols by Candlelight<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nA favourite annual Christmas tradition across Australia is gathering the family and heading out to sing carols in the park. Across the country local towns and cities put on events in parks and outdoor stages. Families gather on picnic rugs with lyrics sheets and Santa hats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The biggest and most famous Carols by Candlelight event takes place on Christmas Eve in Melbourne\u2019s Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Every year a celebrity line-up takes to the stage singing everyone\u2019s favourite Christmas songs and Santa makes a special visit. Thousands of people squeeze into the outdoor stage to see the spectacular, while many more watch it on television while prepping food for Christmas Day lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
RELATED CONTENT: 9 ways to get in the Christmas spirit in Melbourne<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seek out a Christmas Parade<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAustralians love Christmas. And just because it\u2019s hot doesn\u2019t mean that festive spirit is not high. In the weeks before December 25 most major Australian cities put on festive programs including a big Christmas Parade that winds through city centres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In South Australia the Adelaide Christmas Pageant has been held in November every year since 1933. It’s Australia’s biggest celebrate with more than 3000 costumes, 270 clowns and elves, 160 moving theatrical sets, 33 dance groups, 18 bands, 7 choirs and more than 300,000 spectators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
GET INSPIRED BY: Taste of Southern Australia<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Join a Secret Santa<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nGiving gifts to all your loved ones, friends, family and colleagues at Christmas can get really expensive, really fast. That\u2019s why Australians love Secret Santa (or Kris Kringle). Popular with workplaces, social groups, friend groups or big families, each person is assigned just one person to buy a gift for, usually with a suggested price point to spend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marvel at the Myer Christmas windows<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFor more than 65 years the windows of one of Australia\u2019s largest department stores have swapped dress displays for story tales. Every festive season windows of Myer\u2019s city flagship stores attract families to marvel at extravagant and enchanting moving stories within a pane. Over the years the windows have filled with classic fairytales like Cinderella, Swan Lake and Peter Pan, through to modern Aussie festive tales by local authors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eat fresh seafood and pavlova<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s be honest with ourselves: for most adults Christmas is all about the food. Australia is a modern and multicultural place, so while the country has taken many Christmas traditions from the United Kingdom, Aussies have also invented their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Australia most families sit down at a long table outside on a deck in the backyard for a long Christmas lunch or dinner on December 25. Given the weather, some families skip turning the oven on for a traditional roast dinner and instead focus on fresh seafood and grilled meats with fun salads. While waiting for the barbecue to fire up or more traditional roast turkey or glazed ham to bake, expect to be snacking on fresh prawns with cocktail sauce or oysters while swapping stories with extended family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dessert at Christmas almost always features a platter of fresh seasonal mangoes and cherries and a pavlova, an Australia cake made of baked meringue and topped with whipped cream and fruit. There might also be a traditional boiled fruit cake or fruit mince pies too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to finish lunch? A nap under a tree, a game of backyard cricket and a swim in the ocean or a pool to cool off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seek out a Christmas Parade<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAustralians love Christmas. And just because it\u2019s hot doesn\u2019t mean that festive spirit is not high. In the weeks before December 25 most major Australian cities put on festive programs including a big Christmas Parade that winds through city centres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In South Australia the Adelaide Christmas Pageant has been held in November every year since 1933. It’s Australia’s biggest celebrate with more than 3000 costumes, 270 clowns and elves, 160 moving theatrical sets, 33 dance groups, 18 bands, 7 choirs and more than 300,000 spectators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
GET INSPIRED BY: Taste of Southern Australia<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Join a Secret Santa<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nGiving gifts to all your loved ones, friends, family and colleagues at Christmas can get really expensive, really fast. That\u2019s why Australians love Secret Santa (or Kris Kringle). Popular with workplaces, social groups, friend groups or big families, each person is assigned just one person to buy a gift for, usually with a suggested price point to spend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marvel at the Myer Christmas windows<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFor more than 65 years the windows of one of Australia\u2019s largest department stores have swapped dress displays for story tales. Every festive season windows of Myer\u2019s city flagship stores attract families to marvel at extravagant and enchanting moving stories within a pane. Over the years the windows have filled with classic fairytales like Cinderella, Swan Lake and Peter Pan, through to modern Aussie festive tales by local authors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eat fresh seafood and pavlova<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s be honest with ourselves: for most adults Christmas is all about the food. Australia is a modern and multicultural place, so while the country has taken many Christmas traditions from the United Kingdom, Aussies have also invented their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Australia most families sit down at a long table outside on a deck in the backyard for a long Christmas lunch or dinner on December 25. Given the weather, some families skip turning the oven on for a traditional roast dinner and instead focus on fresh seafood and grilled meats with fun salads. While waiting for the barbecue to fire up or more traditional roast turkey or glazed ham to bake, expect to be snacking on fresh prawns with cocktail sauce or oysters while swapping stories with extended family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dessert at Christmas almost always features a platter of fresh seasonal mangoes and cherries and a pavlova, an Australia cake made of baked meringue and topped with whipped cream and fruit. There might also be a traditional boiled fruit cake or fruit mince pies too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to finish lunch? A nap under a tree, a game of backyard cricket and a swim in the ocean or a pool to cool off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Join a Secret Santa<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nGiving gifts to all your loved ones, friends, family and colleagues at Christmas can get really expensive, really fast. That\u2019s why Australians love Secret Santa (or Kris Kringle). Popular with workplaces, social groups, friend groups or big families, each person is assigned just one person to buy a gift for, usually with a suggested price point to spend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marvel at the Myer Christmas windows<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFor more than 65 years the windows of one of Australia\u2019s largest department stores have swapped dress displays for story tales. Every festive season windows of Myer\u2019s city flagship stores attract families to marvel at extravagant and enchanting moving stories within a pane. Over the years the windows have filled with classic fairytales like Cinderella, Swan Lake and Peter Pan, through to modern Aussie festive tales by local authors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eat fresh seafood and pavlova<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s be honest with ourselves: for most adults Christmas is all about the food. Australia is a modern and multicultural place, so while the country has taken many Christmas traditions from the United Kingdom, Aussies have also invented their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Australia most families sit down at a long table outside on a deck in the backyard for a long Christmas lunch or dinner on December 25. Given the weather, some families skip turning the oven on for a traditional roast dinner and instead focus on fresh seafood and grilled meats with fun salads. While waiting for the barbecue to fire up or more traditional roast turkey or glazed ham to bake, expect to be snacking on fresh prawns with cocktail sauce or oysters while swapping stories with extended family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dessert at Christmas almost always features a platter of fresh seasonal mangoes and cherries and a pavlova, an Australia cake made of baked meringue and topped with whipped cream and fruit. There might also be a traditional boiled fruit cake or fruit mince pies too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to finish lunch? A nap under a tree, a game of backyard cricket and a swim in the ocean or a pool to cool off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marvel at the Myer Christmas windows<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFor more than 65 years the windows of one of Australia\u2019s largest department stores have swapped dress displays for story tales. Every festive season windows of Myer\u2019s city flagship stores attract families to marvel at extravagant and enchanting moving stories within a pane. Over the years the windows have filled with classic fairytales like Cinderella, Swan Lake and Peter Pan, through to modern Aussie festive tales by local authors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eat fresh seafood and pavlova<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s be honest with ourselves: for most adults Christmas is all about the food. Australia is a modern and multicultural place, so while the country has taken many Christmas traditions from the United Kingdom, Aussies have also invented their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Australia most families sit down at a long table outside on a deck in the backyard for a long Christmas lunch or dinner on December 25. Given the weather, some families skip turning the oven on for a traditional roast dinner and instead focus on fresh seafood and grilled meats with fun salads. While waiting for the barbecue to fire up or more traditional roast turkey or glazed ham to bake, expect to be snacking on fresh prawns with cocktail sauce or oysters while swapping stories with extended family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dessert at Christmas almost always features a platter of fresh seasonal mangoes and cherries and a pavlova, an Australia cake made of baked meringue and topped with whipped cream and fruit. There might also be a traditional boiled fruit cake or fruit mince pies too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to finish lunch? A nap under a tree, a game of backyard cricket and a swim in the ocean or a pool to cool off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s be honest with ourselves: for most adults Christmas is all about the food. Australia is a modern and multicultural place, so while the country has taken many Christmas traditions from the United Kingdom, Aussies have also invented their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Australia most families sit down at a long table outside on a deck in the backyard for a long Christmas lunch or dinner on December 25. Given the weather, some families skip turning the oven on for a traditional roast dinner and instead focus on fresh seafood and grilled meats with fun salads. While waiting for the barbecue to fire up or more traditional roast turkey or glazed ham to bake, expect to be snacking on fresh prawns with cocktail sauce or oysters while swapping stories with extended family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dessert at Christmas almost always features a platter of fresh seasonal mangoes and cherries and a pavlova, an Australia cake made of baked meringue and topped with whipped cream and fruit. There might also be a traditional boiled fruit cake or fruit mince pies too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And to finish lunch? A nap under a tree, a game of backyard cricket and a swim in the ocean or a pool to cool off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
![\"Playing](\"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/wp-content\/uploads\/\/2020\/11\/Beachcricket-credittourismaustralia-1440x810-1-1024x576.jpg\")
\r\n