The Christmas season is a very exciting time in Australia. While Christmas Day takes place on December 25, but the preparations start from November, and the festivities run until the end of the month. The days areusually filled with sun and warmth, making it a perfect time for the beach.
But other than spending most of their time at the beach, Australians are globally known for their unique Christmas traditions. In this article, we explore some of the exciting Australian family Christmas traditions that you should know, especially if you are planning to visit this wonderful country in the future.
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Australians sing along with carols by candlelight
This is one of the most popular Australian Christmas traditions that occur annually on Christmas Eve. This fun event brings together people of all ages to unite together, mostly in a park. They sing along to carols performed by orchestra/singers, all while holding candles, thus the name “candlelight.” All the proceeds from tickets and candle sales go to charity, making it a better way to help out the community while celebrating the holidays.
Decorating houses
Some Australians decorate their houses with bunches of ‘Christmas Bush’-a native Australian tree with small green leaves and crème colored flowers. In addition to that, Poinsettia plants are also popular plants used as decorations. For the outdoor, it is normal to hang a garland on the door. Most Australians like decorating the front porch and garden with colorful lights and inflatables.
Attend church
On Christmas Eve, a majority of Australians usually attend church to pray and sing carols. There are plenty of events, plays, readings, and ceremonies that take place in Catholic and other churches.
They eat prawns
While Americans and British feast on roast turkey, baked potato, and hot chocolate, Australians swap these all for a serving of seafood, especially prawns. In most Australian homes, Christmas can never be complete without a plate of prawns. Fresh and big prawns can be purchased from the local markets for Christmas day.
Street parties
Since Christmas occurs in December during summer in Australia, this makes street parties quite popular. The parties mostly occur in the evening on Christmas Day. Most people usually visit their relatives and friends on Christmas Day, so the streets are often full.
Boxing Day BBQ
Boxing day, the day after Christmas is also another day of celebration for Australians where they get to celebrate with their families. It is another public holiday for most Australians, making it an ideal time to relax and soak up the festivities.
It is on Boxing Day that the Boxing Day Test occurs at Melbourne’s Cricket Ground. People gather around their TVs and enjoy a long game as they sip their beers.
Final thoughts
These are just but the few Christmas tradition that Australians are well-known for. These activities are all fun and you should make an effort to be part of it.