Usually, the decorations start going up in shops around late-October. Just in time for Christmas, scientists say they finally solved the eternal puzzle of Rudolph's beacon of a nose. Some families or friends may get together for a few quiet drinks, especially if they have travelled to spent time together. Other popular Christmas desserts in Australia include ice cream and trays of summer fruit, such as watermelon, strawberries, cherries and pineapple. 7. Many people think that Christmas lunch is all about turkey and mince pies but I am glad that you mention that there are many other cultures in Australia that celebrate Christmas in a non-English way. The cooler temperatures during this month allow them to have a more traditional celebration that they cannot enjoy in the heat. It soon became the bird of choice in households across the country. During December, look in local papers or online for recommendations of the best Christmas lights to see. Myths about kissing under the mistletoe go back to Saturnalia. For accommodation, there’s often minimum stays over Christmas and New Years. We hold the world record for the most number of Christmas lights on a house. Due to Christmas occurring close to the longest day of the year, often the kids will excitedly wake up with the sun around 5 a.m., then go and wake their parents. Instead, the main celebration is reserved for Christmas Day. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas! I love your facts! Unemployment: 12.7% The image of Santa Claus flying his sleigh began in 1819 and was created by Washington Irving, the same author who dreamt up the Headless Horseman. Different denominations have a range of traditions and types of Church service around Christmas Day. Fun fact #1 The traditional three colours of Christmas are green, red, and gold. As for the guys, there can only be one winner - The Hof. Additionally, among church-going families, many will attend Midnight Mass, although services on Christmas morning are also popular. This is usually because they fl… Tuck in ... Christmas lunch is never anything less than a a marathon effort.Source:Supplied. Some families in Australia enjoy a so-called “traditional” Christmas dinner, either a turkey or other hot roasted meat, served with roast vegetables. Christmas in Australia is never a white Christmas as it is celebrated in the first month of southern summer when the entire continent is parched by the blazing sun. Christmas also occurs during the major holiday period in Australia. If your birthday occurs on Christmas Day, what is your star sign? Businesses commonly shut down for the period between Christmas and New Years, although some business may shut down for up to a month. It’s also not surprising that the traditional desserts served up on Christmas Day are different to what you’d find in the Northern Hemisphere, especially back in England. Usually, the decorations... 2. Christmas in Australia coincides with summer which means our traditions, although inspired by European customs, have been altered to suit the climate. As Christmas occurs during summertime in Australia, cold options including seafood are very popular for Christmas, especially prawns by the kilo! THINK you know all there is to know about the festive season? To reduce the stress of the Christmas postage experience: Write up a Christmas card list and keep it in a safe place so that you can refer to it (and add or delete names) year after year. Some scholars suggest that the word yule means "revolution" or "wheel," which symbolises the cyclical return of the sun. Heading to Australia for Christmas or the New Year period? The ultimate Christmas song, it was actually originally written to be sung for American Thanksgiving. news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site>news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Turkeys became a Christmas staple after King Henry VIII gorged on some one year.Source:AFP. Fun facts about Christmas in Australia. There was a Hollywood movie called Christmas in July (1940). Graveyard find ... Charles Dickens found inspiration for Scrooge in an unusual setting.Source:AP. From sexy Santas to stocking stuffers, we bring you the 25 fun facts of Christmas. However, as it’s the middle of summer, many other families feast on a cold Christmas meal, including cold ham, cold roast chickens and seafood. All times AEDT (GMT +11). The boiled dessert should be dark, fruity and rich in flavour. A burning log or its charred remains is said to offer health, fertility, and luck as well as the ability to ward off evil spirits. Buying all the gifts from the “12 Days of Christmas… FORWARD! What's the biggest-grossing Christmas movie? 13. Often only the large shopping centres in the capital cities open their doors, but store trading hours in Australia have continued to relax, with more and more shops opening on this day with plenty of bargains. The 26th December is known as Boxing Day, the traditional name also used in the UK, from when servants and tradesman used to receive gifts. Australian Christmas Symbols. 12 Facts About Christmas in Australia 1. 15. Pin this to your Pinterest board. What are some Australian Christmas traditions? I hope I can inspire you to travel with your dog! It's a common belief that Coca-Cola's marketing machine created the image of Santa in red and white suit. Contrary Temperature in Australia:. By the early 1600s the turkey had begun to replace tougher meats at major Tudor banquets held by the rich and the powerful. This is especially true along the beaches, a popular summer holiday destination for Australian families. Think your Christmas dinner is a challenge? Christmas stockings allegedly evolved from the story of three sisters who were too poor to afford a marriage dowry and were, therefore, doomed to a life of prostitution. The Druids believed the mistletoe plant - which is actually a parsite - had great powers. Here are some interesting Australia Facts which were chosen and researched by kids especially for kids. In A.D. 350, Pope Julius I, bishop of Rome, proclaimed December 25 the official celebration date for the birthday of Christ. During Christmas, winter hits most of the nations worldwide. One of the most well-known facts about Christmas in Australia is that the holiday falls on one of the hottest months of the year in the country.Perhaps this is why more and more Australians are choosing to celebrate Christmas in July. Considering the recommended daily calorie intake is 2000 for women and 2500 for men, this is a big leap. Christmas elves - Santa's little helpers - are often depicted as green or red clad with pointy ears and pointy hats. Some families enjoy a traditional British Christmas dinner of roast turkey or ham and rich plum pudding doused in brandy and set aflame before it is brought to the table. In most households, the TV set will be switched onto the cricket game that goes all afternoon, the perfect accompaniment to taking it easy after a big day of eating and drinking, and eating and drinking the left-overs. 1. Decorations appear in stores and on streets starting in November, and are commonplace by early December. 2 Aussies receive over 20 million unwanted gifts at Christmastime. True romance ... A loved-up couple share a kiss under a giant mistletoe in Melbou...Source:News Limited. One of the most popular Christmas desserts in Australia is pavlova, the dessert claimed to be invented by both the Aussies and the Kiwis. Catholics often attend midnight mass, which starts at midnight as Christmas Eve leads to Christmas Day. Thanks so much Silke! Eggnog, a popular drink in the US, most likely originated from England. The summer is also the longest holiday period for university students, with up to a three month holiday period, except for students taking summer courses. However, there’s no single traditional dish for Christmas in Australia. Families with a European background may also still celebrate Christmas this evening. With these interesting facts about Christmas, test your knowledge of Christmas trivia as you read through. Many of the origins of Christmas and its “factual” past can be contradictory, so you may find some surprises in our list of interesting facts about Christmas. Christmas drinks ... Eggnog is made of cream, sugar, whipped eggs and alcohol. A traditional meal includes a turkey dinner, with ham, and pork. Whereas the northern hemisphere is in the middle of winter, Australians are baking in summer heat. Displays range from the modest to elaborate, sometimes with hundreds of lights and decorations depicting seasonal motifs such as Christmas trees, Santa Claus, reindeer, or nativity scenes. Jim Carrey's Grinch comes in at two, bringing in $260 million with Home Alone 2 coming in third. Christmas in Australia is often very hot. 14 Fun Facts about Christmas 1. In some non-Christian areas, periods of former colonial rule introduced the celebration (e.g. Capital: Canberra with 403,000 people (2019) 6. 14. Often a Christmas pudding or mince pies might be served, but usually alongside other options more suitable for summer weather. Which country had the world's most expensive tree? This video is a more informative version of a past Aussie Christmas video I did. Instead of wishing for a white Christmas, with snow on Christmas Day, most Australians (unless they’re spending the day in the kitchen cooking a roast) instead dream of warm, sunny weather. Source: McCrindle Research MERRY AUSSIE TRADITIONS mccrindle.com.ou CHRISTMAS From mccrindle Backyard cricket AUSTRALIA! The day of Christmas, and in some cases the day before and the day after, are recognized by many national governments and cultures worldwide, including in areas where Christianity is a minority religion. Dating back to medieval England, Christmas Pudding was a tradition brought to Australia during early British colonisation. Fun fact #2 Other denominations attend special church services during the day on December 25.There are a number of native Australian plants that include “Christmas” in their popular names. How many calories will I consume on Christmas Day? Thank you so much this will really help for my project !! For starters, it’s in the middle of summer, although many traditions still reflect the wintery celebration in the Northern Hemisphere. The longest set of school holidays in Australia are the summer school holidays. Some say the term term derived from egg and grog, a common term used for a drink made with rum. Cathy Freeman is the only person to have been awarded both Young Australian of the Year and Australian of the Year. In Sydney, the Sydney Fish Market traditionally opens for 36 hours straight, right through from 8am on the 23rd December through to 5pm on Christmas Eve. Name: Commonwealth of Australia 2. Lastly, we have the final product for our Christmas recycling facts list: Christmas lights. He was, however, often portrayed as a tall, gaunt and sometimes even frightening figure - before Coca-Cola came along. It’s the Summer School Holidays! For some people Christmas is the only time that they will go to church all year long. The drink is made up of cream, sugar, whipped eggs, brandy, rum, whisky, bourbon and vodka. This tradition turned into the modern Christmas tree in 16th-century Germany. A large meringue is covered in cream then decorated with fruit, especially summer strawberries, kiwifruit, passionfruit and mango. The spectacular Christmas tree in New York's Rockefelle...Source:Supplied. Harper Lee's wise friend gave her the cash on the condition that she give up work and write. Five Fascinating Facts about Christmas in Australia 1. The word carol may derive from the French "carole'' or the Latin "carula'' meaning a circular dance. Christmas in Australia is a very different affair than in many other countries. The world's best-known Christmas song was written by James Lord Pierpont at a tavern in Medford, Massachusetts, home of popular sleigh races in the 19th century. It warmed our hearts and made us laugh with its slapstick humour. The highlight of the day is the holiday midday dinner. Evergreen plants were a symbol of life for ancient cultures in Egypt and Rome. Christmas lights . Christmas is also a popular time for many businesses to shut down. This is partially because there are no other major holidays or events in Australia in the lead-up to Christmas, such as Thanksgiving in the USA. Urban Population: 90% 5. However, Christmas Day is the least favourite. 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