Christmas in Australia

Christmas in Australia

  

In Australia, Christmas comes toward the beginning of the summer holidays.  Children have their summers off from mid-December to early February.  Some people even go camping at Christmas.  Because the climate is so hot during the Christmas season, there are numerous bush fires across the country.  Many volunteer bush firefighters are involved in saving people, property and travel from all over Australia to help in other states.  Australians hang wreaths on their front doors and they like to head out Christmas caroling on Christmas Eve. 

People also decorate their houses and gardens with Christmas trees and Christmas lights.  Neighbors have very little competition to see who has the best light display.  Australians also decorate their houses with bunches of Christmas bush, a native Australian tree with small green leaves and cream colored flowers.  During the summer the leaves turn into a deep shiny red over a period of weeks (generally by the week of Christmas in Sydney.)  In each state there is a large Carols by candlelight service.  Famous Australian singers like the Wiggles, John Farnham, Anthony Warlow, Colin Gentry, Niki Webster, and many more to help sing the carols.  These carol services, broadcast in different cities, is broadcast on TV across Australia.  There are also huge Christmas pageants in each state capital city, that are also broadcast across the country.  Most towns and cities have festival parades. There is also a fireworks display at the local park. 

To read more about Christmas in Australia, click on the above link.