Christmas Down Under - where it's summer!
 

Here in the USA we are surrounded by images of snowy countrysides, sleigh rides, icicles, ice skating, and cozy fireplaces during the Christmas season.

Random thought on the way home from the grocery store this afternoon (what a mad house, but that's another topic!).... how do Aussies celebrate Christmas when they are in shirt sleeves and shorts? What are their Christmas images? Special events? Please share!

Jan in VA

The company I work for has a shut down over the Christmas holiday. Beginning Christmas day - I have a PAID holiday until January 5.

I wish I lived in the southern hemisphere where I could enjoy this free paid holiday in better weather!!

If you want to see what Christmas looks like down under ... watch the movie "Babe".

when i lived in florida we turned up the ac and lit a fire ...decorated the palm trees ...

I was in shorts and tank top on the golf course this morning. Not very Christmasy but I love it!

When I went to college in Florida I loved the Christmas season. The poinsettias, the Christmas lights on the houses - and we got to ride around with the top down :) And Christmas at Disney was incredible. It was the BEST time to be there. I love the Christmas cards from the south so pretty, pastel and wondrous. I love to look at the snow and ice skating and such, but I don't enjoy cold so much any more. I hope an Aussie sends us some pictures! I'd love to see their decorations.

It's actually warm here in LV. The temp yesterday was a new record of 75. At least there is snow in the mountains and we should be closer to normal for Xmas (around mid-50's).

Merry Christmas, everyone!

We were stationed in Hawaii two years and spent 2 Christmases there. It was strange seeing all the decorations, trees and such and it being warm. We really missed the change of seasons, especially at the holidays.

I spent one Christmas with my relatives in NSW Australia; it is warm, really warm at Christmas there. Family gifts were exchanged on Christmas Eve in the house with the air con on. Just like we do here in the summer we had a big barbeque with family and friends on Christmas day. It is a Christmas celebration just like here.

My kids were born in Melbourne and it was often 90 deg Christmas Day! Most people had a barby (bar-b-que) which in those days (40 yrs ago)meant lighting a roaring fire and throwing the chops on the grill with flames licking all around them!! Such fun! Nice to have Boxing Day, though! Being Canadian, we introduced News Years Eve parties. The first year everyone sort of sat around stiffly so we didn't plan one for the next year, but yes, about 3pm on NY eve the next year, friends were calling to know what time they should come and what they should bring! Must say I was glad to get back to Canada and hug a fir tree, though! And the NY eve traditon is fully ensconced!!

The events differ culturally here. Some people like to have picnics or barbeques at the beach or near a pool. Our group always think it is too hot to do that. We all cook the night before and bring everything to a big table to share in the cool of the afternoon or evening under shady trees. We burn lots of mozzie resistant candles and chat about world events and have a solution to all the problems of life. We are all children of Polish, Italian, Czech and Japanese immigrants (friends since our teens) and so everyone looks forward to our times together. There is always a giant, difficult or 3D jigsaw puzzle to do after eating and everyone pitches in to complete it. This year, we are going to an Indian restaurant that has a Bollywood - style floor show as nobody wants to cook!

Jitkaau-----what is a mossie resistant candle?
Your verbal picture of Christmas in Australia is so different than what I know here in the usually snowy, cold Midwest....
Love to hear the different celebrations of the day

:DMozzies to me mean mosquitoes!

My DH spent one Christmas in Australia when he was in the US Navy. Different Aussie families volunteered to host a Navy man (no women on the ship at that time). They had a bar-b-que with shrimp and it was quite like ours with presents and such. Mostly like our Christmas only celebrations can be outside.

We lived in Panama for four years, didn't like it being so warm. But our children took sheets out on the lawn to look like snow and we turned the A/C down very low. It was fun but I do like seasons and somewhat cold if not snow.
Mery Christmas everyone.

We were in Fla. once during the Christmas Season and were swimming in the pool. Didn't seem normal to us then.
Now we live in Tenn. and it's cold.
Dodee

No snow hear in UK.

People celebrate Christmas in Australia in various ways....those originally from European countries usually still follow the traditional Turkey and baked veggies etc....others do the Seafood lunch....lots of prawns and salads....it all depends on the weather...my husband and I are having the Ham this year.....lovely hot ham and vegetables, and I have made a yummy Trifle for desert. He lit the " barbie" on Christmas eve, and we had steak and sausages, potato salad and coleslaw. We are really no different in our Christmas celebrations, the houses are beautifully decorated inside and some outside, lots of lights etc.....but...no snow.

Sorry to use slang terms when I'm explaining stuff. The mozzie resistant candles are what we burn to keep mosquitoes away. Some people have electric or battery operated bug zappers as there are lots of bugs around. The most annoying are a particular fly that we have which bites and leaves behind an itch similar to the itch one gets from a leech. I usually wear wrist and ankle bands which are impregnated with the stuff as I 'm allergic to the sprays that some people use. It is very common to see zinc cream, sun protection creams, mozzie sprays etc and hats disappear from theretail shelves at this time of year. Lots of people have a roaring trade in selling little candles at markets.
We had first Christmas Dinner at 12:00pm today in a large, air conditioned dining room with fans going. It is not as hot as expected so far -only 77 degrees Farenheit in my neck of the woods. The clouds are very dark and heavy and we are expecting a thunderstorm. The thunder is rolling very loudly as I write this - so it won't be long.
All the best for Christmas.

Merry Christmas everyone!
Christmas in Australia is very much like anywhere I suppose, tree, presents, carols, family time.
Except it is usually warmer....sometimes a lot warmer!
This year my family went to my in-laws for lunch which consisted of roast and salad. Unfortunately I had to work, but when I got home we had roast chicken, roast lamb, roasted potatoes and pumpkin with cauliflower and broccoli cheese finishing this year with chocolate pudding. YUM! Then we went for a drive around the area to see all of the christmas lights that people have done in their houses/gardens (us included).
On the years it is quite hot we do our roasted meats and potatoes in the weber (bbq with hood) and do a variety of salads. It is often outside as too warm with lots of people indoors and rarely a jacket to be seen haha.
A couple of years ago it was verrry hot so all of our families came to our house for christmas lunch (about 25) as we have a pool and the kids (and adults) had a great time, so good everyone also stayed for dinner! No joke. But it was a fantastic day with everyone together and having a good catchup as some live a fair distance and don't get together as often as we like.
Well I hope everyone has a fantastic New Year and makes time for lots of quilting, I know I will.
Cheers,
Bev

We spent two years on Guam with the Air Force in the 70's and had Christmas on the beach both years. It was great, but we did miss the white stuff the second year. Since both my husband and I are from New York state, it was a really different change for us.

We spent Christmas in FL with my daughter, gkids, and ggkids. It was 84 degrees Christmas day. Loved it!