How To Do An Aussie Christmas

Grab your thongs (flip flops), cozzie (bathing suit), the barbie (barbecue), head on down to the beach and you got yourself one cracker (great) of a Christmas in Australia.

Us ‘Southern Hemispherers’ grow up with the notion of a white Christmas thanks to American TV, year after year, but in reality it’s drastically different.

And for first time visitors from the Northern hemisphere, seeing the sun shining on Christmas day can be a shocker.

Christmas ‘down under’ is barbecues, cricket and booze. It is also usually spent down at the beach because not only is it summer in December, it’s scorching hot.

Hilariously we sing the same Christmas Carols and decorate the shops with fake snow. But the truth of the matter is snow rarely falls in Australia unless you are in the mountains (during winter in July).

The Food

Forget the cooked turkey and sizzling pork; it’s too hot to have ovens going all day. Christmas Day in Australia is all about the fresh seafood including my personal favorite, prawns. A typical family activity is sitting around the table peeling the prawns together, but good luck not eating them as you go. That was always my weakness.

And don’t forget to grab yourself a mango, or two. Come December 1st, trays of mangos go on sale and get eaten by the dozen (or maybe thats just me).

The Setting

You know the gorgeous cracking fireplace the family cozy up in front of after a big meal? Well that is swapped for either a body of water, a backyard or the street. And there’s always someone playing cricket or taking a dunk after lunch.

The Drink

The only form of ice you will see on an Aussie Christmas Day is ice cold beer served in an ‘esky’ (cooler).

While it may feel unusual and against the grain, a hot Christmas in Australia is something extraordinary. So if you can get pass the long flight, you will be inducing a lot of FOMO back home as everyone shivers in the snow.