christmas australian traditions

14 Weird Things Aussies Do At Xmas That Confuses The Rest Of The World

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Whether you’re a Christmas stan or scrooge, this time of year is all about getting together with friends or family to share some food and maybe even give a few presents.

With Christmas less than a week away, now is the time to soak up as much Chrissy spirit as possible — which usually means tuning into various American holiday movies and/or Christmas carols. Australian Christmases have been largely shaped by other country’s popular culture, yet from watching the holiday period represented in TV and film, it’s clear that Australia is a vastly different landscape to the winter wonderlands most commonly depicted.

Australia does Christmas in our own way and on our own terms — taking inspiration from other cultures, while adding our own traditions. And though this is quite normal to us, some things Aussies do over the holidays straight-up freak out non-Australians.

Here are a few weird things Australians do at Christmas that low-key confuses the rest of the world:

1. Christmas is summer time for us.

Weird, right? Not really! If you grew up in Australia, warm weather at Christmas is the norm — in fact, late December is often when our nation experiences some of its worst heat waves. But what’s standard for some is unfathomable for people from the northern hemisphere.

2. While the weather is hot, most of us still enjoy a roast.

Whether it’s roast turkey, pork, or ham, despite the hot weather, Australians still enjoy a good roast. But don’t worry, we’re not all masochists, some families will cook their meat a day early and serve it cold on Christmas Day.

3. There won’t be any open fires in sight as that’s a bushfire hazard.

While some families in other parts of the world might enjoy chestnuts roasting on an open fire this Christmas, this simply would not happen in Australia. Typically, the December period is the start of bushfire season, which means that a total fire ban is often enforced in most areas.

4. But there will be Santa driving around on a fire truck.

Sure, we don’t have chilly weather or open fires outdoors, but we do have Santa riding around on a fire truck, often ringing a bell and handing out lollies.

5. We watch American Christmas movies that are not at all relatable.

It’s rare that any Christmas movie will ever be a true reflection of the Australian experience — other than obviously Aussie films — but that doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy living the fantasy and indulging in some escapism. In fact, many of us grew up watching snow-soaked films like Home Alone and The Santa Clause despite never seeing snow in December.

6. And we still listen to Christmas carols about snow.

Yep! We love all that stuff, and our Christmas light displays are decked out with snowmen and snowflakes.

7. But carol singers knocking on doors isn’t really a thing here.

In the US and UK, it’s common for carol singers to door knock around the neighbourhood but this would rarely happen here. Carol singing is typically only seen at community Christmas events, or in department stores like David Jones or Myer.

8. Instead we save all our energy for Carols by Candlelight on Christmas Eve.

Now THIS is our time to shine! But in true Aussie spirit, most people only watch Carols by Candlelight to poke fun at how cheesy it is.

However, we should probably be a little more grateful that we can have such a huge outdoor event in Melbourne — along with Sydney’s Carols In The Domain respectively — as in colder climates, this kind of production could never happen.

9. But that’s for the people who don’t go out and get on the piss.

In Australia on Christmas Eve, you typically fall into two camps: you watch Carols By Candlelight or you go to the pub and get sloshed. Sure, some other countries also go out and get drunk on Christmas Eve (I’m looking at you, UK), but Australians have taken it to a new level.

10. On the actual day, no one wears Christmas jumpers.

As if you could in this weather! Ugly Xmas jumpers are out, daggy seasonal hats, thongs, board shorts, and bright shirts are in.

11. Christmas lunch is much bigger deal than dinner.

Christmas lunch is the time to pile as much food into your body as humanly possible, while dinner tends to be a much lighter meal — typically just eating leftovers from lunch or whatever you can fit in.

12. And seafood reigns supreme in most lunch spreads.

It’s simply unAustralian to have Christmas lunch without a generous bowl filled with prawns on the table. And why stop there? Crab, lobster, oysters, Moreton Bay bugs — the sky’s the limit! Eating seafood on Christmas is becoming increasingly popular in Australia, but that doesn’t mean it freaks out the rest of the world any less.

13. As do a variety of fruits like cherries and mangoes.

What pairs perfectly with hot weather? Fresh fruit! It’s unsurprising that cherries, mangoes, red grapes, pineapple, and watermelon are all becoming Christmas staples in Australia.

14. But pavlova is the main event.

When it comes to dessert, the US often opt for cheesecake while UK holidayers love their pudding, but for Australia it’s the humble pavlova that is the glue that holds Christmas together. Don’t get us wrong, many homes also have Christmas pudding and trifle, as well — it’s all about options baby!

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Our Christmases might be weird to the rest of the world, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.