Since this posting is coming out on Christmas weekend, I was hoping to find some information about any December celebrations of the Aboriginal Tribes in Australia. So far, I can’t find anything. :o( No matter, this search can go on my list of things to find out while I’m living there! However, what to do for a post topic? I’ve settled on some of the documented differences of how mainstream Australian culture celebrates the Christmas holiday, instead.
Australia’s seasons mirror North America’s, which means that Christmas arrives in the middle of summer (just 4 days after their summer solstice, in fact). This in itself means that many of the quintessential Christmas/holiday activities (for me) are not possible or don’t exist at all. For instance, plants traditionally purchased or grown in the northern half of the planet (like the pine trees used for our Christmas trees or the poisonous poinsettias that adorn our coffee tables), which thrive in colder weather, are nowhere to be found in Australian holiday decorations.
Instead, check out the traditional Australian flora one might encounter at a holiday party (photo credit: http://www.anbg.gov.au/christmas/):
| Christmas Tree - Western Australia | |
 |  |
| New South Whales - Christmas Bells  | Victoria - Christmas Bush  |
| South Australia & Tasmania  | Queensland  |
Interesting that these plants don’t exhibit any of the colors those of us from the north associate with Christmas. A little more research leads me to believe that, even though the more traditional Red/Green/Silver/Gold color scheme is not prominent in the landscape during the holiday season in Australia, these colors are still used for marketing Christmas and the New Year. I suppose this is mainly due to the fact that these colors were already accepted Christmas colors before the Christmas holiday came to Australia. They probably continued the use of them for marketing purposes, however.
If Tim Minchin’s song “White Win in the Sun
" is any indication (not to mention all the photos of windsurfing and reef swimming that popped up on Google when I searched for "Australia + Christmas) Australian's tend to prefer water sports to the more traditional snow play of the Northerners. Honestly, I wouldn't have had a clue it was holiday time, were it not for the Santa hats... :o)
" is any indication (not to mention all the photos of windsurfing and reef swimming that popped up on Google when I searched for "Australia + Christmas) Australian's tend to prefer water sports to the more traditional snow play of the Northerners. Honestly, I wouldn't have had a clue it was holiday time, were it not for the Santa hats... :o)
Great Post nice article.Amazing collection of Photos and videos.Really I like it.Thanks for Sharing.