International Traditions: Christmas at Home in Australia
Diving into pools and brandy-laced pudding with equal gusto, Australians keep on the sunny side at Christmastime
Australians are a multicultural lot, so our Christmas Day traditions are extremely diverse. As summer is at the forefront of all our Christmas celebrations, water, barbecuing and relaxation play a big part in the success of the day. We do have a couple of important traditions that seem to be embraced by all; they involve attending Carols by Candlelight on Christmas Eve, devouring plum pudding with brandy sauce on Christmas Day and watching cricket on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas. Best of all, just like the rest of the world, we cherish spending the holidays with our family and friends.
A barbecue for Christmas. Cooking on the barbecue takes center stage on Christmas Day, especially if the temperature is on the rise. Rather than cranking up the indoor oven and overheating the host and the home, we let prawns sizzle happily on the grill while the traditional pork and lamb crackle away under the barbecue hood. With a fully equipped outdoor kitchen like this one, a chef wouldn't find it hard to employ many helpers.
An indoor-outdoor Christmas. Porches, or verandas, are abundant in Australia. Again, this is because our climate is so changeable — sometimes it can be both stinking hot and raining at the same time. Either way, we end up feeling very grateful to sit under cover to enjoy our Christmas celebrations.
No matter what the weather, plum pudding with lashings of brandy cream is a must on Christmas Day in Australia. The puddings are made months in advance and boiled for hours on the day, while more brandy than cream is whipped up for serving. A long veranda like this could be the perfect spot to serve a stunning outdoor Christmas meal for the entire family.
No matter what the weather, plum pudding with lashings of brandy cream is a must on Christmas Day in Australia. The puddings are made months in advance and boiled for hours on the day, while more brandy than cream is whipped up for serving. A long veranda like this could be the perfect spot to serve a stunning outdoor Christmas meal for the entire family.
An active Christmas. Australian families often play backyard cricket after lunch on Christmas Day. While most of the adults sneek away for that highly desired after-lunch nap, a brave few will join the children and bowl a few "overs."
On Boxing Day, more than 80,000 people show up at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to watch Australia play the first day of a four-day test match against an opposing international team. It's a huge event, and those who can't attend watch it on the television while eating leftover ham sandwiches.
Cricket might not be your thing, but a delightful well-ordered pitch like this is the perfect spot for testing the boccie set you got from Santa.
On Boxing Day, more than 80,000 people show up at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to watch Australia play the first day of a four-day test match against an opposing international team. It's a huge event, and those who can't attend watch it on the television while eating leftover ham sandwiches.
Cricket might not be your thing, but a delightful well-ordered pitch like this is the perfect spot for testing the boccie set you got from Santa.
Christmas on the beachfront. Our main holiday break occurs over Christmas, so many families take time off to go to the coast. Christmas Day at the beach is very relaxed, with lots of swimming and ice-filled cocktails. The kids get up early to open presents, then one adult often takes them to the beach for an early swim while the others get the Christmas meal organized.
Christmas poolside. Some of the most popular children's Christmas presents are games and toys for the pool. For those families lucky enough to have a backyard pool, Christmas Day is often spent playing water basketball and throwing skim balls until games like Marco Polo and Fish Out of Water take over.
Not until wrinkled toes and fingers appear are attempts to get children to the lunch table acknowledged.
Not until wrinkled toes and fingers appear are attempts to get children to the lunch table acknowledged.
See more Christmas palettes that go beyond red and green