An Australian Christmas is far from anything we see in the movies. Firstly, there’s no opening presents in front of a roaring fire, no snowball fights, and no ugly Christmas sweaters to wear (not complaining). Instead, we have backyard cricket, mountains and mountains of food (often prawns), and plenty of time to cool off in the pool. I’m sure almost everyone will be able to relate in some way to your typical Aussie Christmas outlined below.
It’s always a hot day. Always.
Instead of waking up to flurries of snowflakes and a street full of snowmen in front yards, we are treated to temperatures above forty degrees. Which means that it’s going to be too hot to don polyester fluffy Santa hats.
It’s the one day of the year you can use Christmas cracker’s
After the Christmas crackers/Bon Bon’s have been fought over there are usually plenty of paper hats of all colours to share to make up for the Santa hats.
There’s a BBQ
There’s also usually one brave person who sacrificed themselves to man the BBQ. They brave the heat and the mozzies to make sure everyone else can enjoy the Christmas feast.
Your typical Christmas lunch ideally consists of a variety of meats that have been nicely charred on the BBQ. Leg ham is a must on Christmas day, and it doesn’t last long either.
Sticky date, trifle, Christmas pudding…
Desserts are also endless. And it’s fine to eat as much as you want. Because Christmas calories don’t count.
If you don’t end up in a food coma, you didn’t eat enough
After lunch all of the kids, elderly, and family pets will inevitably slip into a food coma, leaving the young adults to indulge in a few extra drinks which tends to make the rest of Christmas day even more enjoyable for the whole family.
You packed your swimmers
When all have awoken from their post-lunch nap there is a mass migration to the pool. If this particular house doesn’t have a pool then the migration continues to either the neighbour’s, family friends, or a thirty minute drive to Grandma and Grandpa’s is on the cards.
Backyard cricket
This could happen after breakfast, before lunch or after dinner. Heck, it might even last all day. Badminton, water polo and lawn bowls might be an option too.
It’s leftovers for dinner
When it’s time for dinner, its short lived. Any remaining family members drag themselves away from the Christmas movies or give up on cricket and make themselves a plate of leftovers.
Christmas light tours
Once the family rally and pack everyone into the car it’s always nice to go for one last drive around town and take one last look at the Christmas lights. Until next year that is.
