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Christmas traditions

in Australia

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As Christmas is coming, I believe it’s only normal that we speak about it.

But, as Christmas is a subject that we’ve all heard about in a presentation, and as we had to focus on one special theme about one english-speaking country, I decided to focus on

Christmas Traditions in Australia.

To begin with, I decided to start with explaining what’s peculiar about Christmas in Australia, and you might know what it is. . .

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Christmas in Australia

● Its Peculiarity

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Its Peculiarity

It ’s in summer, therefore, some traditions changes and some don’t.

As you might all know, the reason why it is in summer is because Australia is in the South Hemisphere of our planet, therefore our cold and sad winter is their hot and awesome

summer.

So I was talking about traditions right… I said that some change and some don’t. Basically, Australian Christmases are

British-like (as the first settlers to set foot in Australian territory were British), but as it ’s in summer, they change for

example the lyrics of carols, they also believe that Santa Claus can either come in his original red fur-trimmed suit and his 6 reindeers, or he comes in red shorts and loose shirts and 6

kangaroos to give a rest to the reindeers.

There are also some parties in the beach and sandman (as an opposition of snowman, as they don’t have snow during

Christmas).

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Outside Decorations

Australian’s Xmas decoration is not really different from us, they decorate the outside if and how they want to. This really

depends on how much peple want their houses to be decorated.

Sometimes, people throw a contest for Xmas decorations in the neighbourhood like in the USA. They come and go in their

neighbours houses, evaluate the outside decorations and name the winner. Generally the winner only wins the fact he had the

best decorations, but sometimes, he can welcome his neighbours for a barbecue.

Decorations in Australia are the same as ours, even though they have their original decorations, that is to say some

snowballs containing a figure of the native wild life (koalas, kangaroos,…), santa in shorts hanging in the Christmas tree,…

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Christmas in Australia

● Christmas Bush

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Christmas Bush

The Xmas Bush is a native Australian tree which has green leaves and cream-coloured flowers that turn red during the

Christmas period.They are often used to make wreaths that are hanging on the

front door for Xmas, one of the original Australian decorations.

People can either put it as a wreath on their door, or they can use it as their own Christmas Tree if they don’t want to be « too

classic » and use the classic worldwide Christmas Tree.

According to me, I think that this tree is kinda awesome, as it changes color only during Christmas period and it has the original Christmas colors at that moment (green and red).

So it does indeed deserve its name « Christmas Bush ».

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Christmas in Australia

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Christmas Carols:

People join together at night and sing the well-known Xmas Carols, and/or their original Australian ones.

This event is called Carols by Candlelight, and it is recorded (only from the big cities like Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane,…)

and broadcast all over the country.

As the Original Christmas Carols use the words « snow » and « cold » (most of them), Australians usually change the lyrics for a more « summer » type of words (« sand », « rain », « hot »,

…).

Some famous celebrities can come and sing these carols during the Carols by Candlelight event while it’s recorded and

broadcast all over the country, just like in the USA, where famous singers do the same in New York City.

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Christmas in Australia

● Christmas Meal

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Christmas Meal

The Australian Christmas meal is usually ate during lunch time.

The “Aussie” Xmas Meal is a… Barbecue with a lot of sea-food (among them shrimps, lobsters,. . . ) .

They called these barbecues the “barbies”. It ’s also common for them to eat a “classic” British Xmas meal.

For the historical part, Australia has its origins mainly from the first settlers that first set foot in the territory, as in the

British. Therefore, it’s quite common to see some beliefs and traditions that are common to both these countries.

Fun Fact : markets of sea-food are often full of people during Christmas period, as in summer, they don’t really feel like

eating a meal around a table.

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MERRY CHRISTMA

S

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So that’s all for the Christmas Traditions in Australia. I hope you find it interesting, and that you might have learned

something.

And of course…

MERRY CHRISTMAS !! ! !

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Sitographie● Image d’arrière plan : Christmas tree 2010 de Rexness (

https:/ /www.fl ickr.com/photos/rexness/5319732292/ )

● Image 1  : Santa's Entourage de Sarah_Ackerman (https:/ /www.fl ickr.com/photos/sackerman519/4245797256/in/photostream/ )

● Image 2 : Christmas decorations de Lars Igelström (https:/ /www.fl ickr.com/photos/skumroffe/5380435882/ )

● Image 3  : Christmas bush de John Tann (https:/ /www.fl ickr.com/photos/31031835@N08/5377140031/in/photolist-9cafoT-9b5oCV-9b8xdW-9b8wXd-9rGmg1-8WMdby-8WMdRC-9b5oSz-j4hvUE-8WJcDV-wVkt5-94cBhX-8WMfYG-8WMcBs-8WJ9Ta-8WJaBR-8WMfuw-8WJdme-reuQjh-8WMggC-8WMd8W-8WJ8D4-8WJa7D-8WMfaw-8WJ9oR-j4hHcj-8WMguw-8WJapn-dTALKK-8WMep7-8WMbpS-8WJbjF-8WJdMM-8WMfd9-8WJ98P-5ZLKqg-8WJbMk-8WMePj-8WJcrt-8WMfSb-8WMea9-8WMfNw-8WJbD4-8WJaUF-8WMcpY-8WJaeg-8WJ9mP-8WMc7y-hxM9RY-8WMc9s)

● Image 4 : Singing the Christmas Carols de Lim Chye peng (https:/ /www.fl ickr.com/photos/colinlim/11545913666/in/photolist-iAgPT1-7pB2U1-dzhpik-drEAY9-dy4b2c-dCgLze-qcvC1Q-ii7EhC-4faGQg-dy4cBe-8WHDbC-f14n8F-7pQMqP-4pQcL8-94eNJe-dCgJYw-aY7xZT-7pxtHB-97pLJX-jc9SQA-91JX6e-6DnC1h-em5LVL-5PdWvp-7qfFZy-7q1Bo9-7uB72V-dy7v4L-8WtGvM-8ZJoKY-8t2Xb-f14fWg-8t2Xu-7Ae3iw-8S1YQ8-9cyypH-92iY3d-7pWM5Z-7nHE3e-nVB9nF-91w2Av-7Aahr4-dBkSmc-7jMSXn-7pWvn6-quxpYb-f14c2Z-aY7zrM-7pB7zq-5L7XiH)

● Image 5 : Christmas Carol, Brisbane City Tabernacle Baptist Church de Andrew Mercer (https:/ /www.fl ickr.com/photos/ajmercer/15882823288/ )

● Image 6 : Lobster Tails de Ian Sanderson (https:/ /www.fl ickr.com/photos/iansand/16136048015/in/photostream/ )