Winter has an undeniable monopoly over the Christmas holiday. This global celebration is mostly associated with eggnog, snowflake-covered fir trees, mittens, and a bunch of other white Christmas hoopla.
These images of mainstream culture, however, are not a reality for countries that fall south of the Equator such as Australia and New Zealand. With ninety-degree days being the staple during this time of the year, true blue Christmases are often filled with memories of salt in the air and sunburns. In these regions, there is no homogenous way to celebrate the holiday, but the lack of snow-kissed cheeks does not strip the festivity of the holiday. Here are some top seven ideas on how you can enjoy a true blue Christmas to add an arbitrary and fluid touch to the festive season.
#1 Claim casino bonuses
Gambling is an activity that can get your adrenaline pumping and keep your bum at the edge of the seat any time of the year. The Christmas holiday comes with the generous touch of bonuses and promotions from gambling sites as a way to wish their clients merry festivities. You can choose to visit True Blue Casino and start off with their welcome bonus of as much as $2000 in a matchup of 200% per cent. The list of offers is updated to accommodate the holiday, the closer it draws. Numerous more casinos can be visited for similar incentives that range from free spins and chips to cash prizes and matchups. Punters should be keen to assess the terms and conditions tabled to ensure that they are getting a deal that comes with the chance to walk away with profits.
#2 Have lamb hams and seafood platters
Even though the Australian Christmas has often been mocked for not fitting in with the traditional European one, people have kept up with the practice of roasted turkey for long enough. After all, the weather can never be too hot to add some roasted meat to the menu. However, this year, you can replace the turkey with some more seasonal foods such as lamb ham. Cured and smoked ham is nothing new to Aussies. During Christmas, switch up the pork with lamb and get on with this trend that looks like it is going mainstream in the region. Pump the table setting a notch up with seafood platters filled with prawns. You can also add on some mud crabs, lobsters, and octopus.
#3 Deck the halls with Aussie-style wreaths
One of the most ubiquitous elements associated with a white Christmas are boughs of holly. However, down south, they cannot be used as an accurate representation of what Christmas is all about. Capture the element of a summer Christmas by using wreath decorations made out of seashells and eucalyptus. If making one yourself is too much trouble, you can purchase the décor pieces in stores and online shops like Etsy, Amazon, and others. You can even pass individual shells and eucalyptus flowers and scatter them around the house as decorations. These pieces can also go up in the tree in the place of fake snow to inspire the beachy vibes that are necessitated by the hot conditions outside.
#4 Join or watch the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is held annually with the starting point being Sydney and the finish line Hobart. The event begins on Boxing Day, which is the 26th of December and ends on 31st of the same month. The race is a 75-year-long tradition that sees the most glorious of yachts race 630 nautical miles in one of the most challenging water competitions in the world. The event may be lasting for the next few days after Christmas, but it sure is tied to the festivities and gives you a good enough reason to continue celebrating.
#5 Indulge in local festivities
The lack of generic traditions relating to Australian Christmases means that each region has come up with different practices to celebrate the holiday. If the festivities find you in Melbourne, pay the Carols by Candlelight event a visit and participate in the charity that sends all proceeds to Vision Australia. Hobart holds an almost similar event dubbed the Hobart Community Christmas Carol where the public is treated to some Xmas carols, and they can donate non-perishable food items. In Brisbane, on the other hand, locals can visit King George Square to see the giant Christmas tree that is put up alongside animations that narrate tales related to traditional Australian Christmases.
#6 Trade snowmen for sandmen
Nothing says Christmas is here than a neighbourhood filled with snowmen of all kinds and shapes. However, the southern hemisphere does not get the luxury of building these mainstream culture figurines due to the 70 to 90-degree temperature waves. On the upside, this means that Christmas can easily be spent outdoors by going to the beach. Seeing that most of the Australian population resides within 50 kilometres of a beach, it’s only appropriate to enjoy some fun in the sun while playing with waves, building sandmen, and throwing down a barbeque with friends or family.
#7 Drink beer and then some more
Drinking beer is already a tradition that is well-rooted in Australian Christmases, so you do not have to do anything extraordinary for this one. In most cases, beers are the ideal gift for admission in Christmas celebrations with loved ones.
Summary
True blue Christmases are far from the less festive holidays they are painted to be. Despite the holiday’s difference from generic traditions, which include Santa in board shorts instead of a red suit, the reasons for celebrating are all the same.