Although Christmas is huge in Australia, it doesn't have the same
extent of Christmas tradition -- or spirit, if you will -- of a northern
hemisphere Christmas. It's a very different vibe really. The
following are traditions that are major in America -- and not unheard of
in Australia, possibly even done, but just not to the same extent, from
what I can tell:
--Christmas trees (esp. real ones)
--decorations (inside and outside the house and inside the church)
--Christmas music (ex., Feliz Navidad isn't so big here as in America, go figure)
--Christmas cookies
--gingerbread houses
--caroling
--Christmas cards
--Christmas pageants
--Advent
Thankfully, though, the actual meaning of the holiday
-- Jesus' birth -- is definitely celebrated, at least among Christians.
In some ways, you could argue that there's more emphasis on His birth
without all the additional fuss and trimmings -- and then you could
argue on the other side that by making Christmas such a complete and
full holiday it adds weight to the significance of His birth in
beginning it all. I go back and forth. I miss the fullness of the
Christmas season, but appreciate a more direct focus on Jesus.
And besides: my bus was completely decked out for Christmas today. How joyful was that!?
Thursday, December 22, 2011
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3 comments:
Hi Kim,
of the things you list, "Christmas cookies" aren't really part of the "typical" Australian Christmas tradition (although there is a lot of shortbread in the shops), gingerbread houses seem to be a new thing that is becoming popular, carolling is something that I have done many times but I think is dying out, Christmas pageants used to be big in some schools and many churches, but probably not in many schools these days unless it is done through RE - they may still be done in churches with large Sunday Schools, and Advent is something I associate with Anglicans! Trees, decorations and music are pretty big for some people (as evidenced by your bus).
But we do have other northern hemisphere traditions, they are probably just English rather than American ones. For example, Christmas cake, pudding and mince pies (all made with dried fruit).
I'm sure it is a different vibe though, as our Christmas holidays and summer holidays/end of school year etc coincide.
Caroline
Oh, and Carols by Candlelight is pretty big in some places, both versions run by local churches, and more secular ones run by councils, rotary clubs and the like.
In yesterday's post, you said you had a hard time finding Christmas cards with anything to do with the Nativity on them, yet today you say it seems Australians focus more on Christ's birth in their celebration of Christmas. If that is the case, why don't they make more Christmas cards that reflect that?
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