XMAS Down Under

Christmas holidays in Australia are six weeks long, from about the middle of December to the end of January, when a new school year begins. And don't forget it's summer and hot in Australia at Xmas!!

The Australian lifestyle is very relaxed and the focus is on being out of doors. One of the favourite places to be at any time is on one of their many golden beaches. Christmas Day sees a lot of families meeting there for a barbie (= barbeque) or picnic, some arriving for breakfast and leaving after dinner. With all this in mind, an important part of the Health program, an Australian teacher says, "is to teach the children water safety, and personal safety and protection from the harsh summer sun. Water safety, whether it is at the beach or a swimming pool is vital! At our school we have a swimming pool and teacher so the children have regular swimming lessons. Over the years they are taught swimming and water awareness to their ability levels. This means that where possible the children are taught to swim and float. However, this term we are combining water safety with personal safety, teaching the children to put sunscreen on the exposed parts of their bodies, and to wear a sunhat whenever they go out to play. Clothing that is appropriate to the weather is another area treated, for example, wearing sandals to protect their feet from the hot ground."

Simultaneously Aussie children explore the wonders of Christmas! Gradually they develop their own peculiar style of Christmas, which includes native flora and fauna, and their culture. For example, they make little Christmas trees from small tree branches, usually gum tree (= eucalyptus) or acacia, stuck in a terra cotta pot, and filled with plaster. These will then be sprayed gold or silver and decorated with the traditional baubles and tinsel. They are a far cry from the traditional fir tree, but much more in line with the Aussie bush. The bright red poinsettia and the golden wattle flowers are often used. Along with reindeers they also use native animals, like koalas, kangaroos, possums, lizards, platypus and echidnas. Even Santa Claus or Father Christmas is likely to get a change of costume! He is more likely to be seen more appropriately dressed in thongs on his feet, a wide brimmed hat, shorts and a T-shirt. He will possibly have a cold can of soft drink in one hand while holding the reins of his gift laden sleigh in the other. Reindeer just wouldn't cope with the heat here, so they rest and Santa calls on 'boomer' kangaroos to pull him through the southern skies.

Nativity songs and stories tell of the native animals hearing about the birth of Jesus in that far off land. Children love these and ask for them to be read many times. Some of the traditional songs have been rewritten to have an Australian flavour, such at "The Twelve Days of Christmas" where the partridge is replaced by a koala up a gum tree.