DeadVim

Sweating my arse off counting the days until I don't get bitten by all and sundry seems to be my ritual.

I guess watching the Boxing Day test can also suffice.

Doesn't feel like Christmas 8 years in, I don't see it changing anytime soon. I was never a fan of it anyway in the UK, bah humbug, just some arbitrary point on the calendar, I might mark this year by getting addicted to crystal meth

paulry

We did it for our first Aussie New Year and it was great. My sister in law knew a great family friendly viewing spot on grass with shady trees. We were there from mid afternoon picnicking and relaxing. The temps are warmer in December so it's still very pleasant right through the evening.

scottishcelts

Summit to do I suppose.

Kim67

No Australian family would dare finish Christmas day without a bunch of drunks playing a game of backyard cricket.

Mummy3

We get the train into the city and go see the Myer windows, Crown Christmas Spectacular, arcade lights etc.
I really don't miss the family squabbles, guilt trips to be somewhere! But I also think next year will be great when my folks are here for Christmas.

DeadVim

Finish? Start more like in Logan.

carolinephillips

The midnight fireworks are spectacular. We go to OH's office which overlooks Circular Quay, and sit in the board room with other families, drink champagne and have nibbles and watch both shows. We don't do it every year though.
I prefer the New Year fireworks to the fleet review ones- felt the latter were a bit slow to get going.

brissybee

A bit platter of prawns and a fake Christmas tree that would give the Griswalds a run for their money.

BadgeIsBack

Apart from the season it's pretty much the same for me here down under.
I prefer it - though - not quite as rushed - despite a tendency for people say it's exactly the same - (generally the people who miss the UK). I put this down to the fact that it's more of a time of year for annual vacation (summer) than a stop for a few days and a ski trip. Here Christmas is a sort of curtain raiser for summer hols - in the UK it's a time to breathe in a long winter.

As long as I have a big box of pies and lollies I am happy.

Pollyana

Which is why I volunteer to work Christmas.
I remember my first one in Aus, everyone spent the day telling me how great it was that the family was all together. I was never a great lover of Christmas anyway but that really left me with a sour taste in my mouth

Pollyana

Oh so true! And I've had better prawns in the UK several times this month than I have ever seen in Australia

brissybee

Ooh, that's low.

Prawns and England.

But what about the sun and the beaches and the quality of life.

RedT

Christmas here is just weird. We've had two now and no matter how many Santa's are in the shops etc you just don't feel like it's Christmas when it's 35C outside! It's odd too becuase it's made me feel like there's no definite end to the year so each year we've been here has just blended into the next and made our time here feel somewhat aimless. Well, this Christmas is our last year for a while, next year it'll be Singapore which I can only imagine will be even weirder! ; )

ozzieeagle

LOL... wonder where they've travelled from ?

http://www.kingcrab.co.uk/acatalog/prawns.html


I've just come back from Hobart.... I think seafood may well be their erm Forte' down there.

We did indulge a bit I must say and had 3 of of those mixed seafood platters in 8 days...... There's a thing you can do now, really pricy though, where they take you out on a day trip on a lovely charter boat, catch the Abalone, Prawns, Oysters, what have you etc etc and cook it on a beach that has been specially laid out for the punters.

I might do that next time.... Although @ 695 bucks per head, it might have to be a very very special occassion.


Meanwhile back to the thread.

Looking out for Cyclones and or Bushfires could be one of the nastier Australian Xmas traditions.


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Amazulu

But that is the scenario in every country that celebrates Christmas