You can find our Christmas Around the World travel itinerary here. If you happen to live in, or have visited any of the countries on our list, I hope you will enhance our journey together by sharing your experiences with us in the comments.

Christmas in Australia: An Aussie Christmas

Though it's not cold in Australia in December, many people still write Christmas cards with snow and ice scenes, people ice-skating on frozen lakes and pictures of cute reindeers. Not only would Santa melt from the heat wearing his red winter suit in Australia in December, but his reindeer would die of heat exhaustion in such sweltering heat! No reindeers and sleighs there! Santa would have to use six white boomers (boomers: large kangaroos) and he might even be pulling a surfboard and wearing sunscreen, board shorts, and a baseball cap as he zips through the aussie skies!

As Christmas Day approaches, the temperature continues to rise as does the humidity in the towns by the sea. Australians ultimately know Christmas is here when they start hearing the continuous shrill sounds of cicadas (large winged insects) on hot, cloudless days.

During the weeks leading up to Christmas, singing carols by candlelight is a tradition at many holiday events around towns and cities down under.

Christmas lunch in the great southern land is a different experience. Many still traditionally cook a turkey, or roast, as well as roasted vegetables and gravy in the stifling heat. (We've found we can get around some of the cooking heat in Mexico by using an electric roaster oven.) Some may also have fruitcake and custard. Not everyone has air conditioning in Australia, so a cool breeze while cooking is often at the top of their Christmas wish list.

And what is for Christmas dinner?

1. Prawns (shrimp) hot from the barbecue, (if you're not cooking turkey)
2. Fresh Fish from the market (you'll have to get there early if you want the good ones!)
3. Tossed green Salad, bowl of beetroot with onion, and some asparagus
4. Snags (sausages), or lamb chops lamb cutlets if you can afford it

And after lunch, they may gather up their Beach Towel, togs (bathing suit), thongs (cheap rubber flip flops), sunscreen, cricket bat and ball and prepare to cool off in the ocean or have some fun on the beach.

Boxing Day

The day after Christmas is called Boxing Day, and many get Aussies caught up watching the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, or the Boxing Day Test Cricket Match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which have both become quite a tradition.

Yes, in the Land Down Under, their days are merry and bright, but very rarely are their Christmases white.

Australian Art Projects for Kids can be found in this post by Art Curator for Kids

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