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| "Santa Claus" |
To my American family and friends who have never heard of “Christmas in July,” I’ll explain it:
Australia, being in the Southern hemisphere, is now mid winter. While it isn’t very cold where we are in Northern Queensland, it is still an Aussie habit, for some, to celebrate Christmas in July because it’s cool. December is usually not just warm, but hot. The traditional food for the December Christmas is prawns (or shrimp), and an assortment of cold meats, or an outdoor BBQ in the shade.
The owners of the park we are staying in observe the tradition in July and put on a feast. This park is only eight years old, but for about six of those years a man called Bear (David) is Santa. He lives over a thousand miles South of here, but enjoys his winters here and even more enjoys playing Santa. Bear is shown in the inset photo above and in my opinion didn’t need the fake beard they put on him later.
Everyone who attends is given instructions to bring a gift in value of $5-$10. Bear has “helpers” and a big red bag filled with these Christmas-wrapped, unknown gifts, and hands them out willy nilly to everyone. Oh! He arrived in a beat-up old Land Rover this year.
There were lashings of chicken, ham, potatoes, carrots, peas, creamed cauliflower and broccoli, gravy, and naturally fruit salad, plum pudding, and Christmas pudding/cake (rum-soaked) with whipped cream and warm custard poured on top.
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| No one went hungry |
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| We even had a scarecrow dressed up as “Mrs. Claus” |
The day Bear arrived in the park, several weeks ago, Shirley got the idea to let herself be known to him. (They had never laid eyes on each other before.)
Shirley had been carrying a little Christmas stocking that would fit a 4-year-old. Tiny. She introduced herself and informed him that she’d been a really good girl and she expected him to fill her stocking with the nicest things when the time came. Everyone in the shed erupted in laughter and the story has been repeated several times as other regulars arrived at the park.
Bear put a fake lump of coal in her tiny stocking. Many years ago, the ones who got a lump of coal were deemed to have been “bad.” This time he caught her by surprise. Ha!
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| Shirley receives her lump of Christmas "coal" |
Copyright © 2013 by Vic Midyett
| Please comment |
Enjoyed the story and pics. Merry Christmas. And shrimp is wonderful any time of the year(smile)
ReplyDeleteVic, how extensive is the celebration of Christmas in July—I mean, is it widespread, common in many other communities in northern Australia? And what about Kwanzaa in July, or Hanukkah? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteIt is more common to pubs, clubs, some hospitals, nursing homes, function centers, etc. It's basically to attract a big crowd for their financial bottom line. Having said that, they don't spare the expense of trying to do it as lavishly and as traditional as possible, complete with lots of decorations for that one lunch or dinner It's not generally celebrated by individual families, unless they all go to a venue together. It actually feels like Christmas with everyone playing the part and imagining December 25th.
ReplyDeleteVic, what do communities who celebrate Christmas in July do on December 25 and during the "Twelve Days of Christmas"?
DeleteAlso, Vic, do you know whether weather is the reason why "Christmas in July" got started? What other reasons might that there have been? And do you know when it got started?
DeleteMy wife points out that Christmas is often associated with the Winter Solstice, and "Down Under," of course, the Winter Solstice is almost in July (about June 21, right?) I suppose that THAT could have something to do with "Christmas in July." But, if so, why July rather than June?
Did you expect that there might be so many questions about this?
Vic answered my follow-up questions via email:
DeleteAs you probably know most Aussies are descendants of folks from Europe and countries in the Northern hemisphere where Dec is cold. July and Aug are the coldest months in Australia. Christmas in July or Aug is the time it is celebrated simply because of that.
Aussie buildings rarely have central air conditioning, but choose rather the old fashioned heating with fire places. It is therefore the time of year ideal for a big celebration like Christmas. Last week, here in the Eastern half of Australia there was widespread snow fall in places above 1500ft in elevation which added to the festive feeling.
I have no idea when celebrating Christmas in July started, but I would guess as recent as 30 years ago. But don't quote me on that. It's simply a time for folks to also reflect on the family and conditions of their 'home' countries they left. Your wife may also be right about the winter solstice for down under.
BTW...I sent a link for your blog and my article to my ex pastor and his wife, who I write to frequently, and she reported something interesting back to me. She said their church (in Oklahoma) celebrated Christmas in July the same night we did! I'd never heard of anyone in America doing that before. Of course churches like coming up with any excuse to get together for a feast/pot luck anyway. Ha!
Regards Christmas in Dec....it is pretty much the same as America without the cold weather. Twelve days of Christmas, the whole bit. Only the ads on TV are for swim suits! All eating venues dive into it in a big way offering Christmas lunch/dinner again, but this time with lashings of lobster (crayfish), prawns (shrimp), cold meats, including turkey, ham, chicken, etc. etc.
The TV stations do awesome graphics for the kids showing when Santa leaves the North pole and it follows his sparkly trail across the skies of the world following the Christmas Eve time zones. The news reporters report this very seriously for the kids like it's really happening. Prior days to that they give make believe reports of the elves making this and that, and the snowfall at the North pole, and getting the reindeer ready, and polishing the sled. It's very cute.
There is also lots and lots of Carol singing in public places and on TV and shopping centers. TV stations record and show different school and church choirs singing, as a community spirit exercise.
One can still say Merry Christmas without fear of being ridiculed. Sorry, I'm getting political now.
It is widespread all over Australia. Yes. In the South of the country, it could actually be snowing. At the least it's darned cold!
ReplyDeleteYou're not kidding, shrimp is wonderful any time of the year! A man in a van comes here twice a week selling shrimp, lobster, (crayfish here)and other fresh fish off his father boat around the park. He also sells meats. Top quality stuff too.
ReplyDeleteIf we go down around the beach area we can get it right off the boat, but a lot of it is shipped out of the country. Therefore inland it is more expense---funny how that works. later
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ReplyDeleteWhat a great story, and i especially love as that "bear" santa is my dad.. :-)
ReplyDeletevery very proud ... hope they all had a great time
Good on you, Bear's anonymous child! <smile>
DeleteHi anonymous, yes, your parents are both just wonderful people. My wife and I both respect them immensely! Thanks for sharing them with us. Bless you!
DeleteVic