Over the past few days I've been putting up Christmas decorations and lights around my house. I've gone a little nuts with the lights actually. Anyway all the fiddling with the decorations made me wonder about some things.

Here in Wisconsin we generally have a white christmas. Most of North America decorates for the holidays with snow-themed decorations. Santa is always in his fur coat and pants.

BUT then I realized that it's summer down under. What is the normal holiday decor for our southern friends? Is Santa depicted in shorts and a floral shirt? Do the kids there have a clue what reindeer are?

How is Christmas season decorated around the world? Pictures would be helpful.

Oh and this is about the decorations not about your religious beliefs or lack there of. If you don't "believe" in Christmas then kindly move along. But if you enjoy the spirit of the season (i.e. peace and goodwill) then by all means participate.

Great for windows!

I've heard that Aussie Santa comes on a surfboard or a boat.

The Strangest thing to get used to in Florida FOR ME was Very warm (sometimes Hot) Christmas's...we decorate the Palm Tree's and Christmas tree'
s are brought in from the NE...BTW when Santa is done his work he spends the rest of the Winter here at Sloppy Johns on the Beach .It beats shovelling snow..ANY DAY!

I usually hang the kids somewhere...

Blurker? Any Aussies? Ledirlo? Arcaico? Any South Americans?

I genuinely want to know how Christmas and New Years are done/decorated/viewed where you live.

Yeah Tofu, we have Santa and lights and trees and the whole deal....but we just have it in the stinking hot summer heat. A lot of people head to the beach at Christmas time for their holidays. It is the time of year that our schools have their summer break. Kids finish about now and don't return until the end of Jan. As a kid, I spent nearly every Xmas here.



A white Christmas would certainly be a welcome change from 38C (100F) temperatures! Oh yeah...we also find beer preferable to egg nog

Thanks BB! I knew it was summer so I wondered if that played into how Santa is portrayed down there. Is he still shown in full red & white outfit?

Around here other iconic Christmas symbols are things like snowflakes, hot chocolate, evergreen trees, wreaths, hat/scarf/mittens, etc.

I can't imagine someone who grew up with Christmas as a summer holiday associating those same things with Christmas. I can see the lights but what things do Aussie kids grow up associating with Christmas? Just going to the Beach? Are there iconic symbol for an Aussie Christmas?

For those in South America, Africa, etc. what are the Christmas icons where you're from? Heck what are the Christmas icons for different parts of the US? I only know of California, Idaho and Wisconsin Christmases.

yes santa is still santa down under, and fully clothed*. people like to use fake snow on their windows, and you see reindeer and stuff in mall displays etc

christmas lights are very popular - i know in WA they have contests for the best lights in the neighbourhood

some immigrants from the northern hemisphere like to celebrate their own christmas in june or july, when it does get a bit chilly in some places. it does snow in parts of australia in winter, even near sydney. in fact this year we had some unseasonal snowfall about a month ago...

being from england myself, i find aussie christmas very unchristmaslike. i really miss a nice cold/cosy christmas


*unless he's been out on the lash at a christmas party, in which case he might be in various states of undress

Ya stupid Yanks and yer silly questions, and yes that goes fer you Canadians and Euros too! Basically what bicgbuck and dumbat sez is true... we gat all the kit and kaboodle traditions of the Northern Hemisphere as well as our own backgrounds, cultures and customs....along with that Aussie touch barbecue fer lunch and perhaps a traditional family dinner....all up to yer preferences and background I suppose