The rotund, happy man with the big rosy cheeks, twinkling eyes and white beard that we know and love today. Additionally, among church-going families, many will attend Midnight Mass, although services on Christmas morning are also popular. Christmas celebrations occur all over the world, although the day on which it is celebrated varies, as well as the decorations, food, and customs. Christmas cards can be put in your recycling bin (minus the glitters and foil, if they have that). 10. Many of the origins of Christmas and its “factual” past can be contradictory, so you may find some surprises in our list of interesting facts about Christmas. Yellow Octopus has the best Christmas gifts in Australia. Tom writes words of wit and wisdom which can be read on Yellow Blogtopus. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. On Christmas Day, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. Aussie supermodel Miranda Kerr is fond of posing it up in a Santa suit whether it's in her former life as a Victoria's Secret Angel or in her kooky Japanese TV commercial for Lipton Tea. Myths about kissing under the mistletoe go back to Saturnalia. What's the best-selling Christmas song? It measured 221 ft. tall. View. Alcohol, nuts, chocolates, smoked salmon and a turkey dinner all add up to make December 25 one big binge-fest. Australian Christmas Symbols. This certainly results in Christmas fatigue for some people, especially when it comes to listening over and over again to cheery Christmas tunes and carols in shopping centres. One of the most well-known facts about Christmas in Australia is that the holiday falls on one of the hottest months of the year in the country.Perhaps this is why more and more Australians are choosing to celebrate Christmas in July. However, Christmas Day is the least favourite. Hey Shandos, This post is so spot on! 12. This year will see record SMS traffic, according to a Telstra survey, with 136 million text messages sent between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day this year - a surge of 13 per cent over last year. In case you were not able to view the above facts in it’s image form, please see all 45 Christmas facts below! The world's best-known Christmas song was written by James Lord Pierpont at a tavern in Medford, Massachusetts, home of popular sleigh races in the 19th century. This is partially because there are no other major holidays or events in Australia in the lead-up to Christmas, such as Thanksgiving in the USA. Here are some interesting Australia Facts which were chosen and researched by kids especially for kids. 17. Christmas in Australia is a very different affair than in many other countries. 21. The observance of Christmas around the world varies by country. 1. In Australia, both Christmas Day and the day after are public holidays. USA: For those lucky enough to be in places that have REAL winter, snowmen are the best way to celebrate a white Christmas. The ultimate Christmas song, it was actually originally written to be sung for American Thanksgiving. Christmas in Europe and North America is celebrated as a winter holiday, and includes imagery of snow, long nights, and warm clothes and fattening food to fight the cold. Mystery solved ... Rudolph's red nose is down to sheer physical exhaustion, say ...Source:Supplied. This video is a more informative version of a past Aussie Christmas video I did. To reduce the stress of the Christmas postage experience: Write up a Christmas card list and keep it in a safe place so that you can refer to it (and add or delete names) year after year. With these interesting facts about Christmas, test your knowledge of Christmas trivia as you read through. It helped me ALOT on my research!!!!!!!!!!! Before the Coca-Cola Santa was even created, St Nick had appeared in numerous illustrations and poems wearing a scarlet coat. The word carol may derive from the French "carole'' or the Latin "carula'' meaning a circular dance. Even though Christmas in Australia falls during summer, the traditions and celebrations are perfectly in accord with the Christmas celebrations elsewhere. I'm Shandos Cleaver and I've travelled to 35 countries around the world with my Miniature Dachshund, Schnitzel. Over half a million lights were placed on a Canberra house last Christmas. However, the film is not believed to be the origin of the phrase's use in Australia, which seems to date from around the late 1970s to the early 1980s. This year's Rockefeller tree is a 76-foot (23.2 metres) Norway Spruce. Luckily, lifeguards still patrol the beaches on Christmas Day. It soon became the bird of choice in households across the country. Christmas!is!one!of!the!busiest,!and!for!many!Australians,!the!most!joyous!and!family!focused!times!of!the!year.!It!is! The 26th December is known as Boxing Day, the traditional name also used in the UK, from when servants and tradesman used to receive gifts. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg turned on the lights on December 12, setting off a dazzling 45,000 multi-coloured LED lights and a gigantic Swarovski star. In Adelaide in 1951, test cricket was played on Christmas Day for the first time between Australia and which other team? THINK you know all there is to know about the festive season? The one exception is that in Australia, Christmas is rarely white for snow almost never falls on this date. People often flock from all over the city to see the best Christmas light displays, with traffic jams at the best locations. Urban Population: 90% 5. 14. FORWARD! How many texts are we likely to receive on Christmas Day? It is estimated that Bing Crosby's White Christmas, penned by Irving Berlin, is the best-selling single of all time, with over 100 million sales worldwide. The day of Christmas, and in some cases the day before and the day after, are recognized by many national governments and cultures worldwide, including in areas where Christianity is a minority religion. Jim Carrey's Grinch comes in at two, bringing in $260 million with Home Alone 2 coming in third. Christmas in Australia coincides with summer which means our traditions, although inspired by European customs, have been altered to suit the climate. Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas! 14. (Main photo copyright Aidan Casey on flickr, used under Creative Commons license), Inspired? How many calories will I consume on Christmas Day? Or alternatively some businesses will just retain a skeleton staff, with the members who don’t want to take leave. 13. The longest set... 3. Usually, the decorations... 2. 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