A Christmas feast Most Aussies choose to swap the traditional roast turkey for a Christmas ham, and fresh seafood (specifically prawns) takes pride of place on many festive banquets. It makes sense that Australians opt for a light and refreshing dessert option to end their Christmas feast.
For Australians, their big holiday meal is the Christmas lunch. Some families prepare a Christmas ham and rich plum pudding, while others prefer to celebrate outside and cook prawns on the barbecue.
While turkey is a much loved Christmas classic, roast chicken, lamb and beef are all part of Australian Christmas traditions. And for an absolute show-stopper, you can't go past a glazed ham, studded with cloves and doused in honey for the ultimate Christmas treat.
Roast Turkey
Not all Australians enjoy a seafood dinner for Christmas; many stick to the traditions of a fat roast turkey at the centre of their feast. The stuffing, basting, and roasting of a turkey can be somewhat time-consuming, so most people get to work a day in advance.
The Australian Christmas feast has evolved over the years – many still enjoy a traditional turkey roast dinner, but warm weather favourites like seafood, ice-cream and tropical fruits now appear on most festive menus.
Some Australians hang wreaths on their front doors and some people will also go out Christmas carol singing on Christmas Eve. People also decorate their houses and gardens with Christmas Trees and Christmas lights. Neighbors sometimes have little competitions to see who has got the best light display.
Eggnog and Snowballs, Mulled Wine and Christmas Velvet Alexanders... all very fitting for 25th December if you're wrapped up by the fire. Drinking creamy cocktails when its 30 degrees however, is far less appealing.
These Australian Christmas brunch ideas are great recipes to make for breakfast on Christmas morning. With ideas like Smoked Salmon Dutch Baby Pancakes, Herbed Ricotta Pastry Wreath, Mediterannean share platter and more, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Turkey is classic, of course, as is ham, but you could also serve a roast chicken, roast beef, or pork tenderloin. Fill out your meal with some Christmas-y side dishes, and you'll be all set for the perfect holiday dinner.
A traditional Christmas dinner is very similar to Thanksgiving and consists of roast turkey, turkey stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce and pies such as apple or pumpkin. Other non-traditional main dish favorites are ham, roast beef or lasagna.
1. Turkey. Let's admit it, a whole turkey is the best and most traditional meat for Christmas dinners. Originally gracing our plates in the 16th century, popular history tells of King Henry VIII being the first English monarch to have turkey for Christmas.
Pavlova, the velvety, creamy dessert made from crispy meringue shells topped with whipped cream and fruit, is the quintessential Aussie. Despite originating from New Zealand, Pavlovas are synonymous with Australia's holiday feast, as much as shrimp on the barbecue.
The tradition of eating ham on Christmas Day is centuries old, believed to have evolved from the Germanic pagan ritual of sacrificing a wild boar during festivals.
The deep red hue of the fruit offers a colour unique to the Australian Christmas season for an interesting reason. While Americans enjoy cranberries and the French enjoy their cheeses and wines, the Australians enjoy their fresh juicy cherries. Why is it so? Christmas time is when the cherry trees bloom.
Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also used. Pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are staples for dessert.
There's plenty of booze around at Christmas
After church on Christmas Day, "the Queen has a gin and Dubonnet, while Prince Philip has beer. Everyone else will sip a glass of Veuve Clicquot," Darren McGrady told The Daily Mail. At Christmas dinner, "the Queen enjoys drinking Gewürztraminer, an aromatic white wine."
Everyone knows that Santa's favorite way to wash down his plate of cookies is with a big glass of eggnog. This tradition has been around for decades, but have you ever asked yourself why? When did drinking this egg and milk concoction become a holiday tradition?
Australian Christmas is often warm and celebrated with a big lunch on Christmas day. Unlike our European and American friends, you won't see us donning scarves or beanies on the big day. The most modern Christmas day outfits are comfortable and lightweight dresses to accommodate both the heat and the feast!
Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas In Australia
These days most Australians call Atnas (his real name) “Santa”.
The main event at any Australian Christmas feast is the ham, and often, home cooks will spend hours gazing into their ovens in anticipation for the buzz of that timer when they can finally carve the sweet and smoky meat.
And when it comes to Christmas lunch on a sweltering summer's day, there are few things better than a traditional Australian BBQ of grilled meats, heaps of salads, and plenty of cold beer. No self-respecting Aussie would consider a BBQ complete without sausages, burgers, steaks, and big, succulent prawns.