Christmas in Australia Ideas for the Classroom

Christmas "Downunder" is never white. That's because Christmas in Australia comes in the middle of summer when it is hot. Since children are usually on vacation during the summer, some people might even be camping on Christmas Day.

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Christmas in Australia Poster (KidsSoup members)

Christmas Weather

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Weather Matching Activity (KidsSoup members)

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Hot or Cold Weather? Activity (KidsSoup members)

Christmas Decorations Craft

Australians hang Christmas wreaths on their doors and decorate their houses and gardens with Christmas trees and lights. They also decorate their houses with bunches of Christmas bush, a native Australian tree with small green leaves and cream colored flowers that turn a deep shiny red by Christmas. Some families go to extremes decorating their houses with Christmas lights and decorations.

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Christmas Lights Names Craft and Decoration

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Christmas Lights Fingerprint Cards

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Christmas Tree Lights Sight Words Game (KidsSoup Resource Library)

One of the most popular Australian Christmas traditions is Carols by Candlelight, a tradition that was started in 1938 by a radio announcer in Melbourne. People get together at night to light candles and sing Christmas carols.

Six White Boomers Australian Christmas Song

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Six White Boomers Booklet (KidsSoup Resource Library)

When Santa finally gets to Australia he lets his reindeer rest and uses kangaroos, or "six white boomers (a popular name for a male kangaroo)," instead to deliver the presents. Santa also changes his clothes to cooler ones.

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Six White Boomers Song and Booklet (KidsSoup Resource Library)

Free Six White Boomers Song Printable

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Listen to the song and view on YouTube

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Another version of the song with the names of the six kangaroos

Candy Cane Kangaroo Craft (KidsSoup Resource Library)

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Free Santa with Kangaroo Coloring Page

Preschool Activities:

Media Root

Christmas Meal

The main meal on Christmas is usually at lunchtime and typically consists of a cold dinner of turkey and cranberry sauce or a barbecue with seafood such as prawns and shrimp along with other traditional English foods such as roast beef or lamb, gravy, baked potatoes, and pumpkin. Pavlova, a meringue cake topped with fruit, plum pudding (a small trinket or coin is often hidden inside, and whoever finds the trinket will have good luck the next year), and Christmas damper, a kind of soda bread shaped into a star or wreath and eaten with jam or honey, are other popular foods eaten at Christmastime.

There is normally a Christmas cracker next to each plate at the dinner table. Christmas crackers are short cardboard tubes wrapped in colorful paper. When the crackers are pulled, a colorful party hat, a toy or a gift, and a festive joke fall out. The party hats resemble crowns, perhaps like the crowns the Three Wise Men might have worn.

Book Suggestion: Wombat Divine