Christmas in Australia
Christmas in summer, from the pav and the prawns to bin chickens, backyard cricket and the real Sunburnt Santa.
Aussie Christmas slang: a dictionary for visitors
Chrissy is Christmas, pressies are presents, a pav is a pavlova and a snag is a sausage. A plain-English guide to Aussie Christmas slang.
50 Aussie Christmas trivia questions (with answers)
50 Australian Christmas trivia questions with answers and the story behind each: summer weather, pav, prawns, mangoes, carols, cricket, crabs and slang.
Backyard cricket rules (one hand, one bounce and the rest)
Backyard cricket rules explained: one hand one bounce, six and out, tip and run, auto wickie, not out first ball and no LBW, plus a printable table.
Bin chickens: why Australians call the ibis a bin chicken
Australians call the white ibis a bin chicken because city ibis rummage in bins for scraps. Why ibis moved to town, and why we love them.
Cassowary crossing signs: Christmas driving in Far North Queensland
Cassowary crossing signs mark roads where endangered cassowaries cross. Slow down, never stop to watch or feed them, and warn other drivers. Here's why.
Christmas in Australia: the complete guide
Christmas in Australia falls in summer: beach days, seafood and pav, carols by candlelight, backyard cricket, bon bons and Boxing Day. Here's how it works.
Why do cockatoos rip off Christmas lights?
Cockatoos chew Christmas lights to keep their bills trimmed, because stripping things finds food, and for fun. How to protect your lights.
The real Sunburnt Santa: Father Christmas on the Tea and Sugar train
Alf Harris, a railway engine driver, played Father Christmas on the Tea and Sugar train across the Nullarbor and was known as the Sunburnt Santa.
What is a Christmas bon bon?
A Christmas bon bon is what Australians call a Christmas cracker: a paper tube two people pull until it snaps, with a paper crown, a toy and a joke inside.
Who invented the pavlova? Australia vs New Zealand
Named after ballerina Anna Pavlova, the pav first appears in 1920s New Zealand recipe books; Australia claims Perth chef Bert Sachse. The evidence.
Why is Christmas in summer in Australia?
Australia is in the southern hemisphere, tilted towards the Sun in December, so Christmas falls in summer. The science, plus December weather by capital.