Christmas in Australia
As the sun sets at approximately 8.30pm during December, you might wonder how we can get involved in displays of Christmas lights, but somehow we manage it.
I remember driving the kids around town when they were little, usually after the school presentation night, just so they could see the lights – but it’s not the huge thing it is in Northern Hemisphere for obvious reasons.
I have great memories of being in England, Hungary, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Scotland and Wales, during the Christmas/New Year holidays and loving the coziness, the cold, markets, the light displays and the difference to our usual Christmas season back at home in Australia.
We were so taken with these sets of ‘Christmas candles’ in all the windows in Italy, that we bought our own set home and each year we turn them to add some atmosphere!
Lighting up the night in the Aussie way
So for this post, without any real lights to share from our neck of the woods, I am sharing the arrival of Santa to our combined Rotary/Lions Club Christmas Street Carnival on Friday night.
Santa’s arrival brought so much light, laughter and love to all the children on the night, it’s well worth sharing!
The Street Carnival is an annual event but last year it couldn’t happen due to Covid and the year before it was rained out (which is ironic as the bushfires evacuated the town just a few short weeks later), so it’s the first time in quite a few years that we’ve managed to get it going.
It’s a night where we close off the main street and have market stalls, the shops stay open late, the local fire brigade bring the fire truck in for the kids to climb over, we have lots of free activities and rides for the kids. Everyone has a chance to catch up in a relaxed atmosphere with a sausage sizzle available from the Lions Club. The night is sponsored by the two service clubs and grant funding from the council. It is always a fun night, especially when Santa arrives! (I should declare here that I’m a proud member of the local Rotary Club.)
This year Santa and his Elf arrived in style in the Rotary Club’s new triobikes, and the kids flocked to him to say hello, ask for presents and to have their photo taken with him.
I’m proud to say the Mathematician was the head reindeer driving Santa around and loved the experience! His eyes lit up too 🙂
Out town also has a huge tree on the top of the hill where the hospital is, (it’s called Hospital Hill) and every year the Rotary Club ensures the Christmas lights are turned on for the town to enjoy. It can be seen from a distance and is an annual tradition. We hold a Christmas Light competition for local houses and this is always hotly contested. The main street of town called The Parade, is normally festooned with coloured lights but unfortunately the new globes are still sitting on a wharf in Sydney!
A very different look at lighting up the night but you work with what you’ve got! But we do OK all things considered.
Terri is our generous host for #SundayStills and her post can be found here. Sunday Stills is on a break now returning on January 9 2022 with the prompt of In Your Rear-View Mirror.
Sharing some JOY with you 🙂
I’m also linking up with Denyse for #lifethisweek with the prompt of Wishing….to all the readers of my blog, I I thank you and wish you well for the coming holidays. Here’s hoping 2022 is an improvement for all of us in lots of ways.
Have a great Christmas and holiday break – whatever you’ve got planned, stay safe!
Debbie 🙂
You might also enjoy this Festive Bonbon post and my previous Sunday Stills post for the 12 days of an Aussie Christmas
All my Sunday Stills posts can be found here
Recent posts:
- A peek into a change of scenery #SundayStills
- The Thong Pole in Tathra #WordlessWednesday
- I’d rather be… #SundayStills
- That empty feeling when you finish a series #WOYBS
- Tell Us About…Scent
You can also find Deb’s World in lots of other places – stay in touch by clicking any of the buttons below.
Everyone has a story to tell! Deb is a young-at-heart & active 60+ blogger/retiree, after being made redundant from her 22-year career managing education programs in a men’s correctional centre (jail). She now spends her time reading, blogging, riding her ebike and travelling. Deb was awarded a Bravery Award from the Queen when she was 17 after a tragic accident – a definite life changing moment! She is married with 3 grown-up daughters & has 4 grandchildren. She never imagined being Granny Debs would bring so much joy to her life! You can read more of Deb’s story here
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Deb's World 
Those Italian candles look exactly like Swedish ones – there must be some connection there somehow! You are so right – Christmas is very different down here in the Southern Hemisphere.
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Oh maybe they were from Sweden????
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the hubs looks great as a reindeer – and festive post Deb
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He really enjoyed it Yvette! Love sharing the festive spirit 🙂
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🎄🎄🎄😊
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I hadn’t considered the impact a late sunset would have on Christmas lights over there! Our lights are going on around 4pm at the moment – it’s so pretty to see all the houses lit up. Some streets seem to be in competition with one another and it looks so lovely.
It must be great to live somewhere with such a close community spirit, looks like Santa’s reindeer did a great job!
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I love all your lights over there Deb and can believe the competition for light displays! Yes living here is great, a small town but with lots of heart!
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Hi, Deb – I have to admit that I am a tad jealous about your current sunset time. Tonight our sunset is scheduled for 4:20 pm, giving us 8 hours and 11 minutes of possible daylight. 😀
I love your signature positive attitude where you don’t wait for the perfect setting, you take the setting and make it perfect!
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Don’t be envious Donna, soon enough it will be your turn and we’ll be freezing down here! You know me, an aspiring little ray of sunshine!
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Merry Christmas Debbie!
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Thanks Cindy, right back at you!
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First of all, thank you for posting early so I could get your link already published! Secondly, how much fun to have a Santa event two years in the making, Debbie! Your beautiful candles from Italy remind me I need to get a set of advent candles for next year! The lights strung across the main street are still festive and I’m sure everyone is satisfied for now. Hopefully, 2022 shows a better world, we can only pray! I chuckled at your hubby and Santa in that image! It is such a blessing to be involved wholeheartedly in small-town events. We really enjoy ours! Thank you for your consistent participation to Sunday Stills and I wish you and all your family a Merry Christmas and wonderful start to 2022!
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It’s my pleasure to join in Terri! It was a great opportunity to share my little town with your blogging community (again). We both enjoy being involved in small town things and it brings so much pleasure to the community. Wishing you a very happy Christmas and I’ll look forward to seeing you in 2022. xx
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Given how late it gets dark over there at this time of year I think you’ve done well to find so many Christmas lights! I had to smile at the Santa photos with him in his traditional outfit while everyone else is dressed for the summer heat 😀
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Yes Santa’s outfit hasn’t moved with the times or taken into account the season has it??
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Lights don’t necessarily have to be powered by electricity! Your smile and Grant’s smile light up your post and the happiness of all who attended the Parade shines through. Thanks for being a ‘shining light’ Deb to all who know you xx
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Oh that’s lovely of you Sue! I do try to be a little ray of sunshine 🙂
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I envy your late sunset time! Ours is about 4:45, which is way too soon as far as I am concerned. Santa looks a bit hot in that getup… I hope he has a cool drink tucked in his belt 🙂
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You’ll have that soon enough Janis, and we will be moaning about the early sunset times! It’s strange how we stick with the same outfit for Santa despite the heat!
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Great shots! Thanks for sharing with us!
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My pleasure Trisha 🙂
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So pretty and so much fun.
I’d love daylight saving here in Qld but – though I hate the 4.30am sunrises, I’m not sure I’d want 8.30pm sunsets either. As it is I often don’t realise how late it is at night so find myself starting to cook dinner at 8pm or later.
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I do enjoy daylight saving I must admit! Our little town knows how to have fun 🙂
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Love your Elf top! I must say I really miss dark Christmas nights which is why I enjoy Christmas in December and then in July! The street carnival looks so fun – I thought I recognised the head reindeer!
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My tshirt was a purchase from Primark on a trip to England a few years ago and I love wearing it Sammie 🙂 Our street carnival is always a highlight for the town and most people get involved one way or another. Happy Christmas 🙂
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Gidday Christmas Elf Deb – you look amazingly joyful in your biking outfit. I also loved reading about your Christmas fest that the town puts on – one of the many joys of small town living. The fact that you and Grant invest so much of yourselves into your community speaks really highly of you both – and it’s an honour to be in your friendship circle xx
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Hello Leanne, I did enjoy embracing my Christmas Elf while out on our final group ride for the year! Our small town does a lot for the community and Grant & I both enjoy getting involved wherever we can. I’m glad you’re in my friendship circle too! x
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Looks like a fun night was had when Santa arrived Deb. Your Santa photos are lovely. You’ve made beautiful international Christmas memories. It’s fun to look back at them isn’t it. Especially in these times of no travel.
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It really is great to have all these memories to look back on Jen. I really don’t know when we will be able to travel overseas again but hopefully it will be sooner rather than later. The street carnival is always fun and this year was even better with the Triobikes.
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Love the Elf shirt! How cute! Happy Christmas to you!
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Thanks Lydia, that shirt is a favourite!
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JOY…there’s another word to describe your outlook on life…. And yes to all that a community minded town can achieve and how lovely that you and Grant play pivotal roles. Congratulations to you both.
I do recall trying to keep little people (grandkids) awake on 21-22 December because we would walk around our neighbourhood to see “the pretty lights”….I added two of these photos recently on FB. With the sun not going down till well after normal bedtime it was a challenge but those girls now in their 20s remember. That’s what matters to me the most…”making memories”.
What a great way to end the Monday Link Up Life This Week with your post! Thanks so much for joining in and I look forward to starting 2022 Life This Week on Monday 3 January 2022. Warm wishes and stay well! Denyse.
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Thanks Denyse, your lovely blog, linkup and comments have kept me going at times during 2021 and I wish you well for the year ahead!
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