What do amazing food, jolly décor, awkward
family gatherings and gifts have in common? Christmas, of course! It’s the most
festive time of the year and for a lot of people – their favorite season. And
we always imagine the scenes the same way: houses covered in snow, and people
being cozy in front of a fireplace drinking hot cocoa. Well, not in Australia,
where winters are hot, and everyone is looking for a way to cool off and spend
the holidays in the pool. So, how do you prepare for an Australian Christmas
party?
Décor
Just because the weather is hot, doesn’t mean
you can’t have a traditional tree and all the ornaments in the world. In fact,
a lot of people in Australia cover their homes and lawns in fake snow to have
the full experience of the white Christmas. But while trying to stay
traditional can be lovely, why not use the uniqueness of the situation to your
advantage? Decorations like Santa Claus in a bikini, or his sleigh being pulled
by kangaroos are a great twist on the holiday staples, and they will make you
laugh every time you see them. Of course, you will want to hang stockings and,
if you want, decorate with various religious symbols and figurines. Using fairy
lights and electrical candles over real candles will create a beautiful mood
without the extra heat. If you are too hot to wear Santa’s hat, you can opt for
a red, white and green flower crown instead.
Drinks
The holidays are when everyone has the green
card to eat and drink whatever they want and have fun with their friends and
family. There are many shops in Australia where you can buy drinks, like the liquor store in Alexandria. So, when planning a Christmas get-together, you should visit one of
those first to get larger quantities of different drinks for all of your
guests. The usuals, like mulled wine and eggnog are a must, but you can also
make some interesting combinations like iced hot chocolate and a cold mulled wine cocktail. If you are
throwing a party, make sure you have plenty of non-alcoholic drinks as well for
any guests that don’t drink, and prepare lots of ice and fun Christmas cocktail
toppers. You can even let your guests shake up their own favorite drinks and
let your combined creativity create something amazing.
Food
Roasted ham? Warm, hearty soup? Ditch the
steaming table and opt for cold alternatives. Cold, carved ham, decorated with
traditional pineapple and cherries will be a great centerpiece, but you can
also take an alternate route and serve some amazing seafood salads on a tray of
ice. Stunning cold gazpacho followed by prawn cocktails as an appetizer, a
stunning lobster for the main course (perhaps wearing a Santa hat?), and just
the best fresh fruit pavlova for dessert. There are so many Australian dishes
that can be Chirtmassized, so just get creative and come up with a menu that
caters to both the locale and the festivities. You can still serve the
traditional dishes as well, but some of them might not hold up as well in the heat,
and others might just be too filling for that weather. The upside to Christmas
being in the middle of summer is that there is plenty of fresh produce that you
can use to make amazing meals, so get creative and make Christmas trees out of kiwi, little Santas out of strawberries and other amazing fresh dishes.
The most important thing to remember is that
this is the time to be reminded of what really matters and pay attention to
important things in your life. Take a few days and travel across the country,
visit your family, call up a friend you’ve been too busy to get in touch with
and go visit a local charity to donate food, money or even your time. Let go of
bad feelings and feel the warmth of Christmas in the air around you!
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