Holiday Traditions?

[Riponian]

What are Christmas and Halloween like in Adelaide? and other holidays?

 

Just wondering if they have any thing that is special or unique ot things to avoid doing at this time of year? Do the frown if you have turkey at Christmas? that kind of thing?

 

I am lookng forward to Christmas out there but don't really want to be on our own. any social gathering planned.

 

I know it's a bit early to say for Christmas but Halloween. Once we get there we will be so excited and busy don't want to get caught up on our own and suddenly be on our own. I don't think this will happen as we will make friends but just want to know what sort of things will be going on.

 

Thanks

Michelle

[Moosh]

Halloween isn't that big over here but you do get the odd trick or treater. Christmas is odd - I still can't get used to it and doesn't feel like Christmas in hot weather! Get yourself to the Christmas Pageant - it's brill!

[andy and lindsey]

I would agree with Michelle - Christmas is just different and although I love my life in Australia I would love to go back and have Christmas in the UK. There doesnt seem to be the massive build up (unless you count the toy sales that have just happened in KMart, Target, and Big W). I have enjoyed my Christmas's here and we have always spent them with friends, we have attempted to spend time at the Beach but the weather - well it was a little cool last year although we did go in the Sea.

 

I used to love going late night shopping, dark, twinkly lights and carol singers. Its light here and in all honesty I forget to switch the christmas tree lights on half the time becasue Im off to bed when its dark enough. Oh and all the cheesy Christmas songs too! I went on a night out in Glenelg a few weeks before Christmas last year and you wouldnt have known it was Christmas, no cheesy party songs.

 

I think that Halloween is getting bigger here and its out anniversary of arriving here so we will always have a party!

 

Lindsey

[jim and adel]

We've had two Christmases here so far and as has already been said they've both felt odd partly because of the weather and partly because there doesn't seem to be the same build up (yes, we noticed the lack of all the old favourite songs too). It's the only time of the year we miss the UK and whenever we go back to visit we'll time it to be on the run-up to Christmas in order to 'top up' on a proper Christmas every few years!

 

As for other holidays, I haven't really noticed much beyond the inevitable commercialism in supermarkets etc (which is on a fairly small scale compared to the UK).

 

Jim

[Guest Brummie]

In November we have the Christmas pageant, which is the arrival of Father Christmas into the city of Adelaide. Once the pageant has been that is when the shops have Father Christmas for the kids to visit. The pageant is something everyone with kids that are new arrivals have to go to, it's a parade through the streets of Adelaide, with wonderful floats, bands, clowns, and all kinds of kiddy things. Lasts a couple of hours. The last float has Father Christmas on there. Another thing for new arrivals, would be carols by candle light, there is the one in the city, but usually small ones around neighbourhoods. Really nice if the weather is a very warm night. Nice to go a bit earlier and have a picnic in the park before the carols start, especially with a group of friends.

 

Christmas dinner we usually have turkey, pork and ham and christmas pudding. If it's going to be very hot on Christmas day I usually cook the meat the day before and have it cold with salad. We buy the ice cream Christmas log from Home ice cream (the delivery that comes around your streets). If we don't have turkey we have a nice big snapper on the bbq with salad for dinner. And yes it's usually all eaten outside, washed down with some nice wine, or ice cold beer.

 

Another thing we don't celebrate Bonfire night here at all, fireworks are illegal to buy here.

[Riponian]

Halloween isn't that big over here but you do get the odd trick or treater. Christmas is odd - I still can't get used to it and doesn't feel like Christmas in hot weather! Get yourself to the Christmas Pageant - it's brill!

 

Thanks, Suppose that was what I expected really think we will just get used to it in our own way. What is a Christmas Pagent exsactley?

 

Is it worth us bringing the Christmas Lights if you don't need to put them on?

 

Oh well never mind will just have to play all our own cheesy songs at home

[Riponian]

Thanks, Suppose that was what I expected really think we will just get used to it in our own way. What is a Christmas Pagent exsactley?

 

Is it worth us bringing the Christmas Lights if you don't need to put them on?

 

Oh well never mind will just have to play all our own cheesy songs at home

 

thanks brummie you answered that one for me.....

[lorluc]

I have had 4 xmas's here now....and it feels weird! I dont think i will ever get used to warm/hot xmas's...last year wasnt as good...but the year before...phew...a scorcher...especially New Years Eve...temps up in the 40's

 

I prefer xmas here....far less hype....and as it is bang in the middle of the summer holidays...it breaks up the long school holidays very nicely!

 

Yeah, bring your xmas lights....big thing here to decorate the outside of your house.....some houses are done brillantly....

 

We do the xmas dinner on the barbie.....do meat, fish, roast potatoes etc....eat dinner outside...GREAT!

 

Halloween...really dont make a fuss about it here...thank god! Havent had any trick or treaters....but then the trick is to buy a house with a drive like Mount Everest...and if they are about..they cant be bothered!!!!

 

 

And....the animals here have a very quiet night on November 5th!

[Guest Django]

We spent Christmas day on the beach along with others from this site. Enjoyed the day very much so will probably do the same again this year.

[Guest kangomik]

Haloween is none existant really...... No fireworks, theres usually a fire ban on!

 

Christmas pageant is on the telly, is rained last year but loads still turned up. Some travel for 6 hours to get there. And they get there early for a good seat, we were 10 mins away and watched from Home!!!!

 

Xmas day is what you make it, we had xmas dinner on xmas eve, just so we could go the beach and have a BBQ on xmas day. It was chilly and overcast, but our first one in Aus so was good.

 

Xmas lights, put everything up, have a trip around Lobethal at night.

 

The heat is weird, we spend so long used to a cold xmas, and it is one thing i miss about it all. The radio isn't the same, you just don't get that xmas feeling.

[ShaunWilson]

Xmas dinner cooked on the barbie, then after dinner, chill out and let kids relax a wee bit before heading to friends round the corner for drinks and a bit of a party. All very relaxed, and not near the huge build up that there is in the UK. I prefer it like that, but wife misses it. Then a long lie on boxing day, before heading down to beach for a day playing in the sand and surf, with picnic or barbies on the beach.

[Anne B]

What is a Christmas Pagent exsactley?

 

Is it worth us bringing the Christmas Lights if you don't need to put them on?

 

 

I never went to the Christmas Pageant when I lived in Adelaide as we didn't have kids then, but everyone says its great. I found the details of this year's on the web, it is on Saturday 14th November this year.

http://www.cupageant.com.au

 

Take your Christmas lights, especially outdoor ones as everyone goes mad decorating their houses.

 

I like Christmas in Oz, partly because we have all my husband's family there so there is always a big get together, lunch in the garden round one house then round someone elses in the evening. They have a tradition that one of the men has to dress up as Santa and arrive in the garden in the dark, ringing his bell, then hand out small presents to everyone. When he leaves all the kids (big and small) always pelt him with screwed up wrapping paper - its a good laugh and its so nice to get outside, have a walk in the afternoon to help digest the food, take the kids down the beach or the playground to burn off some energy. I find Christmas in England an ordeal cos you always end up eating too much but you're stuck indoors. Hopefully we'll be there for Christmas this year.

[Guest Vickilee]

Hi Guys, welcome to my home country!!!!! Hope you like it?? PLEASE EXCUSE SPELLING!!!

It is forcasted to be VERY HOT this Summer... Yes we have Turkey.. and Ham and Chicken and Pork all hot if you have aircon or can cook OUTSIDE.. in Webber (by the Pool if you have one)maybe.

But what some Australians do have is a Seafood Lunch, Prawns Crayfish Oysrters ete etc. My partner Steve who is sort of Irish/ born in London. but has been here since he was 10 ,does a magnificent Honey/Mustard ham on the bone.. which is also served with the cold dishes or hot food,.

Your young ones will LOVE the Christmass Pagent in Adelaide obout first week Nov? , a must for little childred.. used to cry when I saw my children's faces on Pagent Day... All grown up now.. one in QLD one in VIC 3 left at Home 16..17..22.. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH.swap??

Dont let anyone ghange your own Christmas traditions, that will help you feel like it is Christmass.. try to do things as much the same as you normally do , and if you dont (you will !! us Aussies are pretty friendly people once you work out our stupid sence of humor)make friends and want companny LOT'S of Places Pubs ect do special Chrisrmas Days and most of the time Santa pops in for a visit.. Look in local Paper

Good luck.. No worries ..you'l be right Mate!!!!!!!

[Guest Vickilee]

I would agree with Michelle - Christmas is just different and although I love my life in Australia I would love to go back and have Christmas in the UK. There doesnt seem to be the massive build up (unless you count the toy sales that have just happened in KMart, Target, and Big W). I have enjoyed my Christmas's here and we have always spent them with friends, we have attempted to spend time at the Beach but the weather - well it was a little cool last year although we did go in the Sea.

 

I used to love going late night shopping, dark, twinkly lights and carol singers. Its light here and in all honesty I forget to switch the christmas tree lights on half the time becasue Im off to bed when its dark enough. Oh and all the cheesy Christmas songs too! I went on a night out in Glenelg a few weeks before Christmas last year and you wouldnt have known it was Christmas, no cheesy party songs.

 

I think that Halloween is getting bigger here and its out anniversary of arriving here so we will always have a party!

 

Lindsey

Must have been with the wrong crowd.... we sing cheesy Party song for ANY time of year....!!

Start singing and I am sure someone will join in!!

And they play chriastmass music in the shops everywhere for ages before Christmass and by the actual Day comes you are sick to death of them..

Keep singing :0) one thing Ausies do need to do more of !!!!!!!!

Singing at Ausie sports venues is crap. except for when the Barmy Army is visiting, they come up with great stuff.. Cant you teach us how??

Get a Timer for your loghts put them on even if it is light..

Go for a drive to Lobathat so see christmass Lights or the Brewery on the Banks of the Torrens River near Entertainment Centre on Pt rd.

Vik :0)

[Guest nishman]

Hallowe'en - don't tend to get the begging brigade (sorry - trick or treaters) from mid September til the actual day, which is nice! There are some that come round on the night, but we've never had many. You tend to get groups of young with adults - like what is should be Cheap-as-chips etc have the full suit of costumes and goodies if you want to go the whole hog. Hallowe'en parties are quite common (for young and old alike - any excuse for a p155-up).

Take a trip around your suburb after dark as there will be loads of places that will have gone completely OTT on the Chrissie decorations. Remember, that even though it's summer, the sun doesn't disappear at 10pm like in the UK, and it will be dark at a reasonable enough hour to get the kids out for a look-see.

There'll be a number of pageants from November onwards, not just the big one in the city (which is pretty good, but you need to get there early for a decent pitch). Keep a look out in the messenger newspaper or similar for local ones. They do help to get you in the mood. It's still a strange experience walking around Big-W in boardies and thongs listenning to Christmas songs being piped through!

The day itself - for ex-pats without the family, it's common to have a "gathering" on the beach, reserve, house party... Roast dinners (not always turkey) are common enough, but maybe more as a light meal (buffet with salad not sprouts). We've done the stereotypical BBQ the last three times, so will be having a roast type dinner this year for a change (although probably roasting on the BBQ)

[Guest Rob and Clare]

Holidays are different here but I guess it's what you make of them.

 

At christmas - well the pageant is ace even for the adults, then everyone puts up their tree (early November??), and there are an ever increasing number of houses with christmas light displays, we went to Lobethal last year for the turning on of their lights and with a few beers we watched a carol concert and firework display, before driving round the town with all their lights. Whilst the lights of lobethal isn't as good as many streets up and down the UK, it's a small country town and nearly everyone puts in some kind of effort so it's a nice night out. We have carol concerts in Mawson Lakes and a main one in the city which is all free, (there are others around the city too) people stay out all day to get good spots for them. One tradition that seems to be stopping here was christmas sales, they can't start here on boxing day as in SA we have proclamation day, so they started at midnight on the 27th Dec, our first year was spent in the city shopping and at 4:00am i was walking through rundle mall with a boogie board and lots of stuff... been here 4 years and haven't had a hot christmas day yet.... it was hot 2 years ago but we went to the sunshine coast and it rained everyday... :-(

 

New Years eve is just as big as anywhere I think... Last year we went to the city and the fireworks were on par with anything I'd seen before.

 

Easter - Pretty much the same as the UK i think, I would say though just to remember nearly everything shuts for public holidays, we stayed at a city hotel one good friday as a treat, and everything was shut, pubs, restuarants, everything... The only place we could get a meal was in the hotel and they charged 15% extra for public holidays....

 

Holloween - I may be wrong but I remember kids going round on their own at halloween trick or treating, here though parents seem to take their kids round so it seems more organised even if it's not as popular