14 Reasons to Love Christmas in Australia in 2025: Sun, Surf and All
Christmas in Australia is all about the sunshine and the outdoors. It’s the complete opposite of the Christmas traditions around the world, where everything revolves around fireplaces and snow-covered streets, our Christmas lines up with the start of real summer. December is when the heat kicks in, with a summer storm here and there to keep things interesting, which Aussies don’t mind at all. It makes summer activities, like beach barbecues and long warm evenings, feel even better.
And it’s not just Australians who feel that way. Google’s holiday travel insights show more Americans are looking abroad for meaningful Christmas experiences — and Australia’s festive summer has become one of the most-searched bucket list destinations. There’s something about celebrating the holidays in boardshorts instead of boots that clearly hits the mark. Once you try this sun-soaked Christmas vacation idea for the family, you’ll probably never look back.
And when you compare it with Christmas elsewhere, the difference becomes pretty clear. Christmas in Japan leans commercial. Christmas in Italy leans traditional. Australia lands somewhere entirely different, shaped by the weather and the pace of summer. It’s not about what you miss, whether that’s snow or mulled wine, but what you get instead: long days, salt air and a version of Christmas that feels completely its own.
Jump to Section
- Is it Cold in Australia on Christmas?
- Australian Christmas Traditions
- Festive Australian Foods
- Where To Spend Christmas in Australia
Is it Cold in Australia on Christmas?
Christmas in Australia falls during the summer, making it a warm and sunny celebration. During Christmas in Australia, temperatures usually sit between 25°C and 35°C (77°F to 95°F), and the long daylight hours make it easy to stretch celebrations from morning swims to evening barbecues.
While many countries celebrate Christmas with snow and cold weather, Australians enjoy barbecues, beach parties and festive picnics in the heat. Instead of snowflakes, there’s sea spray; instead of cozy fires, there’s the smell of grilled prawns on the beach.
That’s part of what makes Christmas in Australia so distinctive. It’s not about escaping tradition, but reshaping it. Families gather outside, play beach cricket, share seafood platters and watch the sun sink over the ocean — all while humming along to carols that still mention snow.
Australian Christmas Traditions
How do they celebrate Christmas in Australia? Christmas in Australia traditions are celebrated with customs that reflect the warm summer atmosphere. The holiday is still full of carols, gifts and family time — just reimagined for a summer’s day.
1. Barbecues on the Beach
In Australia, it’s common to celebrate Christmas outdoors, often with family and friends gathered for a barbecue on the beach. The warm summer weather makes grilled seafood, fresh salads and long unhurried lunches feel like the most natural way to celebrate.
The whole day moves at an easy pace, turning what would be a traditional indoor holiday elsewhere into a laid-back summer family Christmas tradition here.
2. Carols by Candlelight
One of the most beloved traditions is the Carols by Candlelight events held in various cities across Australia. These gatherings involve singing Christmas carols outdoors by candlelight, often accompanied by performances from local artists. It’s a magical experience that brings communities together, celebrating the festive spirit while enjoying the warm summer evenings. And even if you don’t make it to the live show, most Aussies will be tuned in from home. It’s just part of the rhythm of Christmas in Australia.
3. Santa in Boardshorts
Even though there are always a few brave souls willing to wear the full red polyester suit in 30-plus degree heat, Santa’s look is often “Australia-fied.” Board shorts, sunglasses and a surf club backdrop have become part of the local iconography. It’s a small detail, but it says a lot about how Australians reshape old traditions to suit the season.
6. Christmas in July in Australia
If December’s heat makes roast dinners and mulled wine feel out of place, Australians fix it by doing Christmas twice. Christmas in July started in the Blue Mountains as a tongue-in-cheek nod to northern winter traditions, but it’s now a cozy fixture across much of the country.
Restaurants and pubs lean into it with faux snow, hearty menus and fireplaces that actually make sense that time of year. Families host small “second Christmas” dinners, complete with pudding and paper crowns. It’s not meant to replace the real thing, it's just to reclaim a version of it that matches the weather, proving Australians can celebrate the same holiday in two completely different moods.
7. Boxing Day
The day after Christmas, known as Boxing Day, is also a big part of the holiday rhythm in Australia. Traditionally a day for giving to those in need, it’s evolved into a mix of shopping, sport and time outdoors. Part of the fun is getting up early and lining up for hours for the sales — most retailers run discounts that feel a lot like Black Friday. And once the shopping’s done, many Australians head to the beach or settle in with family and friends, letting the festive mood roll on for another day.
Festive Australian Foods
One of the things to do on Christmas Day that makes traditions unique from country to country is the food. And while Christmas in France means oysters, smoked salmon and foie gras, Christmas in Australia can look a little different — or surprisingly not. Plenty of families still commit to the full hot Christmas lunch, even when it’s pushing 30 degrees. But for those who can’t face the heat (in the kitchen or outside of it), there are a few twists and warm-weather additions that make the Australian Christmas table its own thing.
8. Pavlova
Whether it belongs to Australia or New Zealand is an argument that’ll probably outlive us all, but pavlova has earned its spot on the Christmas table. The crisp shell, the marshmallowy center and the pile of whipped cream and summer fruit (kiwi, passionfruit, strawberries) make it the light, refreshing finish a hot-day Christmas meal needs.
9. BBQ Seafood
With Christmas in Australia landing in peak seafood season, barbecued prawns, fish and oysters feel almost inevitable. Families fire up the grill, toss together a few salads and eat outside because it’s too nice a day not to. It’s also where that old “throw another shrimp on the barbie” line comes from — even though they’re prawns, not shrimp.
10. Glazed Ham
Ham still shows up across Australia, even in the heat. It’s usually baked early in the morning before the temperature climbs, glazed with something sweet and sticky, then carved throughout the day. Leftovers are basically part of the tradition (whether it's sandwiches, toasties, salads), it’s all fair game.
11. Christmas Cake
Dense, boozy and made weeks in advance, Christmas cake is one of those holdovers from colder-weather traditions. It usually just sits on the bench all December, looking the part even though nobody’s really eating it these days, apart from maybe Grandma.
12. Trifle
The trifle is the one dessert everyone actually goes back for, whether it’s because it’s genuinely delicious, wildly nostalgic or simply because Grandma made it. Layers of sponge, custard, jelly, fruit and cream chill in the fridge until the flavors meld together to form that perfect holiday memory.
13. Roast Meats
Roast meats still make an appearance on plenty of Aussie Christmas tables. Turkey, beef or lamb come out with all the trimmings, mirroring those classic Northern Hemisphere spreads. It’s the part of the meal that clings hardest to tradition, even if everyone ends up a little overheated.
14. Sticky Date Pudding
Sticky date pudding is more of a Christmas in July staple, but it still sneaks onto a few December tables. Rich caramel sauce, a scoop of vanilla ice cream and that warm, spongy pudding make it feel like winter for a moment, even if it’s 30 degrees outside.
Where To Spend Christmas in Australia
When considering where to spend Christmas in Australia, you're spoiled for choice. Cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane offer fun celebrations, complete with dazzling Christmas light shows, decorations and lively events.
Sydney — For Big Energy and Waterfront Magic
Sydney’s built for spectacle. From Carols in the Domain to the lights strung across Pitt Street Mall, everything feels oversized and cinematic. The Harbour glows at night, the Opera House hosts end-of-year shows, and the beaches are full by midday. If you like your holidays loud and sunlit, Sydney turns Christmas in Australia into an event and the city barely pauses before rolling straight into New Year’s fireworks.
Melbourne — For Lights, Sport and Local Traditions
Melbourne knows how to make Christmas in Australia feel lived-in. The Myer Christmas Windows have been a downtown tradition for decades, and the city lights up the Shrine of Remembrance and Federation Square with quiet elegance. The laneways hum with late-night shoppers and café chatter, and if you stick around past Christmas lunch, the Boxing Day Test at the MCG is practically a civic ritual. Hang around into January and you’ll catch the lead-up tournaments to the Australian Open. That’s Melbourne’s version of holiday momentum.
Brisbane — For Warm Nights and Riverfront Cheer
In Brisbane, the heat settles early and the river becomes the gathering point. The South Bank precinct hosts open-air movies, light trails and fireworks that feel festive without fuss. Locals drift between rooftop bars, riverside markets and late dinners, taking their time because here, the season’s about atmosphere, not schedule.
Adelaide — For Pageants, Wine and Easy Community Spirit
Adelaide does Christmas with a hometown feel. The Christmas Pageant has been marching through the city since the 1930s, and twilight carols fill the parks once the sun starts to fade. Drive twenty minutes and you’re in wine country (McLaren Vale or the Barossa), where long lunches spill into golden evenings. It’s a slower kind of celebration, but no less joyful.
The East Coast Beaches — For Salt, Surf and No Rules
From Byron Bay to Noosa and the Whitsundays, Christmas feels like a long weekend that never ends. Families set up barbecues near the sand, play beach cricket, and cool off between courses. There are no dress codes or countdowns here, just ocean air, cold drinks and the kind of freedom that makes the holiday feel uniquely Australian.
There are so many unique Christmas traditions from around the world. Christmas in Germany is known for its magical winter wonderland scene, while Christmas in Mexico has religious traditions and tasty food. But for those looking for a warm and summery experience, Christmas in Australia is the place.
Australia invites everyone to enjoy the sunshine, beach barbecues and outdoor festivities. It’s Christmas all the same, just rewritten for summer and once you experience it, you might wonder why you ever did it any other way.
For even more fun Christmas ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!
