As I write this here in New England, having just returned from an evening of seeing beautiful Christmas Lights in the bitter cold, I wonder what it must be like to celebrate Christmas in the middle of summer, when the sun is not just warm but hot, and thoughts of the North Pole are, indeed, very far away.

Because that is the reality of Christmas in Australia. Summer is here, and the approaching holiday signals the end of the school year and the beginning of the summer holidays, a time of relaxation and travel and, most importantly, a time to spend with family and friends. For Australians, it truly is Christmas in July.

But just because it's a time for surfing as much as it is shopping for gifts doesn't mean that Australia doesn't celebrate Christmas in many of the same ways as we do here in the States. In fact, until fairly recently, Australia took its queue for the Christmas holidays from its original British origins, even down to the roast turkey and hot pudding despite the scorching heat. Today, however, more and more Australians are taking advantage of the summer weather, celebrating with picnics, beach barbies, and other outdoor activities. There is still a lot of food served and eaten, but it ranges all types. And Australia is also home to a wide diversity of cultures, ethnicities, and immigrants, and so the holidays are become much more multi-cultural in celebration as well.

Carols by Candlelight is a strong tradition in Australia, started in 1937. Thousands gather on Christmas Eve, spreading out blankets, lighting candles, and signing Christmas Carols together. The biggest gatherings are in Sydney and Melbourne, but throughout the entire country towns and cities have their own Carols by Candlelight gatherings. The Aussies even have their own versions of Christmas Carols, including Santa never made it into Darwin, Australians Let Us Barbeque and Santa's Moving To The South Pole.

Santa Claus still makes his appearance Down Under, and in many instances still appears as he is traditionally dressed. In other cases, he is depicted still with his red Santa hat, but is dressed in swimwear, arriving on a surfboard. In still others, he is depicted more as a "Swag Man" with dingoes pulling his sleigh.

As you can see, though it is a summertime celebration, Aussies celebrate Christmas similarly: it is still a holiday to celebrate with friends and family. So what if there is no snow?