From the Editor, Leigh O’Connor.
A Very Aussie Christmas hums with sunlight and sea breeze. The morning heat rises early, carrying the scent of sunscreen and pine as families spill onto verandahs with cold drinks in hand. Laughter drifts across backyards where prawns sizzle on the barbie and children race through sprinklers, leaving sparkling footprints on warm concrete.
At the beach, umbrellas bloom like colourful wildflowers and waves roll in with a lazy holiday rhythm. As dusk deepens, cicadas take up their chorus and fairy lights glow against a wide, open sky - Christmas wrapped in warmth, freedom and the easy joy of Summer.
This week, we embark on a journey of festive discovery…come along for the ride!
The traditional image of Santa - all furs, snowflakes and hot cocoa - never stood a chance in the Australian Summer. The poor bloke would melt faster than a chocolate bilby at Easter. So naturally, Aussies gave him a makeover. Out went the heavy red suit and sleigh; in came boardshorts, thongs (the footwear, calm down) and a sleigh drawn by six white boomers - that’s kangaroos, for the uninitiated.
Father Christmas Down Under is a hardy, tanned fellow. He trades snow for sand, sleigh bells for cicadas and stockings for stubby holders. Instead of reindeer, his trusty kangaroo crew - Skippy, Jackaroo, Bluey, Curly, Two-Up and Roo - power through the sky, occasionally stopping for a cheeky snack of eucalyptus leaves.
During the past few decades, a quiet revolution has unfolded along our coastlines and kitchen benches. The prawn, once a simple seaside snack or bait for an early morning fishing trip, has risen to become the golden emblem of the Australian festive table - shimmering, succulent and unmistakably ours.
The Christmas prawn renaissance wasn’t born overnight. It evolved with the rhythm of our seasons and the pulse of our culture. As the scent of salt air replaced the imagined snow, Australians began to craft their own version of Christmas - one that celebrated sunshine, surf and seafood.
It’s the season of long lunches, laughter and the clink of glasses - but lately, the festive table itself has been shifting. Where once it was glazed ham and plum pudding, today it might be wallaby prosciutto, wattleseed pavlova, or a silky custard laced with native botanicals and brandy. This is Christmas, reimagined through the flavours of Country.
Across the continent, Indigenous ingredients - the true taste of this land - are stepping proudly into the limelight. Bush tucker, once relegated to the margins, is now being embraced by Chefs, home cooks and food lovers eager to reconnect with the ancient wisdom of Australia’s first peoples.
Before the days of prawn platters and pavlova towers, Australian Christmas tables once groaned under the weight of hearty roasts, nostalgic desserts and homegrown ingenuity. The festive feast was less about chilled Champagne by the pool and more about community, creativity and comfort.
As modern celebrations lean toward light, Summery spreads, perhaps it’s time to remember the dishes that once defined an Australian Christmas - the forgotten classics that carried the spirit of the season through the generations.
We also pud our best foot forward with innovative Christmas pudding and trifle recipes, along with decoration tips for the new minimalistic wave of festive fun and a guide to being sunburnt and unbothered as you hit the road these holidays.
Bring on the good times…
