Seasonal Holidays and Celebrations: Australian Celebrations


Figure 1.--.

As Australia was settled by the British, Australian holidays are heavily influenced by British holiday observations. Australian holidays include: New Years (January 1), Australia Day (January 28), Easter (March/April), ANZAC Day (April 25), Adelaide Cup (May), the Queens's Birthday (June 10), Labour Day (October 7), Christmas (December 25), and Proclamation Day (December 26). Adelaide Cup Day is only for South Australian and is held on a Monday thus creating a long weekend. All the other holidays listed here are Australia wide. The other states have their own cup holidays like Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane as well as Perth. Catholics world wide have Saints feast days but they are not holidays though but some are celebrated. Christmas is one of several holifday observations influenced by British customs. As a result, Christmas in Australia is a bit surealistic because of the summer henisphere season reveral. Thus traditional snowy Christmas scenes make absolutely no sence to Australians who in December face a summer heat wave. As the weather is warm and snow never falls, there are no sleigh rides, or Yule logs, or any other comforts against the cold. The main articles of decoration are the Christmas bell and the Christmas bush.

Influences

As Australia was settled by the British, Australian holidays are heavily influenced by British holiday observations. Emmigration from other mostly European countries have added to the country's ehnuic mix and the range of celebrations. Emmigration from Ireland and Greece have been especially important.

Specific Celebrations

Australian holidays include the following.

New Years (January 1)


Australia Day (January 28)


St. Patricks's Day (March)

Catholics world wide have Saints feast days but they are not holidays though but some are celebrated. The most prominent is St. Patrick;'s Day, the secular observation of which has increased in recent years.

Easter (March/April)


ANZAC Day (April 25)

ANZAC Day was created to honor the soldiers from Australia and New Zealand who fought with the British in World War I (1914-18). Both Australia and New Zealand again joined with the British again to fight the Germans in World War II. Australian soldiers played a prominent role innstipping Rommel in the Westrern Desert. The Australian Army was so heavily involved in North Aftrica, that after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (December 1941) and the surreder of the Singapore (February 1942) that Australia was largely open to Japanese invasion. Only the intervention of American carrier forces at the Coral Sea (April 1942) prevented the Japanese from seizing Port Moresby in New Guinea and preparing for an invasion of Australia itself. Today the ANZAC celebrations honor those who served in both World Wars. One aspect of the ANZAC celebrations was the Legacy Boys who would march in the annual campaigns. The Legacy children, being the sons and daughters of the soldiers that never returned. Therewere Clubs formed for these boys in major Australian cities. They were an important part of the ANZAC celebrations during and after the two World Wars, but of course have now all grown up.

Adelaide Cup (May)

Adelaide Cup Day is only for South Australian and is held on a Monday thus creating a long weekend. All the other holidays listed here are Australia wide. The other states have their own cup holidays like Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane as well as Perth.

The Queens's Birthday (June 10)

The Queen's Birthday used to be a major event imn Australia, but today is little celebratred except at a few official functions.

Labour Day (October 7)


Christmas (December 25)

Christmas is one of several holifday observations influenced by British customs. As a result, Christmas in Australia is a bit surealistic because of the summer henisphere season reveral. Thus traditional snowy Christmas scenes make absolutely no sence to Australians who in December face a summer heat wave. As the weather is warm and snow never falls, there are no sleigh rides, or Yule logs, or any other comforts against the cold. The main articles of decoration are the Christmas bell and the Christmas bush.

Proclamation Day (December 26)


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Created: July 23, 2003
Last updated: November 29, 2003