|
Christmas card from David Fleays Fauna Park,
West Burleigh, Queensland
From the Father Leo Hayes Collection Box 11 UQFL 2
|
The celebration of Christmas in Australia sees the performance of rites and customs which are, as elsewhere, products of cultural heritage. Christmas is also distinctly influenced by the Australian climate. It is of course, mid-summer here and the Christmas period can produce floods, hailstorms, bush fires, and cylones.
A generation of Australians remember waking up Christmas Day 1974 to discover that Cyclone Tracy had destroyed the city of Darwin.
For many in Australia Christmas celebrations start on Christmas Eve; gifts are wrapped and placed under the Christmas tree, where a snack may be left for Santa. Christmas morning often begins with the opening of presents and then extended families gather for their meals; this might be at home, a picnic in the park, or a gathering on the beach.
The Fryer Library holds many items that illustrate the changing nature of our Christmas celebrations, a small selection is available to view in the Treasure of the Month display in the Reading Room.
Seasons greetings, from the staff of the Fryer Library
|
