It seems like Christmas has turned into a divisive time of year. The threat of terrorism is rife and political correctness raises it’s head once again. Living in North Queensland, Christmas is a happy time of year for us. A time when we meet with friends and family, enjoy good food and company and try to keep cool.
Although Christmas is not a religious event for us, I was raised as a Christian and respect the occasion.
For many people around the world the Christmas season lends itself to fireplaces, mulled wine and snow, but the experience where we live in Townsville in the north of Australia is totally different.
[pinit]
The Rainy Season is hot and humid.
December is rainy season where mushrooms pop up overnight, frangipani trees are in flower and Bird of Paradise plants bloom. The Strelitzia earned this nick-name from it’s flower’s similarity to the plumage of the Bird of Paradise.
We know it’s Christmas when our home smells of ripe mangoes. Ginger has a seasonal cult food following (you either love it or hate it) and being a lover, I make these ginger biscuits from Toni’s of 2 Aussie Traveller’s recipe. Old timers like to give a slice of home made Christmas Cake to friends for good luck – I personally think this is a ploy to check out each others cakes.
Mangoes are my favourite Christmas Food. If lucky we will still be able to source some for Christmas breakfast. The ones we buy locally are picked locally and don’t look as pretty as those scrubbed and polished ones to be found on the supermarket shelves – but the flavour is far superior.
Christmas Delicacies.
Colourful Gardens.
Hibiscus, Poinciana, ginger plants and orchids provide colour in the garden.
Keeping Cool.
Being the rainy season the humidity in the air can be 90% which makes the temperature of 35 degrees so much worse. In the north we like to keep cool at Christmas time.
Keeping cool at Mossman Gorge in Far North Queensland, icy fruit drinks at Port Douglas, happy hour at Lime Tree and keeping cool in the pool at Coral Sands Resort, Trinity Beach Cairns.
Local Christmas Scenes.
The farms at Rollingstone, north of Townsville grow the best pineapples in Australia. Photography in the sultry heat of Cape Tribulation. Early morning yoga to beat the heat and a cool reflective sunset at the Strand, Townsville.
Carols by Candlelight.
On Christmas Eve, Vision Australia hosts a massive open air Carols by Candlelight in Melbourne, which is telecast on national television, but all around the country communities hold their own Carols by Candlelight, this one at Mudjimba Beach foreshore. It looked like rain on the day of the event but a covered stage was erected for the performers, and the rain held off.
Summer storm clouds gathering at Christmas time in Australia. The further north you are the warmer the rain is! This shot was taken from the deck of the Coolum Beach SLSC.
Whether you will be freezing or sweltering this Christmas, Marty and I wish you a happy one. We enjoyed giving you a peek inside our Tropical Aussie Christmas Downunder.
Thanks for visiting for our last post for 2016 – We really appreciate it and would love you to add your travel post to the link below for Nancie’s Travel Photo Thursday which we co-host with Ruth from Tanama Tales and Rachel from Rachel’s Ruminations.
Coolum Beach by Instagram
I’m in WA and our Summers and Christmases are much drier. We don’t have the tropical humidity or storms that QLDers get. I still love that we have a sunny, blue skied day with warm evenings to sit around the barbie and enjoy time as a family. Happy Christmas!
We lived in Perth for two years Leanne and I remember those dry hot afternoon with temperatures in the high 40’s. I would catch the bus home and then drive to Scarborough Beach. Bring on the Fremantle Doctor I say!
Loving your Tropical Aussie Christmas post Jan. Yes, our Christmas is quite different to the traditional Northern Hemisphere celebrations, that’s for sure. We put our own spin on the festive season and an Aussie Christmas is like no other. Best wishes for a fabulous festive season and an amazing year in 2017. #TeamLovinLife
Love an Aussie Christmas Lyndall.
Jan your Christmas photos are exquisite. The tropical blooms are gorgeous. I love mangoes very much too. I have been living on them. Wishing you a lovely Christmas. 🙂 #teamlovinlife
Where do you buy your mangoes Kathy?
I love our tropical Christmas and am very happy with my mango and ginger in place of the traditional roast. My favourite are those first few juicy lychees of the season that I usually manage to pick up at a side of the road stall as we head north for the holidays. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.
Thank you Toni. I love Mangoes more than Lychees, but I admit that if I buy a bag of lychees at a road side stall, I eat them until they are nearly all gone. They are quite addictive. Love those ginger nuts!
Merry Christmas! And what a wonderful setting in which to enjoy it. Afraid our Pacific Northwest (Seattle area anyway) is looking at rain and chilly weather for the next few days. . .beautiful photos and you need to share that cake recipe!
No wonder you look so happy. Christmas there rocks!
Love that pic of you Jan and your smile!!!
Speaking of hot and humid, it’s definitely that here today. I know what you mean about the divisiveness. I tend to just go with the ‘treat others as I would want to be treated’ and hope for the best. I’ve got some Jewish friends who do the Santa photo and attend parties and are very relaxed around the Christian holiday and I think most people are if you’re respectful of each others’ beliefs.
I’d like to think 2017 will be a more peaceful year, but I’m not sure about that.
Yes I don’t see why religions have such rigid ideas about other religions. I am happy to accept others ideas and celebrations. Wouldn’t the world be a happier place if this was taught in schools – or is it already?
Merry Christmas to you too! May your belly be filled with lots of mango!!!
Merry Christmas Jan and Marty! I haven’t had a locally grown mango in forever, and it’s definitely not Christmas food in Texas. The ones I saw in the grocery store today must come from Central or South America this time of year. We never know what temperatures Christmas will bring here and have to pack everything from coats to shorts when visiting my family… just in case. I enjoyed this peek into a tropical Aussie Christmas.
Just came across your blog. I love all the photos you shared, especially of all the flora, are they from your personal garden? They are so lovely. I am from Sydney and I love spending Christmas in Summer, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thank you for letting us in to your world. Happy Holiday!
Hi Winny, The Bird of Paradise and Hibiscus were from our Townsville garden, the frangipani from my Mother-in-Laws Townsville Garden. The others are a mix of Townsville and Cairns. Thanks for dropping by.
Hi, Jan! Your photos are gorgeous and make me homesick for a hot SEA Christmas. Right now, in Chiang Mai, Bangkok, or Hua Hin the mangos are ripe, and the frangipani trees and every other flower are in bloom. Your new beachside home looks fantastic! Thanks for co-hosting this week. #TPThursday
Yes Mangoes mean Christmas to me and the water is just gorgeous to swim in at Coolum. The waves are just a nice size for using a Boogie (Body) Board and just cool enough to be refreshing.
I love tropical Christmas! I grew up with these types of holidays and flora and really miss it. It’s such a great way for you to celebrate the holidays. Love all the photos! Wishing you a wonderful 2017 with plenty of travels.