Sweaty Santas and prawns galore: What's different about Christmas Down Under

Australiansabsolutelylovetoputtheirownspinontraditions—eventhesacrosanctonescelebratedatChristmas.

Whileelsewherepeoplemaybemunchingonham,sittingbythefireplaceandbuildingsnowmen,Australia'sclimatemakestheholidayadifferentaffair.

That'snottosayeverythingisdifferentDownUnderaroundChristmastime.Here'saholidaybreakdowntohelpyoukeeptrackofourdifferencesandsimilarities:

What'sDifferent

Thefood

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WhileturkeyandhamwillbeonmanyAustraliansplatesthisChristmas,Aussiesgoabsolutelynutswhenitcomestobuyingseafood.

Everyyearinwhathasbecomeapopulartradition,theSydneyFishMarketopensfor36hoursashordesofshoppersdescendtogettheirprawns,musselsandoystersforthebigday.Roughly660tonnesofseafoodisexpectedtobesoldbeforeChristmas,accordingtoABCNews.

AstowhenAussiesstartedgorgingonseafood,usuallyfreshorontheBBQ,thisremainsamystery—althoughnosurprisethatourwarmerclimatemakesitanattractiveoption.

Theweather

NosuchthingasawhiteChristmasinAustralia—it'ssummer.OnChristmasdayin2015,mostmajorcitiesinAustraliawillbehittingaroundthemid30degreesCelsius(95degreesFahrenheit)mark,accordingtotheBureauofMeteorology.

Withtheheatbearingdown,you'llfindAussieshavingChristmasfeastsoutside,withtravellersspendingtimeonthebeach.

What'sthesame

Shoppingmayhem

Everyyear,thereisaglutofpeoplewhoforgot(orcouldn'tbebothered)todotheirChristmasshoppingearly.ThosepeopleexistinAustralia,too,makingmallvisitsmorestressful.

Thisyear,shopperswerestuckinthreehoursofgridlockinthecarparkofCastleTowers,amallinSydney'ssuburbs.Withnoendinsight,somedecidedtoleavetheircarsandgettaxishome,accordingtoFairfaxMedia.Thisiswhyyoushoulddoyourshoppingearlyfolks.Orbuyonline.

EarlyChristmasdecorations

It'sbarelyaweekintoOctoberwhenyounoticecarolshummingonthePAsystemwhileyourshoppingandtinselcreepingintothemall.Yep,thesamethinghappensinAustralia—althoughAussieswillblamethenorthernhemisphereforstartingthistrend.

Same,butkindofdifferent

Santa,althoughhe'ssweaty

SantawilloftendonshortsandhavehissleevescutoffDownUnderbecausethatsuitiswaytoohotforthesummer.

OftenSantawillbeleftabeerwhenhepaysavisittoAustralianhomes,ratherthanmilk.It'sjustthewayAussiesdothings.