Christmas Day- The Aussie Way Trivia Quiz

Answer: Boughs of wattle

There are two versions of the song "Deck the Sheds" that I could find and one uses boughs of Australia's floral emblem to decorate the husband's retreat. The other version of the song uses bits of wattle.
After Christmas the shed is likely to be hidden by a teetering mountain of empty tinnies. There's probably so many redbacks in the shed that you really don't want any adorning the outside of it as well.

"Deck the sheds with boughs of wattle
Ripper, b****y, bewdy, bonza, mate
Slice the cake and tip the bottle
Ripper, b****y, bewdy, bonza, mate"
(from "Deck the Sheds")

Answer: Cold tinnies of the amber fluid

The most common item found in many Australian eskies is a collection of cold tinnies and maybe some wine for the Missus. Because Christmas just doesn't feel like Christmas unless you crack a few coldies of the amber fluid (not that any Aussie worth his salt needs an excuse).

The only trouble with the song "Aussie Jingle Bells" is that a Ute doesn't have a boot!

"He always seems to make it and he's full of Christmas cheer
For when he's finally landed, he's guaranteed a beer.
He leaves behind his presents with a cheery ho ho smile
Then they pour him back upon his sled and off he roars in style.

Now someone once asked him if he'd ever lived in fear,
of ever being caught one day, drunk in charge of deer.
He gave a little chuckle with a twinkle in his eye,
"You may have cops with bags down here but none of them can fly"."
(From "Christmas in the Alice")

Answer: Trackie daks

Trackie daks (tracksuit pants) belong in winter. When the mercury is high enough to melt bitumen, you'd have to be a drongo to wear trackies.
Often, Santa can be seen surfing at the beach, wearing boardies and sunnies, much more climate friendly attire.

"He had bright, sunburned cheeks and a milky white beard.
A jolly old joker was how he appeared.
He wore red stubby shorts and old thongs on his feet,
and a hat of deep crimson as shade from the heat.
His eyes - bright as opals - Oh! How they twinkled!
And, like a goanna, his skin was quite wrinkled!
His shirt was stretched over a round bulging belly,
Which shook when he moved, like a plate full of jelly."
(From "The Night Before Christmas- Aussie Style")

Answer: Aussie Christmas fare

White Christmas and snowballs (along with rum balls) are confectionaries typically enjoyed over Christmas. Here are the recipes:

White Christmas

3 cups Rice Bubbles
1 cup mixed fruit
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup coconut
1/4 cup powdered milk
225g Copha
1 teaspon vanilla

Melt copha mix the whole mess together.
Either press into a lined tray or drop spoonfuls into patty cases.
Put in refrigerator to set.

Snowballs

2 cups rice bubbles
1/4 cup icing sugar
100gm white marshmallows
85gm Copha
1 pkt coconut cream powder

Mix all dry ingredients together
Melt copha and marshmallows together over simmering water
Mix the lot and shape into balls making sure to make a complete mess of your hands
Roll in extra icing sugar
Eat too many

Answer: Seafood

Seafood is a very popular choice for Christmas Day, whether it's barbequed or served cold.

Muddies (or sandies) are crabs, bugs are either Moreton Bay bugs or Balmain bugs, a shellfishthat has a rather more delicate flavour than crab.
Everyone knows prawns! The correct name for these gastronomic favourites is prawns, not shrimps. So unless you wish to be called a septic tank, call 'em prawns.

Answer: Perth, 1968.

My commiserations to the people of Perth, where the mercury reached 42 degrees Celcius on Christmas day in 1968. Adelaide also shares the honours, however their hottest Christmas was before 1900, in 1888. Melbourne was snapping on their heels, having reached 41 degrees in 1907.

Of course, everyone knows the outback is often far hotter than the coast side Capital Cities. Cloncurry in 1889, was an unbearable 53 degrees That must have felt like the inside of a blast furnace!

Answer: Half a dozen albino kangaroos

"Six white boomers,
Snow-white boomers
Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun.
Six white boomers,
Snow-white boomers,
On his Australian run."

Need any more? A boomer is a male kangaroo and Rolf Harris first released the song in 1969.

As far as I can find out, the names of the six kangaroos (although not mentioned in the song) are Jackaroo, Bluey, Twoup, Desert Head, Curley and Snow, If you know of any different versions, please let me know. (A note is fine)

In the tale 'The Night Before Christmas- Aussie Style", Santa rode in a rusty old Ute pulled by eight mighty 'roos. The names of these 'roos are Kylie, Kirsty, Shazza and Shane, Kipper, Skipper, Bazza and Wayne.

Answer: By a blazing fire

Barbies aside, unless the Aussie is overseas or in Antarctica, a blazing fire would not be the preferred place for a relaxing Christmas.

Of course, summer also means droughts and bushfires, so there's your blazing fire, but it wouldn't be relaxing. And I very much doubt if you'd be thinking about roasting chestnuts either.

Answer: Pavlova

The pavlova (or pav as we Aussies call it) is a meringue cake with a soft centre. It was created and named for the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova during her tour of Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s.

Top your pav with lashings of whipped cream and fresh fruit and Bob's your Uncle. At Christmas time there are lots of summer berries to use on your pav.


"'Twas the night before Christmas;
there wasn't a sound.
Not a possum was stirring; no one was around.
We'd left on the table
some tucker and beer,
Hoping that Santa Claus
soon would be here.
We children were snuggled up safe in our beds,
While dreams of pavlova danced 'round in our heads."
(From "The Night Before Christmas- Aussie Style")

Answer: Cyclone Tracy

Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin at dawn on Christmas morning in 1974, killing 71 people and devastating the town. More than half of the city's population was evacuated and many never returned. The cyclone caught the residents unprepared and by surprise, as a previous cyclone was expected to hit but missed. They expected Tracy to do the same but she insisted on raining on their parade.

A song "Santa Never Made it into Darwin" (1975) raised money for the relief fund and reconstruction efforts.