As the Rolf Harris song goes, Santa's reindeer cannot cope with the heat so he has six large white kangaroos, or boomers, pull his sleigh across Australia. After many years of caring for wallabies, Michael James has bred six white albino wallabies. "It's only the males that carry the white genes," Mr James explains.
The song, popular with school-aged kids, explains that Santa's reindeer get a rest while six white boomers (boomer is Aussie slang for a male kangaroo) lead Santa's sleigh through Australia! After all the toys are delivered, they even help a little joey (a baby kangaroo) find his mommy.
There are also some original Australian Carols. When he gets to Australia, Santa sometimes gives the reindeers a rest and might use kangaroos.
The well-known Australian Christmas song has Santa swapping his reindeers for 'white boomers' on his Australian run. Occasionally 'white' (albino) kangaroos do occur in nature, while 'boomers' is the slang term used to describe big, male kangaroos (and the Australian men's basketball team).
Traditionally, Santa's Sleigh is pulled by a team of reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and, of course, Rudolph. Can you think of any other animals that suit these names and might work in place of reindeer?
The first mention of Santa's sleigh is attributed to the author Clément Clarke Moore, in his poem “The visit of Saint Nicolas” (or “The night before Christmas”). It was published for the first time in 1823 in an American newspaper.
According to media reports at the time, the crash was blamed on the excess weight of two life-sized reindeer figurines that were attached to the sleigh, causing it to fly lower than expected on its 200m journey.
As the Rolf Harris song goes, Santa's reindeer cannot cope with the heat so he has six large white kangaroos, or boomers, pull his sleigh across Australia. After many years of caring for wallabies, Michael James has bred six white albino wallabies. "It's only the males that carry the white genes," Mr James explains.
Santa Claus in Australia
Santa does use reindeer to pull his sleigh when delivering gifts to children in Australia. In order to prepare for Santa's Christmas eve arrival, the children: Hang stockings or socks on the bedpost or fireplace mantle.
What is Santa Claus called in Australia? These days most Australians call Atnas (his real name) “Santa”.
Apparently kids in Australia leave a cold glass of beer. Probably to help with heat and its summer down under at this time of year.
Australians often celebrate Christmas Day by enjoying a Christmas lunch or dinner with their closest family and friends. The meal usually consists of a selection of hot and cold dishes, including fresh seafood.
8.4 years is the average age when kids do stop believing in Santa . Interestingly (and perhaps sadly) Australian kids are discovering Santa no longer exists much earlier - around just 6.5 years of age.
Traditional Santas wear bright red fleecy suits, lined with white fur and big black boots to fight off the northern winter. In Australia, it's summer at Christmas time so you're much more likely to see a boardshort wearing Santa on a surfboard.
Christmas in Australia Fact #2
Santa Claus arrives in a sleigh pulled by six kangaroos, or by boat or surfboard in Australia. What a fun fact this is! It's so different from how Santa arrives in other parts of the world. This is also a great opportunity to compare and contrast modes of travel for various climates.
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Hopping is energy efficient.
Hopping uses less energy than four-legged running at the same speed. It is critical in a dry, unpredictable environment to be efficient with resources. Kangaroos sometimes have to travel long distances, in oppressive heat, with very little water to drink and very poor food in their bellies.
They can cause serious injury. Their sharp claws can make deep cuts, and their powerful kicks can cause severe bruising and internal injuries. But don't get me wrong, kangaroos are essentially peace-loving herbivores.
Fun fact: Kangaroos can't jump backwards
They may move forward fast, but they actually can't jump backwards. This is because of their thick tail, which acts as a counter-balance to their front-facing movements.
The common Christmas expression is thought to be derived from a Western European folklore known as Krampus. The mythological figure — who is half goat, half demon — is the evil twin of Saint Nicholas and was supposedly invented in the middle ages to discipline kids according to National Geographic.
Did Santa ever go to jail? Nicholas was the 4th-century Greek Bishop of Myra (in present-day Turkey). Under the Roman emperor Diocletian, who persecuted Christians, Nicholas spent some five years in prison—and according to some accounts, in solitary confinement.
Krampus isn't exactly the stuff of dreams: Bearing horns, dark hair, fangs, and a long tongue, the anti-St. Nicholas comes with a chain and bells that he lashes about, along with a bundle of birch sticks meant to swat naughty children. He then hauls the bad kids down to the underworld.