The festive season has begun. For you, Christmas may be a religious occasion, for others it is a period of celebration, a time to gather together and rejoice. Australians celebrate the festive season during the summer, in comparison to those living in the northern hemisphere, where Christmas falls in winter.

When the first European arrived here the colony observed their first Christmas Day; it must have come as a surprise that the weather was hot instead of cold, the opposite of what they were used to. In 1788, a special sermon was held and officers were entertained for dinner by Governor Phillip. Extra rations were distributed to the convicts, and the military and public servants received extra beef, fat and raisins.

During the nineteenth century, Christmas was celebrated more simply in Australia. Most people attended a church service, followed by visits from family and friends. A few decorations were hung in the home, a pleasant meal prepared, and sometimes small gifts, often handmade were exchanged.

Homesick settlers introduced some of the Christmas customs from their homeland, yearning for family and friends, and a cooler climate. Australians developed their own traditions with native greenery such as eucalypts branches, palm fronds, Christmas bells, orchids and Christmas Bush used for decorating, instead of holly and mistletoe.

Exchanging cards at Christmas was established in the 1840s. The first uniquely Australian cards were designed by Helena Forde featuring wildflowers in the late 1870s. Cards featuring Australian scenes were introduced in the 1880s printed locally by Gibbs & Shallard and John Sands.

Local newspapers give an idea what was happening in the Hawkesbury. Gifts and festive foods were advertised in local newspapers with stores creating wonderful displays in the shop windows. On the days leading up to Christmas, shoppers bustled around the town centres, shopping. Bands played to those gathering in the streets.

Stores sold ingredients such as dried fruits for cakes or puddings. A range of gifts were available, including tambourines or boxes of tea from Woodhill’ s store. Toys ranging from whistles to dolls were also available. Other items on sale to discerning shoppers were silk handkerchiefs, gold watches and Christmas trees! In 1887 there was much discussion about the Christmas window displays in Windsor. The newspaper reported that while some shops put in a lot of effort decorating their windows, others did not. Some windows were even lit up for the occasion, something which is still fashionable today.

The singing of carols has long been prevalent. Songs included traditional carols but more recently, uniquely Australian songs have been compiled. Titles such as the Three Drovers, Six White Boomers and Aussie Jingle Bells with a‘ rusty Holden ute’ being popular. During the 1940s and 1950s, groups of carollers would gather on the flatbeds of trucks and sing in various spots around the district. The Hawkesbury’ s first Carols by Candlelight event was held in Richmond Park in 1954, just eight years after the first Carols by Candlelight Festival was held in Sydney in 1946.

It wasn’ t always happy news. Leading up to Christmas in 1817, the local constable Matthew Everingham fell overboard in the Hawkesbury River and was drowned. A common occurrence at

this time of the year were the thefts in chicken coops throughout the district. In Windsor in 1843, residents were very upset with their fattened poultry being pinched before Christmas Day. Local Riverstone residents were complaining in 1890, in the lead-up to Christmas, of their chooks being stolen in the dead of night.

Ellen Lehne, the licensee of Richmond’ s Imperial Hotel had to pay a fine for having the hotel opened after closing time. It was the last pay day prior to Christmas and some locals were in the bar, drinking and enjoying themselves! The men found on the premises were also fined.

On a serious note, there have been several disastrous fires in the district around this period. A few days before Christmas in 1874, high temperatures with hot winds blasted most of Western Sydney. A fire started in George Street near New Street in Windsor and moved extremely quickly, destroying houses and business as it made its way up both sides of George and Macquarie Streets towards Fitzgerald Street.

Over 50 buildings were destroyed including the Methodist Church and there was one casualty. A bushfire on the Wilberforce Common on the same day, claimed another life. In December 1944 bushfires cause much havoc in the Hawkesbury district with many losses including two deaths. Local servicemen staying in the area and assisted with combatting the blazes. Bushfires commenced Christmas Eve 2001, with hundreds of fires burning throughout NSW, eventually 112,000 hectares burnt in the Hawkesbury.

Local businesses and groups held special events leading up to Christmas. In 1952 Santa arrived by helicopter and delivered gifts to over 1000 children at

the RAAF Base. Santa with the Richmond Chamber of Commerce distributed hundreds of gifts to children at Richmond Park in 1955 which included 250 children from Scheyville Migrant Centre. Local schools held concerts and end of year assemblies.

On Christmas Day, family and friends gathered. Some attended religious services and later exchanged gifts and shared refreshments. In the past, food included salted pork or a pot roast, pies and whatever vegetables were available. Steamed Christmas pudding( sometimes with small silver coins tucked inside) and Christmas cake made with dried fruit. A nip or two of rum or brandy completed the meal. Meals imitated traditional food from the northern hemisphere. More recently decorations have become more abundant and gifts more extravagant. Residents decorate their homes and properties with elaborate displays of Christmas lights. These days our Christmas fare reflects Australia’ s multicultural population, with food more suited to our hot summers, fresh salads, cold meats, seafood, iconic Australian desserts plus festive treats, popular.

Boxing Day was originally a holiday to give gifts to poor people but today is an extension of Christmas, often spent as a day of relaxation or outside pursuits like sporting activities. Picnics were an enjoyable pursuit to spend time under the Australian sun, in our beautiful bushland or by our stunning waterways.

Christmas marks the holiday season, for some, with school and study over for the year, some local businesses temporarily close with many visiting family and friends, taking holidays or daytrips. This festive season, we wish you peace and joy plus a Happy New Year.