# Does Santa Claus arrive also in the southern hemisphere on the 25th dec.? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 29, 2002, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319 "2002-05-29T08:02:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/96bed5/32.png) [@elisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elisa)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/1 "2002-05-29T08:02:45Z")
Question to anyone living in Australia and so on: Does Santa Claus arrive also in the southern hemisphere on the 25th dec.? Thank You. I hope you get a lot of gifts… Elisa ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/2 "2002-05-29T08:21:05Z")
Of course he does! ---
**Author:** ![Tsubaki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Tsubaki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsubaki)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/3 "2002-05-29T09:17:02Z")
Well, technically he arrives on the night of Christmas Eve/the morning of Christmas Day. And in Australia (well, in every Aussie household of Anglo-Saxon background that I know) we open our presents on Christmas morning. Christmas Eve isn’t as big a deal as it is in Northern Hemisphere countries (although many people go to church services on Christmas Eve). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/4 "2002-05-29T09:44:46Z")
It depends largely on whether you have been naughty or nice. It’s important not to overlook factors such as this. ---
**Author:** ![Pommyaussie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/45deac/32.png) [@Pommyaussie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pommyaussie)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/5 "2002-05-29T09:48:59Z")
Not to mention being seen in our local shopping mall from approx early November! ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/6 "2002-05-29T09:57:39Z")
… and all the Santa Parades … Unless they’re – _gasp!_ – _imposters_! ---
**Author:** ![elisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/96bed5/32.png) [@elisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elisa)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/7 "2002-05-29T10:02:48Z")
Thank You, but it comes dressed in his traditional red and white cloathing and driving a sledge with reindeers although in dicember it’s very hot there? ---
**Author:** ![Pommyaussie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/45deac/32.png) [@Pommyaussie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pommyaussie)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/8 "2002-05-29T10:10:11Z")
The red coat, the reindeer, the full works! Rumour has it that Santa tried a gig in board shorts and sunnies one Christmas but he didn’t quite cut it with the kids! ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/9 "2002-05-29T10:13:09Z")
Our Santa duplicates are extreme masochists here in NZ, **elisa**. They wear all the gear, including white gloves, beard, the whole she-bang. Very, very sweaty at the end of the shift! And, yes, we do have the reindeer thing – only they’re model reindeer mainly, and at times we replace reindeer for Clydesdale horses. I hear elsewhere they’ve adapted to Santa Claus wearing shorts and jandals, but they’re the exception rather than the rule. ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/10 "2002-05-29T10:24:43Z")
But he doesn’t use Reindeer. Too hot. He is pulled by 6 White Boomers. Snow White Boomers. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/11 "2002-05-29T12:02:03Z")
‘On the first day of Christmas, my true-love sent to me… An emu up a gum tree.’ And there’s fewer chimneys for the jolly old fella to slide down in our neck of the woods. His girth is a bit too ample for your average Coonara flue… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/12 "2002-05-29T12:42:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kambuckta \* > \*\*And there’s fewer chimneys for the jolly old fella to slide down in our neck of the woods. His girth is a bit too ample for your average Coonara flue… \*\* Oh honestly; he’s got a magic key, or something. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/13 "2002-05-29T12:55:01Z")
Do you really think Old St. Nick would risk the chimney biz these days with Neighbourhood Watch, extra-sensitive alarm systems, attack pets etc. etc. …? Magic key? Oh, yes? Sounds a bit suss, that. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/14 "2002-05-29T14:43:23Z")
**elisa** , benvenuto al SDMB! [sub]elisa, welcome to the SDMB![/sub] [Ecco](http://www.santas.net/australianchristmas.htm) un po’ di tradizioni di Natale in Australia. [sub]Here is a little on Christmas traditions in Australia.[/sub] I wager this is the first ever post on the Boards that has subtitles. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/15 "2002-05-29T18:21:09Z")
Magic key? It’s pixie dust, kids. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tsubaki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@Tsubaki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tsubaki)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/16 "2002-05-29T22:36:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Caught@Work \* > \*\*But he doesn’t use Reindeer. Too hot. He is pulled by 6 White Boomers. Snow White Boomers. \*\* Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun… ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/17 "2002-05-29T22:41:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rjung \* > \*\*Magic key? > > It’s pixie dust, kids. 🙂 \*\* Of course! I do feel silly now. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/18 "2002-05-30T01:43:29Z")
Actually you can tell a True Santa Claus[sub]tm[/sub] by the fact that he remains cool despite Australian heat. The ones that sweat are imposters. I believe a True Santa Clause[sub]tm[/sub] carries a little patch of arctic around with him, although I’ll leave it to **rjung** to describe precisely how this is done. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/19 "2002-05-30T03:18:17Z")
The department stores in Australia cling to the old Christmas standards of fake snow and the like, but the rest of us will usually be found outdoors on Christmas day, drinking beer, watching the kids play in the pool with their new aquatic toys, and taking turns to tend the barbie. The 2001 Christmas barbie at my place was particularly memorable because of the bushfires ringing Sydney. We were peering through the smoke haze, the sun was deep red, and blackened leaves were falling like rain. “Aussie Jingle Bells” 1 . Dashing through the bush, in a rusty Holden[sup]1[/sup] Ute[sup]2[/sup], Kicking up the dust, esky[sup]3[/sup] in the boot[sup]4[/sup], Kelpie[sup]5[/sup] by my side, singing Christmas songs It’s summertime and I’m in my singlet, shorts and thongs[sup]6[/sup]. ``` Chorus ``` Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way. Christmas in Australia on scorching summer’s day, HEY. Jingle bells, Jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut, Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute [sup] Copyright Colin Buchanan/Rondor Music (Aust.) [http://www.colinbuchanan.com.au/albums/ht.html](http://www.colinbuchanan.com.au/albums/ht.html) (post edited to include only first verse and chorus) Glossary for Merkins 1. Holden: General Motors 2. Ute: Pickup (non-SUV type) 3. Esky: Insulated beer cooler 4. Boot: Trunk 5. Kelpie: Australian cattle dog 6. Thongs: Cheap plastic sandals (flip flops) [/sup] ---
**Author:** ![Zapper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a88e4f/32.png) [@Zapper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zapper)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319/20 "2002-05-30T05:09:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* > \*\*[sup]…but the rest of us will usually be found outdoors on Christmas day, drinking beer, watching the kids play in the pool with their new aquatic toys, and taking turns to tend the barbie. > > [/sup] \*\* The typical scene on Christmas Eve in my city (in Argentina) would be a long table in the garage full of relatives, “a la italiana”; then, when fireworks starts at 0:00 someone sneaks with the presents, places them under the tree and, this done, whispers to the kids: “I think I heard sounds near the tree…” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-santa-claus-arrive-also-in-the-southern-hemisphere-on-the-25th-dec/111319.md?page=2)