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= ﻿ Christmas in Australia= A new Australian tradition was evolved in 1937. On Christmas Eve, thousands of people used to gather in the city of Melbourne for the 'Carols by Candlelight' event and to sing their favorite Christmas songs. All members have a lit candle in their hands and it seems that the stars have come down on Earth from the Sky. In the weeks before Christmas, similar events are arranged in Sydney and the other capital cities. Christmas Bush, a native plant with little red flowered leaves, is used to decorate the houses. People indulge in Christmas shopping and one can see Santa Claus on beaches on a surfboard or a surf lifesaving boat.

Christmas Damper from Australia
2 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon butter 1 cups milk or water (enough to make a medium or soft dough) cups of SR flour1/2 teaspoon of salt 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate soda Rub the butter into the flour. Knead. Mould into a Christmassy shape - a wreath, or a star. Bake in hot oven (or in ashes if you are cooking it in a fire). Cook for 20 minutes until brown. Serve with butter and jam, honey or golden syrup. =A true story from Christmas Eve,Australia 1974= There was a song released "Santa Never Made It Into Darwin" which was released as a fundraiser to aid the people of Darwin. The song only half describes the tragedy that struck Darwin, at Christmas time 1974. 51 people were killed. 15 were missing at sea (presumed dead) when a massive Cyclone known as Cyclone Tracy struck the city of Darwin in the Northern Territory (on the northern end of Australia.).

= ﻿Christmas in Spain =

Christmas is a deeply religious holiday in Spain. The country's patron saint is the Virgin Mary and the Christmas season officially begins December 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is celebrated each year in front of the great Gothic cathedral in Seville with a ceremony called los Seises or the "dance of six." Oddly, the elaborate ritual dance is now performed by not six but ten elaborately costumed boys. It is a series of precise movements and gestures and is said to be quite moving and beautiful. Christmas Eve is known as Nochebuena or "the Good Night." It is a time for family members to gather together to rejoice and feast around the Nativity scenes that are present in nearly every home. A traditional Christmas treat is turron, a kind of almond candy. December 28 is the feast of the Holy Innocents. Young boys of a town or village light bonfires and one of them acts as the mayor who orders townspeople to perform civic chores such as sweeping the streets. Refusal to comply results in fines which are used to pay for the celebration. As in many European countries, the children of Spain receive gifts on the feast of the Epiphany. The Magi are particularly revered in Spain. It is believed that they travel through the countryside reenacting their journey to Bethlehem every year at this time. Children leave their shoes on the windowsills and fill them with straw, carrots, and barley or the horses of the Wise Men. Their favorite is Balthazar who rides a donkey and is the one believed to leave the gifts.