Christmas in Shorts

Christmas is synonymous with snowflakes and pine trees. But how do people in warm climates celebrate the winter holidays?

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Hawaii

Christmas Day in Hawaii usually means a large meal and a trip to the beach, where entertainers including ukulele players and hula dancers perform for holiday crowds. Of course, Santa himself, prefers Hawaiian garb, as well.

Australia

Forget mittens and sleds. Australia’s Father Christmas is most likely to bring towels, boogie boards and flipflops. After the traditional Christmas lunch, Aussies head to the beach, like Sydney’s Bondi Beach shown here, to kick off summer holidays.

The Bahamas

Between December 25 and January 1, Bahamians celebrate Junkanoo, a carnival-like festival in which masked and costumed dancers parade through the streets.

Brazil

Brazil’s warm weather may seem at odds with the traditional snowflake and Christmas tree decor that’s popular in the area. Here a reveler paddle boards past the world’s largest floating Christmas tree in Rio de Janeiro’s Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon.

Ethiopia

Christmas morning in Ethiopia begins with celebrants attending church dressed in white. There, priests perform Christmas rituals that include playing drums.

Colombia

The Day of the Candles, celebrated on the night of December 7, marks the evening of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in Colombia, as well as the beginning of the country’s Christmas holidays.

New Zealand

In New Zealand, the Pohutukawa stands in for the Christmas tree.

The Phillipines

Filipinos celebrate the holidays with paper lanterns which are displayed on houses, office buildings and on streets. Tradition has it that the lanterns represent the victory of light over darkness.

El Salvador

Many Latin American countries, including El Salvador, celebrate Christmas with pastorelas, plays that are similar to Christmas pageants, in which performers, often children, act out of biblical passages.

Costa Rica

Thousands of people attend San Jose’s annual Festival of Light parade in the Costa Rican capital. The parade features elaborate floats as well as costumed musicians and dancers.

Miami

Christmas in Miami includes the occasional Christmas Palm.

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Christmas in Shorts

Related To:

Shop This Look

Hawaii

Australia

The Bahamas

Brazil

Ethiopia

Colombia

New Zealand

The Phillipines

El Salvador

Costa Rica

Miami

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