People imagine Christmas with snow and fir trees covered in tinsel, but not when it comes to a Merry Territory Christmas…

In the Northern Territory (the Top End of Australia), it’s hot. It’s humid. And it’s like walking around in a steamy shower room!

Yes, in the land Downunder, Christmas is in summer, where we suffer from some pretty unromantic weather. For us, it’s all about surviving the summer with daily how-to survive extreme heat reports on local radio, in between cyclone warnings. Meanwhile, children are crossing their fingers, hoping it’ll reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 Farenheit) so schools will close. It was 36 degrees this morning, with 89% humidity, and it’s not even 9 am.

It’s nothing like those silent Christmas scenes trapped in those snow globes, where there are no chirping cicadas making your ears constantly ring, while the nighttime skies become a screeching battlefield for the fruit bats. It’s a sure sign that summer is here!

There will be no lighting fires to hang those stockings by the fireplace – because most of us don’t have one, and it’s bush fire season.

Oh, forget ice skating or most water sports because we’ve got crocodiles hogging the many waterways.

There are no fir trees, so there’s no reason to hang tinsel either, because the overhead fans, stirring up the soupy air, will only blow it all away.

And the closest to snow you’ll get is from making Outback Spiders, or what’s in the freezer.

Maybe Aussies should skip the end-of-year summer stress and celebrate Christmas in July?

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I’m getting to the Merry Territory Christmas part…

But it’s not all bad. We never get cold, and the rich fragrant frangipani combined with warming jasmine drenches the air. You’ll find the vibrant red, gold and purple crotons putting on a spectacular garden show. Even the lush green gingers race for the sun, as orchids burst with colour and native mistletoe’s flower a vibrant red.

But most of all, it’s the sweet ripening of rambutans, bananas, and mangoes that hang like Christmas ornaments in the trees to fill our tables among the vast assortment of local seafood.

This is summer in the Northern Territory, which means enduring long lazy days of watching the rain fall and the grass grow as the start of the summer school holidays and, of course, Christmas.

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Tips for surviving a Merry Territory Christmas – Elsie Creek Style!

If you’ve read the bestselling Elsie Creek Series, it’s all about surviving in the land of red dust. So here are a few tips from the characters and what they’d do for an outback Merry Territory Christmas:

From The ART of DUST, Aunty Bea demands everyone in her household makes a new ornament for the tree that will become a keepsake for years to come. While Kat cringes at her own childhood creations that she tries to hide at the back of the tree.

The magnificent brolly-twirling Molly, from DIAMOND IN THE DUST, will be sipping her wine while teaching her niece, Verily, to bake cookies that they’ll share with friends and family. Alex has nominated himself as the master chef for the turkey, and overseeing the Ham using Miss Molly’s fabulously famous Rosella Glaze. As you can tell, he’s planning a big one this year with all of the trimmings that’ll probably involve beer!

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As for the queen of bush tucker, Lucy, from CAKED IN DUST, she’s fine-tuning the details of a 12-course feast for her family, and the extended family at home, which will include the Station Hand’s groupies.

We can’t forget the fabulously stylish, Flo, from MUSTER IN THE DUST. With her calendar full of many invitations, she’s redecorating the golf buggy she uses to tour around her backyard billabong. Last year’s Christmas decorations are sun faded and weather-worn, but she intends to keep the new decorations on her buggy all year round. Because it’s Christmas every day for Flo.

And, I hear that Santa is bringing in a stack of tutus and more roller skates for the children of this remote outback region, especially those who were so brave in ROLLED IN DUST.

And we can’t forget the town’s amazing top cop who’ll be policing the roads and keeping an eye on a certain household from Written in Dust.

Finally, who can go past the sassy bush pilot, Monet, from XMAS DUST, and her magical cocktail-making skills that will… well, you can read this and find out for yourself!

Do have a Merry Territory Christmas…

No matter where you are and the weather you’re enduring, Christmas has a different meaning for many.

For me, I’m taking a break for the holiday season this summer, which means I’ll be stepping away from my keyboard to spend time with family and friends.

So, I’d like to say, thank you for being with me. Thank you for your support throughout the year, and I wish you and your family a Merry Territory Christmas.

I’ll see you in 2023.