Why Australians celebrate Christmas twice a year

Six Irishmen walk into a bar.

This might sound like the start of a joke but, as legend has it, its actually the beginning of Christmas in July in Australia.

While this month is mid-summer for half the world, Australia is in the depths of winter and for many, that means its time for tinsel, turkey and Yuletide tunes.

From its humble beginnings in a run-down hotel decades ago, Christmas in July – which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like – has become a beloved Australian tradition.

Those who pine for a wintry Christmas host parties where ugly sweaters are a prerequisite; pubs, restaurants and cafes serve up feasts with all the trimmings; and Santa treks out from the north pole to deliver gifts.

The trend has spread around the country and across the Tasman to New Zealand - even as far as the famous Santa Monica pier in Los Angeles, where the custom has been flipped to give homesick Australians a traditional summer Christmas, complete with prawn cocktails and lamingtons - an Australian cake.

"Dont get me wrong, going to the beach on the 25th of December in the morning is one of my favourite things," Vincent Hernandez tells the BBC. "But stuffing myself up with melted cheese in winter is also one of my favourite things.

"Now we get to celebrate it twice which is perfect… we get the best of both worlds."

Its hard to pinpoint exactly when and where Christmas in July began - there are some rumours the US actually pioneered it in the early 20th Century - but Garry Crockett believes Australias national tradition began in his Mountain Heritage hotel in 1980.

One cold July evening, with snow falling outside, half a dozen Irishmen walked into the Katoomba lodge, nostalgic for a traditional winter Christmas.

"So I told them, why dont we do a Christmas in July for you?" Mr Crockett, now 76, tells the BBC.

A Christmas tree was dusted off, tinsel and baubles were unpacked, and the hotel was decked out with decorations.

While the exact details of that first dinner are a bit faded now, Mr Crockett says there was most likely pumpkin soup on the menu, along with a medley of roasts – beef, turkey and pork. For dessert, there was a plum pudding with a five-cent coin hidden amongst the dried fruit – a nod to the British tradition.

"It was a hoot of a time," Mr Crockett reminisces, adding that the 80-odd guests "partied really hard" until about 3am.

From then on, Christmas in July became an annual gathering at the Mountain Heritage. Garrys father Bill, himself originally from Belfast, often donned a Santa costume – "it was the highlight of his year".

"It became a big thing for us," Mr Crockett says.

"And then we started getting people from Singapore, Malaysia, Japan."

There was initially a little bit of "pushback" from some local churches, he says, but soon the ritual snowballed and spread around the country.

In Newcastle, Joshua Robb, 37, spent a week preparing a six-course Christmas meal for friends, the dinner table dressed with Christmas crackers and printed menus adorned with holly motifs.

"I would have [Christmas] 10 times a year if I could," the self-confessed Yuletide fanatic says.

His July feast is an opportunity to take part in festive traditions Australia usually misses out on, he says.

"Weve all got the ugly Christmas sweaters that you wear in the UK," he laughs.

"[This] gives us the chance to wear them because you cant on a 45C (113F) day."

Another keen Christmas in July party host is Filipino-Australian Neil Ferro, 47, who says the trend is "just something people do in Australia".

"Christmas has always been barbecues and beaches but it feels more Christmassy if its cold," he says, while preparing a vegan dinner party for his guests.

"July is a tough month because its the middle of winter… so its a good way to bring people together and celebrate," he says.

But while Mr Ferro and his friends are holed up inside, others are relishing in the cold.

In Sydneys historic Rocks precinct, a cobblestoned alleyway has been transformed into a winter wonderland for two weeks of Christmas in July markets, complete with fake snow machines churning specks of foam onto passersby.

Wooden chalets lining the street offer winter treats from mulled wine and toasted marshmallows to melty raclette cheese on potatoes.

At one of the stalls selling snow globes are locals Nemer and Leila Awad, who say the markets remind them of Europe.

"Weve been to Paris in late November at the Christmas markets and it had that Christmassy feel, which you dont get here in Australia," Leila says.

Thats exactly what Mr Hernandez – who moved to Australia from Paris more than a decade ago – was going for when he first started the event in 2018.

To recreate the atmosphere of the markets he loved from home, he imported 40 timber huts from Strasbourg, which hosts one of Europes most loved Christmas markets, and bought dozens of Christmas trees from a farm in Sydney.

"[The farm owner] thought it was odd but he was extremely happy," Mr Hernandez says.

That farm owner is Leo Damasi, who says July sales have been spiking over the past two decades and are a welcome addition to the December rush.

"Its definitely growing every year," he tells the BBC.

These days, even KFC has jumped on the Christmas in July trend – though Garry believes some are missing the true reason for the season.

"Its about friendship, love, connection, all of those elements - the exact opposite of commercial."

For some people, Christmas in July is even better than the real thing, he says.

"Many people are close to emotional breaking point by December with the accumulated stress of everything that has happened throughout the year."

And the brutal Australian heat, he adds.

"By contrast, winter is an opportunity to rug up, chill out in front of a relaxing log fire, and share the experience with those you chose to be with, rather than those you feel obligated to be with."