How to Celebrate Australia Day

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Decide how you'd like to celebrate.

   There are many ways to celebrate Australia Day and all of them are good because you can catch up with mates.
   
   Probably the main "rule"
   
   if there are any rules, is just don't celebrate it alone! Get out there and enjoy it with lots of other people.
   
   Different ideas include:
   Attending an official event (concerts, award ceremonies, fireworks, parades etc.) Attending a local event (regattas, community barbecues, sausage sizzles, face painting, musical events etc.) Holding a party or barbecue at home Going to the pub for celebratory drinks Having a celebration at work Spend time at the beach or pool cooling down.
   
   Do this before an evening of partying
   - or make this the party too! Visit museums and learn about Australia's history Other.
   
   If you're stumped for ideas, check out the official list at A to Z of Event Ideas
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   Step 2: Dress up in Aussie colours.

   Use clothes, face paints, temporary tattoos, sunbrellas, jewellery etc. in a range of styles and colours to suit the occasion.
   
   For colours, there is a selection of possible colour schemes here:
   Red, white and blue to reflect the flag, with some stars thrown in; Wattle yellow and eucalyptus green reflecting past colour schemes and colours of the land; The colours of the Aboriginal flag
   - black, red (ochre) and yellow; The colours of the Torres Strait Islander flag
   - green, blue and white. (And perhaps the white dhari (headdress) symbol); A "national costume" of your choosing (hold a competition and award prizes); Anything goes.
   
   Provided you get up in time to make the celebrations, wear anything comfortable and a hat. , Many cities and towns have fireworks in the evening.
   
   Grab a blanket, a picnic basket, some food and drinks and head out at a reasonable hour to get a good vantage point.
   
   Take a radio if the radio show follows the fireworks; many stations add music that is timed to the fireworks. , Visit Sydney.
   
   See the boats in the Harbour by day and watch the amazing fireworks display at night.
   
   Visit the capital.
   
   Go and celebrate in Canberra, the heart of the nation.
   
   Here you can watch Australia Day awards ceremonies, attend picnics, see fireworks displays, enter a triathlon (or just watch it) or watch the Chief Minister's sailing regatta. , Hoist an Australian flag up in the front yard, hang it from your car or wear it emblazoned across a t-shirt.
   
   You can choose from the Australian National flag, the Aboriginal flag, the Torres Strait Islander flag or other Australian flags. , Bake up a feast of lamingtons, pavlova, koala shaped biscuits and meat pies.
   
   Make a cake in the shape of Australia.
   
   Make a pie floater or two for the 3am munchies. , Make craft items with the kids that reflect Australian themes, such as platypus masks, koala stuffed toys, kangaroo cut-outs and gumnut keyrings. , If you know how, play it for your local community (but note that in traditional Aboriginal culture only the men were allowed to play the didgeridoo).
   
   Donate funds to a local charity.
   
   Give them away as gifts, sell at craft stalls to enthusiastic Aussie celebrators or wear them
   - whatever takes your fancy. , Look online for sites that provide this resource and wish your fellow Australians a very happy Australia Day. , Play it, watch it or humour those who can't get enough of it.
   
   This is the season for cricket and tennis
   - when too much sport is barely enough.
   
   One time-honoured tradition is to catch a cricket game in the day and the fireworks by night.
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   Step 3: Watch the fireworks.

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   Step 4: Visit another Australian city to discover their celebrations for something different this year.

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   Step 5: Fly the Australian flag.

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   Step 6: Make Australian food.

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   Step 7: Make Australian crafts.

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   Step 8: Play the didgeridoo.

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   Step 9: Send an Australia Day e-card to friends and colleagues.

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    Step 10: Get into sport.

Detailed Guide

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