Ozzie's Aussie Blog

Australian Christmas Song

Dashing through the bush, in a rusty Holden Ute,
Kicking up the dust, esky in the boot,
Kelpie by my side, singing Christmas songs,
It’s Summer time and i am in my singlet, shorts and thongs

Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia on a scorching summer day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

Engine’s getting hot; we dodge the kangaroos,
The swaggie climbs aboard, he is welcome too.
All the family’s here, sitting by the pool,
Christmas Day the Aussie way, by the barbecue.

Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia on a scorching summer day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

Come the afternoon, Grandpa has a doze,
The kids and Uncle Bruce, are swimming in their clothes.
The time comes ‘round to go, we take the family snap,
Pack the care and all shoot through, before the washing up.

Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in Australia on a scorching summer day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!

What the words means

Holden Ute—Holden is a make of car (like ford, Toyota) and Ute rhymes with boot) is short for utility (utility vehicle).
Esky—portable cooler to carry drinks and food..
Kelpie—Australian breed of dog traditionally used to herd sheep.
Singlet—undershirt.
Thongs— beach type shoes not women’s underwear.
Swaggie—short for swagman; a drifter (person without a permanent place to live) who carried his swag (pack) as he travelled the country on foot looking for work. He was a common sight during the depression of the 1890’s and 1930’s.
We take the family snap—take a picture of the family with a camera.
Shoot through before the washing up—leave quickly so someone else has to clean up.