Across North Australia Father Christmas has almost become a bogan . Decorations for Christmas trees have also undergone a radical change from the traditional Star of Bethlehem on top and pawn broker balls of various colours . Instead of being located in Santaland , Toyland or an Ice Palace,the obese , jolly old man now greets children in a hut in a coconut plantation .
Doing some Christmas window shopping , a Little Darwin roving reporter came across the above display in Darwin. It sports thong wearing Santas ,some even inside snow storm containers. One Santa has a skateboard , another a mug ,presumably beer . It includes a wide range of Australian animals to hang on your Christmas tree-Koalas , Kangaroos , Echidnas , Penguins, various birds . In the array of Kangaroos at the left of the photo is one with angel-like wings ( a flying kangaroo?) and another seems to be sporting a wig like a Supreme Court judge...On closer examination, it is actually a kitchy Kangaroo Nativity scene , a baby kanga representing Jesus on a rock manger . Behind the roos,wearing a Santa hat, is an odd shaped blob which could be mistaken for a poisonous Stone Fish .
In another shop in the Darwin CBD there appears to be a display inspired by the 1980s sitcom , Kingswood Country. In that comedy Ted Bullpitt , played by Ross Higgins , had an Aboriginal garden statue called Neville , said to have been inspired by Senator Neville Bonner , the first aboriginal to become a member of the Australian parliament . The shop window scene shows a glistening black mannequin, wearing a Darwin top, holding an extremely fluffy Kookaburra which looks as if it has been through a washing machine .
In Townsville, North Queensland , the Castletown supermarket boasts a clump of imitation coconut trees in which is located Santa's Hut where children can have their photos taken , one of the elves tall enough to be a basketballer.
