Christmas is Summertime in Antarctica!

Because Antarctica is in the Southern Hemisphere, the opposite of America, they have a real Christmas in July Sale type of thing going on! It's Summer, but it's still December, and cold. However, there are 24 hours of daylight on Christmas Day.

In addition, some years, Christmas is celebrated in McMurdo Research Station in both July (winter) and December (summer) - twice!

For researchers at the scientific station and its outposts, Christmas dinner is a meal of dehydrated food or maybe a full dinner with a ham or even a buffet.

When holidays are celebrated with scientists from around the world, it's all fun, though. McMurdo Station, the largest research center and the size of a small city, is much like an urban center. It sees traditions from many countries and has formed some new ones for Christmas - like jumping in the cold water.

At McMurdo Station, the biggest research center on the continent, the place is so large that people living there must sign up ahead of time for reservations at the Christmas Buffet.

There are parties, caroling, and sometimes outdoor activities. At some outposts, the scientists and crew spray-paint metal cables in Christmas Colors.

Artificial trees are used at the big station to cut costs on shipping in live ones that die over the holiday.

Antarctic Stations have nightclubs and McMurdo offers the Erebus Club, Gallagher's Pub, and the Coffee Shop.

The Coffee Shop is non-smoking and the others offer non-smoking nights. The first two clubs are more traditional night clubs, with louder music.

Scott Base, a New Zealand station, houses only about 100 people instead of the 1200 at McMurdo, so their pub is smaller and quieter. Christmas is cozy.

Palmer Base houses only about 43, so Christmas is like a sardine can there, but they find ways to celebrate and can visit Scott Base and McMurdo. The holiday season at Palmer Station often starts in mid-December. A sugar cookie bake off is often part of the opening activities. Then Christmas music is played in the station's store for the season. An elf may bring each person a red and green stocking and a jingle bell ornament or other present when they least suspect it. Sometimes large cooking implements or scientific equipment pieces - even broken boat parts - are hung from the mess hall ceiling with red ribbons.

McMurdo Station is realy a small city under cover, so Christmas is like Christmas elsewhere. The scientists and staff celebrate in the manner that they do at thome and they often get together to share their traditions in one large celebration.

Other global winter holidays are celebrated as well.

Christmas is not forgotten in Antarctica!