Have yourself a merry Library Christmas

Looking to get in the holiday spirit? Our collection is full of different ways to celebrate Christmas. Many of these can be accessed online in Trove, from anywhere in Australia.

From recipes to music, handmade decorations to present ideas, find inspiration for your holiday celebrations.

Festive flavours

Plan your Christmas menu with the help of vintage recipes.

For the savoury meals, find recipes for classics like roast chicken or baked ham, as well as more unexpected dishes like a ‘sea Santa’ made of a whole jellyfish or banana stuffing for your Christmas turkey.

Double page spread of a magazine with the left page including instructions for cooking poultry and the right page features a large colourful illustration of 2 roast chickens on a table with other Christmas dishes and decoration

'CHRISTMAS dinner Summer Style', The Australian home beautiful : a journal for the home builder, December 1949, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2985922305

Page of a magazine with a colourful photo of a roast turkey on a table decorated with flowers, surrounded by instructions for preparing poultry and meat for Christmas

'Christmas Meats', The Australian Women's Weekly, 16 December 1944, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47218935

Double page spread of a magazine showing 3 colourful images of savoury Chirstmas party dishes and recipes to make them, including a 'Sea Santa' made of a whole jellyfish, fish balls, hot and cold apetisers and Buckingham palace pies

'Christmas Party', The Australian home beautiful : a journal for the home builder, December 1951, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2985679825

Newspaper article with several black and white photos sharing a range of recipes for Christmas savoury dishes and sauces including roast duck, cheese straws, bread sauce and wine sauce

'Thinking of CHRISTMAS DINNER', The Sun, 9 December 1934, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230156896

Double page spread of a magazine with a large colourful image of a Christmas buffet spread made of various savoury foods, surrounded by recipes for the featured dishes, including mock ham, crabmeat mousee, bacon appetisers and savoury almond fingers

'Christmas Buffet', The Australian Women's Weekly, 23 December 1950, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47806519

Double-page spread of a old cookbook showing pages for different kinds of stuffing, including 'Almond stuffing for turkey', ''Banana stuffing for Christmas turkey', 'Celery stuffing' and 'sage stuffing'

he Woman's Mirror cookery book : a selection of 2,000 recipes from The Australian Woman's Mirror, 1937, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3079312289

There’s also no shortage of Christmas desserts and sweets, including hundreds of recipes for fruit cakes and puddings.

Double page of a cookbook, on the left page is a recipe for a celebration cake with fondant and on the right page is an illustration of the completed cake

Simpson Bros, 87 kitchen inspirations, 1938, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3073115753

Magazine advertisement for Copha vegetable shortening featuring a recipe for Christmas cookie and instructions for decorating them

'Advertising', The Australian Women's Weekly, 28 November 1951, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44552837

Page of a magazine with a colourful picture of a cake with green icing above recipes for various Christmas desserts including a light Christmas cake, nougat tablets and festive cakes

'Merry Christmas', The Australian Women's Weekly, 2 December 1953, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41080182

Page of a cookbook featuring an illustration of a steamed fig pudding with a recipe for it

Simpson Bros, Let's enjoy baking, c. 1940, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3069625386

Picture and article from a magazine, the picture features a box of Christmas sweets and the article contains recipes for marshmallows, fruit rolls, walnut creams, cocnut ice and more

'Christmas Candies', The Australian Women's Weekly, 14 December 1946, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47504553

Page of a magazine with recipes for summer Christmas desserts including snowballs, snowmen and nougat

'Summer Snowmen', The Australian home beautiful : a journal for the home builder, December 1949, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2985922446

This is just a small taste; there are thousands more recipes for you to find in newspapers and magazines online in Trove. Many vintage cookbooks are also able to be browsed online, thanks to a generous donation from the Australian Ethical Food Group in 2022.

Deck the halls with handmade decorations

Make your home merry and bright with handmade festive decorations. No matter your skill level or craft of choice, you can find instructions for all kinds of things to bring the holiday spirit.

Double page spread of a magazine which is entirely a photo of colourful handmade Christmas crafts, including cardboard Christmas Trees and paper Santas and angels

'DECORATIONS AND TOYS', The Australian home beautiful : a journal for the home builder, November 1954, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2985415294

Double page spread of a magazine with instructions to make various Christmas crafts, including a Christmas tree, Sanata Claus, clowns, animals and angels

'DECORATIONS AND TOYS', The Australian home beautiful : a journal for the home builder, November 1954, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2987153959

Page of a magazine with colourful pictures and instructions to make various Christmas greenery, including a mantlepiece, wreath and a festive tray

'Christmas Touches', The Australian Women's Weekly, 16 Decemeber 1950, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article43597294

Page with instrcutions to create Christmas decorations and cards, including a 3D paper Christmas tree

New South Wales. Department of Education, 'Handicraft. Christmas Decorations and Cards', The New South Wales school magazine of literature for our boys and girls, 1 November 1951, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-829989697

Page of a magazine with colourful pictures of homemade Christmas decorations, including Christmas horseshoes and a tree made from a net, with instructions to make them

'CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS', The Australian Women's Weekly, 14 December 1955, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48072072

Page with instrcutions to create hanging Christmas decorations and Christmas cards

New South Wales. Department of Education, 'Handicraft. Christmas Decorations and Cards', The New South Wales school magazine of literature for our boys and girls, 1 November 1947, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-836007092

See what other Christmas creations you can make with newspapers and magazines in Trove.

Ideas for underneath the tree

If you’re in need of inspiration for Christmas presents for friends and family, browse ideas in vintage advertisements.

Magazine advertisement for Goya cosmetics and toiletries for Christmas, including perfumes, talc and dusting powder, soap, bath salts and bath blossoms, with illustrations of the products and a woman in a red fur-lined outfit with a Christmas hat

'Advertising', The Australian Women's Weekly, 8 December 1954, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46946442

Double page magazine advertisement for MacRoberton's chocolates with the slogan 'For the sweetest Christmas' and illustrations of a family, different chocolates and holly plants

'Advertisement', The Australian Women's Weekly, 15 December 1954, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44554989

Magazine advertisement for J Farren Price showcasing their watches for Christmas, with illustrations of different styles of watches and the slogan 'The greatest thrill on Christmas'

'Advertising', The Australian Women's Weekly, 2 November 1955, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41856723

Black and white advertisement for Farmer's gift shop showcasing their different products that would make good Christmas presents, including poultry roasters, a tennis shade hat, shoes and a lighter

'Advertising', The Australian Women's Weekly, 25 December 1937, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52265195

Colourful advertisement for Mentmore fountain pens for Christmas, showcasing different kinds of pens and the slogan 'You'll say it better with a Mentmore'

'Advertising', The Australian Women's Weekly, 28 November 1951, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article44552853

Explore more Christmas advertising.

Or if those feel too generic, make your gifts more personal by crafting them yourself.

Magazine article about quickly made gifts for Christmas, with colourful images of the finished items, with descriptions of how to make them

'Quickly made gifts', The Australian Women's Weekly, 2 December 1950, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52328261

Magazine article with instructions to make hand-made slippers, three varitions are shown in a black and white image, being sifferent sizes and patterns

'Hand-Made Slippers', The Australian Women's Weekly, 24 November 1934, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46467087

Magazine article about making cute Christmas cards with ribbons, lace and embroidery

'CHRISTMAS CARDS', The Australian Women's Weekly, 26 October 1955, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article41856524

Newspaper magazine with instructions to make 2 types of bag to give as Christmas gifts

'Hand Made Christmas Gifts', Western Mail, 5 December 1946, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article36951206

Double page spread of a magazine with colourful images of knot toys and bags, with instrcutions on how to knit them

'CHRISTMAS GIFTS', The Australian Women's Weekly, 11 November 1953, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47114408

Newspaper article with instructions to make crochet and knit gifts for Christmas including a bag, belt, animal toys

'A HAND-MADE CHRISTMAS', The Sun, 13 November 1932, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230567718

Find more homemade present ideas.

Memories of Christmas past

Look back on Christmases gone by with photos from our collection. These capture different Christmas traditions and ways of celebrating, such as decorating your house with lights, going to church, exchanging gifts and Christmas dinner.

Group of 10 young children sitting under a Christmas tree with presents

Gypsy Pennefeather, Children under Christmas tree, 1995, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-143121718

Black and white photo of a man sitting on a beach next to a Christmas tree

Jon Lewis, Bondi Christmas, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-147363024

Black and white photo of a Christmas Midnight Mass service

Christmas Midnight Mass for the Croatian community of Canberra at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Braddon, 1996, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-143267231

A one-story house decorated with Christmas lights

Loui Seselja, A display of Christmas lights and decorations at a residence in Santalum Street, Rivett, Canberra, December 2005, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-131707516

Black and white photo of men sitting at a table covered in small packages in a room decorated with streamers and balloons

Frank Hurley, Christmas Day in the Antarctic Circle, 1929, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-143461304

Man in a Santa costume handing out presents to residents of Elderly Chinese Home, in a room decorated with red and green tinsel

Dave Tacon, A Chinese man dressed in a Santa Claus costume distributes presents to residents during Christmas celebrations at Elderly Chinese Home, Parkville, Victoria, 13 December 2009, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-138006530

Black and white photo of school children putting on a nativity play to a large audience

Olive Cotton, Nativity play, Cucumgilliga Primary School, 1957, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136348514

Black and white photo of two children opening Christmas presents, with two adults watching on

Suzon Fuks, Christmas, Avalon, December 1997, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136520977

Man in a Santa suit carrying a large sack over his shoulder walking along a train track with 5 children

David Dare Parker, Alf Harris the Tea and Sugar Santa and local children walking along the railway tracks, Forrest, Western Australia, 1989, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-137068251

Black and white photo of a family sitting around a table, decorated with streamers and balloons, for Christmas dinner

Harold Cazneaux, Cazneaux family on Christmas Day eating dinner around the dining room table at Ambleside, Roseville, New South Wales, December 1937, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-144168316

Dive into the collection to find more Christmas pictures.

Rock around the Christmas tree

Try out festive sheet music from the collection, including some written specifically about Christmas in Australia.

Sheet music for 'Christmas in Australia', with the musical accompaniment and singing

George Tolhurst & JBT, Christmas in Australia prize song, 1864, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-172831399

Front cover and fist page of 'The Victorian Chrismas Waltz by C Cutolo' music booklet. The cover features a print of many people dancing and socialising outside in a clearing in front of a building

Cesare Cutolo & F Grosse, The Victorian Christmas waltz, 1866, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-165183235

Front cover and page of 'Paling's Slected Carols and Hymns for Christmas' booklet. The cover includes pictures of holly around the title, and a list of the songs included, such as 'The first Nowell', 'Good King Wenceslas' and 'Hark the Herald Angels sing'. The page of the booklet is the melody and lyrics to the first verse of 'God Rest You Merry Gentlemen'

Paling's selected carols and hymns for Christmas, c. 1890, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-170996924

Front cover and first page of 'My Little Christmas Belle' music booklet. The cover features a red and yellow illustrations of bells and the names of the writer, composer and publisher.

Joe Slater & Ward McAlister, My little Christmas belle, 1909, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-176265943

Cover page and first pgae of 'Our Australian Christmas Song' sheet music booklet. The cover page features the title in a decorative font and editorial information. The first page of the music is tit;ed 'Our Christmas!' and has the start of the song for pianoforte, with lyrics starting a few bars in

Ernesto Spagnoletti, Our Australian Christmas song, 1863, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-168686125

Browse more Christmas music.

Activities and puzzles

Entertain yourself throughout the countdown to Christmas with different kinds of puzzles, including crosswords, mazes and word puzzles.

Christmas crossword puzzle with clues such as 'they are lit at Christmas', 'A Christmas hymn', 'The name of the mother of the Babe' and 'put into pies at Christmas'

New South Wales. Department of Education, 'A Christmas Crossword', The New South Wales school magazine of literature for our boys and girls, 2 November 1951, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-829992957