Step Back in Time: Tale of Two  Christmases - 1788 

I’ve always loved Christmas. It’s a season filled with family, tradition, and those little rituals that make it feel so special — from the food we share to the joy of being together. But recently I found myself reflecting on just how different Christmas must have felt for the First Fleet in 1788. 
 
Imagine the contrast of a traditional snowy English Christmas to  celebrating in the height of a sweltering Australian summer, thousands of miles from home, with meagre supplies and no certainty about what the next year would bring. By December, the newly established colony was already in trouble — crops had failed; grain stores were infested with weevils, and clothing and shoes were wearing to rags. The Sirius, their main ship, had sailed to Cape Town in September in a desperate bid for food. Life was precarious, yet still, the first fleet found ways to mark Christmas Day. 

🎄 Sydney: Ceremony, a Marriage, and a Baptism 

In Sydney Cove, Judge-Advocate David Collins recorded simply: 
 
“Christmas-day was observed with proper ceremony; a sermon adapted to the occasion was preached by the Reverend Mr. Johnson.” 
 
The Reverend Richard Johnson gathered the settlement together in the heat to mark the occasion. That day also saw the baptism of little Sarah Eggleton, and the marriage of Susan Gibbs and John Forrester — moments of hope and humanity in the midst of struggle. 
 
Later, Governor Phillip hosted dinner for his officers. It wasn’t lavish, but it was still a chance to pause, honour tradition, and make the day feel special. For those far from home, these small ceremonies must offer comfort. 

🔥 Norfolk Island: Dining with King 

Hundreds of kilometers away on Norfolk Island, Lieutenant Philip Gidley King struck a different note. His journal entry brings the day to life: 
 
“The colours were hoisted at sunrise, divine service performed, and the officers dined with me. Each convict received half a pint of rum and a double allowance of beef. In the evening large bonfires were made.” 

Portrait of Philip Gidley King, Governor of Norfolk Island (artist unknown, date unknown, oil painting). Public domain, courtesy of the State Library of New South Wales. 

 
Here, ceremony gave way to camaraderie. Rum and beef for the convicts was an unusual act of generosity, and the bonfires must have lit the remote outpost with warmth and cheer. For that tiny, isolated settlement, Christmas became a rare day of shared celebration — one that lifted spirits despite the hardships all around.

Kingston, Norfolk Island settlement (public domain sketch, late 18th century) 

✨ A Tale of Two Christmases 

Side by side, these accounts capture the contrasts of the colony’s first Christmas. Sydney’s was formal and steeped in tradition, marked by a sermon, a baptism, and a wedding. Norfolk’s was generous and festive, with rum, beef, and bonfires. 
 
Yet what unites them is deeply human: the desire to pause, celebrate, and find meaning. Despite hunger, heat, and hardship, the people of the First Fleet carved out a moment of hope and togetherness. 
 
For the First Fleet, Christmas in 1788 was not about abundance. It was about making the best of their circumstances, finding moments of hope, and kindling resilience — whether by sermon or by bonfire. 

💭 A Modern Reflection 

Thinking about those first Christmases makes me appreciate our own so much more. While the First Fleet faced uncertainty, scarcity, and isolation, they still found ways to make the day feel different, to create moments of connection and joy. 
 
For me, it’s a reminder that Christmas has always been less about what’s on the table and more about who’s around it — the rituals, the people, and the meaning we bring to it. And in that way, perhaps we have more in common with those first celebrations than we might think.