Purchase a bigger belt, stock up on prawns and clean your barby… Christmas in Australia has well and truly arrived!

For many blue-blooded Australians, Christmas (otherwise known as Xmas) is about catching up with mates and enjoying the summer weather. There’s cricket on the telly, cold beers or coolers in the fridge and plenty of warm-water beach days on offer. But as far as Christmas traditions go, we reckon the best one is unwrapping daily bonuses with Fair Go throughout the month of December. And what would be better than a casino advent calendar for this, right?

Otherwise known from the previous year as our Christmas Tree advent calendar promo, this is the number one way to get excited for the holiday season. All you need to do is visit our promo page to play. Then, follow the instructions to reveal a new treat every day!

Of course, there’s more to it than that. We just want to give you a quick sneak peek. For more information about our Christmas Tree promo, how to play it and Xmas trees in general, read on below.

The history of Christmas trees

Like various Halloween and Easter traditions, the humble Christmas tree has a history that’s rooted in ancient times. The ancient Egyptians, for example, might be credited with birthing the first version of a Christmas tree.

They worshipped a god called Ra, who was said to be struck down by a mysterious illness around December. Then, when their hawk-headed god began to get better, the Egyptians would fill their homes with palm reeds and rushes. This symbolised the triumph of life over death.

But it’s not a real ancient history lesson if we don’t mention the Romans too. They marked the solstice with a feast that was held in honour of the god of agriculture, Saturn.

They knew that when solstice arrived, their crops and fruit trees would become lush and bountiful. So to celebrate the occasion, they adorned their homes with evergreen boughs.

Ancient celts also decorated their temples with evergreens as a symbol of everlasting life. As did the Vikings of Scandinavia, who believed that evergreens were the chosen plant of their sun god, Balder. If you want to know who started the first modern Christmas tree tradition though, well, the credit goes to the Germans.

In the 16th century, devout German Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. They would then build pyramids of wood and even light candles on the tree.

This tradition was popularised by the protestant reformer, Martin Luther, who after walking back from a sermon was awed by the beautiful stars twinkling in the winter sky. This inspired him to recreate the scene for his family, whereby he erected a tree and added lit candles.

What’s better: real or plastic?

From the symbolic use of evergreens to the German tradition of setting the Christmas tree alight (with candles), it seems that most cultures have time-honoured customs when it comes to Christmas trees… and Australia is no different.

In the Land Down Under, plastic Christmas trees are still by far the most popular option. However, real Christmas trees are becoming more and more common. This begs the question - is it better to go plastic or pick a real tree?

Plastic trees are made from oil turned into plastic. They also usually come from Chinese factories which means that they’re shipped from overseas.

If that’s not enough, most plastic Christmas trees end up at the tip. So, to say that plastic Christmas trees are eco-friendly is a bit of a wool pull.

That being said, if you manage to reuse your plastic Xmas tree for multiple Christmases, then you might actually be doing the environment a solid. After all, it seems slightly wasteful to cut down a grown tree once a year and only use it for a few weeks.

But there’s a flipside to this argument as well. Real Christmas trees are grown on plantations and in nurseries, so it’s not like you’re raiding Mother Nature for a seasonal decoration.

Plus, these trees are often grown in areas that are otherwise unsuitable for other types of crops or trees.

Let’s not forget either that while they’re growing, real Christmas trees provide food and shelter for countless birds and creepy crawlies. They also absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, so there’s that to consider too.

In summary, it’s hard to make a call between real and plastic trees. Somewhere in the middle though is an all-Aussie alternative - buy a potted native tree.

Good options include Allocasuarina (She-Oak) or Adenanthos sericeus (Woolly Bush), which can be used for Christmas then replanted in the garden.

Then again, so long as you don’t cut down Kev the Koala’s gum tree bachelor pad, you should be ok no matter what you choose to do.

How to pick the perfect Christmas tree

For those of you who choose a real Christmas tree this holiday season, listen up!

You probably didn’t know this, but there’s a real art to selecting the perfect tree for your home. After all, this isn’t a plastic tree that keeps it shape and doesn’t drop needles.

With that in mind, we spoke with a few team members who’ve been using real Christmas trees for as long as they care to remember. Here’s their advice on how to pick the perfect Xmas tree.

1. Give it a good once-over

Picking the first tree that pops into your field of vision? That’s a rookie move.

If you want to find the ideal tree, you need to give it a good once-over. That means looking at it from different vantage points and angles. Your goal here is to assess shape, colour and fragrance.

The trunk should also be as straight as possible and barely visible through the needles.

2. Run your own fresh test

After appraising the Christmas tree with your eyeballs, it’s time to get handsy.

Start by touching the trunk of the tree. It should be slightly sticky, which indicates that its healthy.

After cleaning your hands, you can move onto the needles. Pluck one from the foliage and bend it in half with your fingers. If it holds its bend, then its fresh. If it breaks, it’s no good.  

A good Christmas tree should be a rich green too.

Anything that appears dull or listless is probably a dud. If you’re still unsure at this point, feel free to give the tree a shake or pick it up and drop it stump-first on the ground.

If it sheds a lot of needles or a sleeping koala falls out of it and at your feet, then it’s back to the Xmas tree drawing board.

3. Check to see whether a trim is needed

Finally, you need to check whether the tree will actually fit in your home.

Keep in mind that ideally, you don’t want to trim any branches or be required to cut away the bark. This will strip the cambium layer from the tree (the water absorbing part), which will in turn kill your once-lovely tree faster than you can say “Sorry, kids, Christmas is cancelled”.

Look for a tree that you know will fit. Take measurements before you leave your house and compare them to the tallest and widest point of the tree.

That should do the trick!

Everything you need to know about our Christmas Tree promo

Now that we’ve pretty much covered Christmas trees and their significance, it’s time to discuss the best part (in our opinion) about December - our Christmas Tree advent calendar promotion!

If you’re a big fan of surprises and you love to win extra goodies every day, this promo is for you. Help Santa locate all of his pressies and become a Fair Go winner this holiday season.

When does it run?

Our Christmas Tree advent calendar promotion is available to play each and every day during December. That means it’s valid from the 1st till the 31st for a total of 31 days.

How does it work?

Simple!

After arriving at our promo landing page, you’ll be greeted by a large digital tree. This tree is full of beautiful ornaments that Kev the Koala and Santa have decorated together.

In order to reveal a daily goodie, you just need to click on the ornament with a date that corresponds to the present day. For example: you can click to reveal a prize on the 10th of December by clicking the decoration with a “10” on it.

What can I win?

There are so many different pressies to reveal and treats to uncover - it’s really quite crazy. There are fun-filled stories, brain-twisting quizzes and of course… heaps of bonuses. From free cash bonuses to free bonuses you'll find all the goodies in the Fair Go Casino Advent Calendar.

Wanting to get more for your money? Easy as that! The Christmas bonus calendar includes deposit free spins, deposit bonus chips, and lots of fun! Exclusive xmas bonuses are waiting for you.

So don’t be grinch during December. Open the first Christmas gift, collect your daily cash prizes and win real money with 'em. Play our Christmas Tree advent calendar promotion throughout the month to avoid getting a lump of coal.