Six Irishmen walk into a bar.

This might sound like the start of a joke but, as legend has it, it's actually the beginning of Christmas in July in Australia.

While this month is mid-summer for half the world, Australia is in the depths of winter and for many, that means it's time for tinsel, turkey and Yuletide tunes.

From its humble beginnings in a run-down hotel decades ago, Christmas in July – which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like – has become a beloved Australian tradition.

Those who pine for a wintry Christmas host parties where ugly sweaters are a prerequisite; pubs, restaurants and cafes serve up feasts with all the trimmings; and Santa treks out from the north pole to deliver gifts.

The trend has spread around the country and across the Tasman to New Zealand - even as far as the famous Santa Monica pier in Los Angeles, where the custom has been flipped to give homesick Australians a traditional summer Christmas, complete with prawn cocktails and lamingtons - an Australian cake.

"Don't get me wrong, going to the beach on the 25th of December in the morning is one of my favourite things," Vincent Hernandez tells the BBC. "But stuffing myself up with melted cheese in winter is also one of my favourite things.

"Now we get to celebrate it twice which is perfect… we get the best of both worlds."

It's hard to pinpoint exactly when and where Christmas in July began - there are some rumours the US actually pioneered it in the early 20th Century - but Garry Crockett believes Australia's national tradition began in his Mountain Heritage hotel in 1980.

One cold July evening, with snow falling........

© BBC