![Gravy Day](https://www.daysoftheyear.com/cdn-cgi/image/dpr=1%2Cf=auto%2Cfit=cover%2Cheight=450%2Cq=70%2Csharpen=1%2Cwidth=1096/wp-content/uploads/hot-brown-organic-turkey-gravy-2023-11-27-05-17-39-utc.jpg)
Gravy Day
Honoring Paul Kelly's festive ballad, celebrating familial bonds and memories, adds a melodic touch to Christmas traditions.
Who knew it would be possible to show some love and appreciation for an incredible sauce and an incredible musician all on the same day? Well, most Australians knew because thatโs what celebrating Gravy Day is all about!ย
History of Gravy Day
Just four days before the celebration of Christmas, many Australians are busy enjoying another sort of day that has gained a rather popular following over the years. Commemorating the somewhat sad-but-beloved Christmas song by Paul Kelly, How to Make Gravy, this event takes place on the day mentioned in the song, December 21.ย
Those who arenโt as aware of Australian music might have missed this 1996 folk release, but the song tells the story of a recently incarcerated man, Joe, who is lamenting the fact that heโll be missing Christmas with his family. Since Joe is the one who usually makes the gravy for the holiday meal, he passes on the recipe in the song. As it turns out, the recipe for the gravy โ including flour, salt, red wine and tomato sauce โ is a real recipe that the songwriter had gleaned from his first father-in-law.
Gravy Day pays heed to this bittersweet song and the Australian tradition that has gone along with it for more than a quarter of a century!
How to Celebrate Gravy Day
Australians and people from all over the world can get involved in Gravy Day festivities by celebrating with some of these ideas:
Make Some Gravy
Sure, itโs a bit early for Christmas, but perhaps Gravy Day is just the time to make, or at least prepare to make, the gravy for the big holiday meal. Gather the important ingredients included in Kellyโs song, or choose another recipe from a family member or friend.
Play and Sing Paul Kelly Songs
Spend Gravy Day in a festive manner by singing a range of different folk, rock and country music songs by one of Australiaโs most well-known singer-songwriters, Paul Kelly. With twenty-eight studio albums, six live albums and still more compilations and video albums, there will be no shortage of opportunities to build a soundtrack in celebration of Gravy Day!
Start a playlist on Spotify, Apple Music or another favorite platform and begin with some of these songs, one from each decade of Kellyโs career:
- Before Too Long (1986)
- Careless (1992)
- Sure Got Me (2004)
- Finally Something Good (2017)
Tell Some Gravy-Themed Jokes
Enjoy some fun and silliness on Gravy Day by sharing a few lighthearted jokes that have to do with the topic of the day: gravy! Who knew that gravy could bring such a laugh? Get the kids involved to make it even more fun and consider some of these jokes to get started with:ย
- Why do I love gravy so much? Itโs my main sauce of affection!
- What did the gravy say to the mashed potatoes? You are a-peeling!
- How do mashed potatoes travel? They take the gravy train.
- What did the gravy say about the angry potatoes? Taters gonna tate.
Also on ...
View all holidaysNational Short Story Day
Get lost in worlds within words โ create characters, weave plots, and inspire imaginations. Reading and writing is a passport to adventure!
Look On The Bright Side Day
Seeing the sun even on the cloudiest day, finding silver linings when life throws lemons - that's the spirit that keeps us going.
We think you may also like...
National Fritters Day
Tuck into a whole variety of deep-fried, battered foods and sample snacks from all over the world, whether Japanese tempura or Indonesian pisang goreng.