Check out some of our favorite places to celebrate Christmas and New Year's Eve, both near and far. These videos and book excerpts will get you into the spirit faster than you can say "Auld Lang Syne."

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Brisbane is one of the largest cities in Australia, and it is also the capital of Queensland. It is considered to be the third most populous city in Australia, and it is also the most popular destination for international tourists. Tourism plays a vital role in this city and there are many tourist attractions in Brisbane, including the Brisbane Forest Park, Portside Wharf, Roma Street Parkland and South Bank Parklands. These are the major tourist attractions, but there are also many other things to do and see. Being in the warm, northern part of Australia, Brisbane enjoys a temperate climate that remains warm year round, and rarely dips below 40 degrees. It's location on the eastern, 'Sunshine Coast' also affords it lots of water sports opportunities, and beaches are located in the urban areas for locals and residents to cool off. Hotels are located strategically around the city to accommodate all the tourists who visit these places and are one of the main businesses in Brisbane.

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Despite the fact that 200,000 people in Australia's Queensland have been affected by severe flooding in the last few weeks, tourism officials are saying the region is open for "business as usual." The Telegraph reports that state officials are have pointed out that cities like Brisbane and the Gold Coast, as well as the popular Fraser Island have been largely unaffected by the flooding. 

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“Rest or die.” “A powernap could save your life.” “Fatigue kills.” “The only cure for fatigue is sleep.” When driving down the long, flat, straight roads of eastern Victoria—with only the occasional sheep or cow to keep you entertained—the highway commission’s signs are the only things to look at for miles. And they’re really getting their message out there. With billboards every few hundred meters, frequent rest stops and messages intended to scare some sense into drivers, Victoria is trying its hardest to combat one of the biggest killers on Australia’s highways: chronic fatigue.

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You may not know it, but ’Strine has had a large impact on Australian pop culture.

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