When Leo Sayer was growing up, Christmas meant snow.

Or at least the promise of snow, just like his musical idol Bing Crosby sang about on his chart-topping hit White Christmas.

"I think that’s what I associated Christmas with," Sayer, who grew up in Britain but has been an Australian citizen since 2009, says.

"Even though it didn’t always snow in reality, when it did all come together, I think they are my greatest memories of Christmas."

The singer-songwriter and seventies pop phenomenon said that when he first came to Australia as a young performer Christmas was all about "people in swimming costumes wearing Santa hats on Bondi Beach – I found it all a bit strange".

Sayer got used to Christmas Down Under and now embraces our antipodean traditions from his home in Berrima in the NSW Southern Highlands, just down the road from Jimmy Barnes.

"I do see Jimmy from time to time, usually when he’s out walking the dog and I’m driving to the gym," Sayer, who had worldwide success with hits like You Make Me Feel Like Dancing and Long Tall Glasses, says.

And he says that while he loves spending time at home he loves nothing more than taking his music on the road, even at the age of 77.

Sayer will join the likes of former Wiggle Emma Memma (pictured), the Adelaide Philharmonia Chorus and many others at this year’s St John Ambulance Carols by Candlelight on 13 December.

The singer, a regular fixture at Sydney’s Carols in the Domain, said he was excited to be headlining the Adelaide event, which he had only played once before.

"Some of the people behind the scenes said, 'look, it would be really special if you just did the Adelaide carols' and I said, 'oh man, you’ve got me," Sayer says.

"One thing that struck me about the Adelaide carols when I was there was how young the audience was compared to Sydney.

"So many teenagers and young people there enjoying the night, it’s great. Everybody comes out and has a great time.

"And it’s in such a wonderful spot there on the riverbank. Whenever I come to Adelaide I think it’s a special town, a concert town.”

And for those who can’t wait for the carols to see Sayer, he’ll be bringing his Still Feel Like Dancing? tour to the newly renovated Thebarton Theatre on October 10.

"We’re coming to Thebarton – or The Barton as some call it – and Darwin and Cairns and Caloundra and Perth and it all starts in Broken Hill this weekend at the Mundi Mundi Festival," Sayer says.

"Who would have thought this would have happened, that all this time later I’d be playing in the Australian desert?

"We wrote music to satisfy the times that it was written for, but people are still enjoying it.

"You never think that’s going to happen, but you just grab the reins, hang on and enjoy the ride."

St John Ambulance Carols by Candlelight – the 81^st year of Adelaide Carols – will kick off with an afternoon of free, fun activities from 3pm at Elder Park. The concert, hosted by Channel 7’s Rosanna Mangiarelli, Will Goodings and Amelia Mulcahy, will feature a pre-show concert at 5pm and the main event from 8.30pm to 10.30pm, with a spectacular fireworks display at the end of the evening.