Christmas in New Zealand is not about the snow, woollen cardigans or bonfires. But, it’s about sunshine, beaches, barbecues and long fun summer evenings. To plan your vacation, it is crucial to know how New Zealand celebrates Christmas and what activities they have in store.
Christmas in New Zealand is celebrated during the summer season. It is a perfect blend of age-long Christian traditions and customs with outdoor activities, beach parties, barbecues, pōhutukawa blooms and a holiday that brings you warmth, leisure and family time.
From festive traditions to summer adventures and local events, Christmas in New Zealand is surely the most happening time to be around. Get a taste of global customs and regional life that brings the best out of New Zealand.
Christmas in New Zealand
Christmas in New Zealand is quite different from that of the Northern Hemisphere where it is cold and snows. Such a change in seasons affects nearly all aspects of the festival from the eating habits and the games, the routines of the families, and the events held around.
The Influence of Summers
Christmas brings with it warm temperatures, longer hours of sunshine, and a beautiful vibe with it. Families spend hours outdoors, you’ll find most of them either having picnics, barbecuing in the backyards, or heading to the beach for a swim or a sunbath.
Doesn’t this sound exactly the opposite of how we typically hear about cold wintry Christmas? Visualise the soft hues of orange during sunset while you’re swimming, playing beach volleyball or cricket, or simply, enjoying barbecues with seafood, lamb, salads, and fresh fruit.
If you plan to visit New Zealand, don’t stress about your currency exchange or forex, let Book My Forex handle that. You are only supposed to stress about which beachwear you should pack for a fun summer evening and late night barbecue.
Have conversations with the locals, go to public places or beaches like Mount Maunganui, Coromandel, and the Bay of Islands where you’ll find families and friends enjoying the sun, sea and meals – the absolute package!
The Kiwi Twist
While Santa Claus, decorations, and gift giving are popular, Kiwis bring a cool vibe to the holiday in their own way.
Pōhutukawa – New Zealand’s Christmas Tree
The native pōhutukawa tree blooms bright in shades of red in the month of December, and it is generally recognized as the iconic Kiwi Christmas tree. It is a popular symbol of the festive season instead of the usual evergreen conifer we have generally heard about.
Māori Perspectives and Community Values
For the most of the Māori households, Christmas is a holiday that focuses on the family, collective gathering, and spiritual reflection rather than materialism. It is a time when the church services, shared meals, and storytelling become the most visible and prominent activities.
Although Christmas is not a native Māori festival, it has been understood in lines with the Māori principles of unity, giving, and honoring the ancestors. Some places have Christmas carols and prayers in Māori language to keep the cultural identity alive even in a modern day celebrations.
The Beauty of Multiple Cultures
Pacific Island families bring in their touch through music, dance, and a big feast of the whole community. Whereas, Asian families might mix Christmas with local food and customs or simply acknowledge it as a cultural holiday rather than a religious one.
Such a variety of different things has widened the way Christmas is seen and it is not considered as one definite tradition but rather a common seasonal moment.
Santa and Seasonal Imagery
In New Zealand, Santa is usually shown wearing summer clothes such as jandals (flip-flops) and sunglasses due to the hot weather.
Local Music and Parades
Santa parades take place during November and December in different towns and cities. These events include floats, marching bands, and the local community coming together to celebrate the festive season.
Families, Foods and Festivities
While some families enjoy traditional roast meals like turkey, ham, and Christmas pudding, you can find many shifting to lighter options due to the warm weather. Some common foods are barbecued sea foods and meats like fish, prawns, lamb, and other grilled foods.
Seasonal fruits like berries and kiwis are cherry on the top, especially on pavlova – a meringue dessert with a light and fluffy texture. You’ll find people enjoying their evenings with these, playing and singing music and sharing stories.
For; most of the people of New Zealand, Christmas remains the perfect family holiday. The extended families reunite for BBQs, outdoor lunches, and fun. Local parks and green spaces turn into cheerful spaces where families get together for large gatherings and celebrations.
The community events are equally significant where local councils organize carol services and concerts in parks throughout December.
Summer Activities During Christmas in New Zealand
Beach and Water Activities
Going to the beach is the most popular ways to celebrate Christmas in New Zealand. Families lay out food on the sand, take dips, paddleboard or kayak, and make sandcastles while soaking up the summer sun.
You will find people enjoying sunset dinners, casual games like frisbee and surfing or paddleboarding. These activities bring out the best hustle-bustle along the coastline, that we are sure you would not want to miss.
Picnics and Nature
Not close to the beach? Try parks and picnics in different garden across the city that turn into a festive spot during Christmas.
Botanical Gardens, community spots, waterfront parks offers you scenic views for a leisure and laid back family time.
Travel and Road Trips
During the Christmas holidays, the majority of families take it as an opportunity to go on a country-wide tour. Rotorua, Queenstown, or some beautiful drives along the North and South Islands are the most popular choices of the people.
With pre-booked campervans and road trips, families go to different parts of New Zealand and still enjoy their Christmas vacation time.
Boxing Day
Boxing Day, on December 26th, is a public holiday in New Zealand and is often associated with sales and shopping. But it is also a great time for sporting events, like cricket, where the national team often plays a Boxing Day test.
Public Events
Christmas is not a one day thing in New Zealand but a season filled with events and cultural gatherings that are not supposed to be missed.
Santa Parades Across Towns
Towns and cities organize Santa parades throughout December. These colorful events bring communities together and celebrate the holiday season long before Christmas arrives.
Light Displays and Evening Activities
Neighborhoods decorate their houses with Christmas lights during the long summer evenings and nights, and families are frequently walking or driving to see the lights after dark.
Events such as the Festival of Lights in New Plymouth from mid-December to late January, is a hub for attracting people by their lit-up displays and the activities at night.
Christmas in the Park
One of the biggest nationwide holiday events is Christmas in the Park, an open-air music festival which takes place yearly in cities such as Auckland and Christchurch.
With the help of sponsorship of different events, there are enormous crowds that gather to enjoy the shows, fireworks, and tree lighting ceremonies.
So, Christmas in New Zealand is not just a one-day celebration but rather an occasion that emotionally and socially marks the season of summer. It brings to you the essence of leisure holidays, a change of pace, rest and meeting again with dear ones, while enjoying nature.
About the Author
Bhawna Nijhawan is the Content Manager at BookMyForex and the go-to person for creating engaging, informative content that resonates with the platform’s diverse audience. With over 8 years of experience in content writing and more than 4 years in the forex industry, she knows exactly how to simplify complex forex topics into something everyone can relate to.
