Christmas in New Zealand

[Dell]

It is Christmas Eve here in New Zealand. If I didn't hear Christmas music in shops, I'd forget it is Christmas. Television Christmas commercials didn't start until a week ago - and even then, not very often. I've had the television on for an hour this evening and have yet to see a Christmas commercial. The bank had a pine branch leaning against the wall with a few ornaments on it and I don't remember seeing more than one or two Christmas tree lots in the past two weeks. I love the fact the crass commercialism that has become Christmas is not being shoved down our throats in NZ.

[MetalSoul]

Oh my, me too Dell!! The immense pressure I used to feel in the UK just hasn't happened here....buying excess food that gets wasted......presents that nobody wants....

I was dreading Xmas food shopping having had the nightmare of queues going to the back of the shop........you'd never know here......a few piles of crackers and nuts and no hours of waiting to pay.....it was such a relief

[Dell]

Oh my, me too Dell!! The immense pressure I used to feel in the UK just hasn't happened here....buying excess food that gets wasted......presents that nobody wants....

I was dreading Xmas food shopping having had the nightmare of queues going to the back of the shop........you'd never know here......a few piles of crackers and nuts and no hours of waiting to pay.....it was such a relief

Aren't we lucky! I drove from Whangarei to Hamilton today and saw a long line of vehicles heading north, loaded down with kayaks, tents, boats, bikes and kids.

[mikeandcaroline]

Yes, you are lucky Having had a NZ Christmas last year we know what you mean. The busiest we saw last year was the Warehouse in Rotorua on Christmas Eve, but that was still laid back.

Merry Christmas.

[Marky123]

I can't wait.One of our friends was at asda's at 12.45 this morning!!!! and he had to wait for a parking space.

[TeamBacon]

It sounds wonderful! Everything is crazy-commercialized in the States. We had months of election ads, and the day after the election EVERYTHING was all about Christmas. Election day was 6 November.

Sounds as if next Christmas in New Zealand will be a dream; we'll say farewell to -1 degree-weather and join you in a few weeks!

[MetalSoul]

Aren't we lucky! I drove from Whangarei to Hamilton today and saw a long line of vehicles heading north, loaded down with kayaks, tents, boats, bikes and kids.

Still better than the UK by a country mile

[alan999]

Christmas for me is the thing New Zealand does worst for me- and I'm not talking about "crass commercialism" here. I'm talking cold, crisp, dark evenings with at least the hope of snow. The smell of dinner being cooked, all that sort of stuff. Even if it isn't cold and crisp, miserable and wet will do, just so that it's good to be inside looking out. So why don't I go back for Christmas? Can't afford to although I did last year and it didn't disappoint.
Never mind, soon be over and I can enjoy what NZ does best for another 12 months.
Merry Christmas, Alan.

[dharder]

. Even if it isn't cold and crisp, miserable and wet will do

Well there's certainly enough of that when I look out of the window...

Daniela

[Xaviera]

Well there's certainly enough of that when I look out of the window...

Daniela

Not in napier - cloudy and dull am but a lovely warm afternoon