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Thread: What's Christmas Like in NZ

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Howick near Auckland
    Posts
    93

    Default What's Christmas Like in NZ

    Hi All,

    I'm sitting here in the north east of England with frost outside and looking at everyone's outside decorations. As this will possibly be our last UK Christmas, I'm just wondering what the NZ Christmas experience is like in what is - summer?

    Do people tend to go for 'real' trees?
    Do you get Christmas markets etc?
    Mulled wine is probably not popular :-)
    Chestnuts roasting on an open fire? (BBQ more like)
    etc..

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Hawke's Bay -New Zealand
    Posts
    526

    Default

    The latest survey showed that the majority prefer 'artificial' trees, but spray them with pine mist giving them the pine smell.
    Yes there are Xmas markets & plenty of Xmas sales in the shops.
    Depending on the weather, sometimes a bit unsettled, we have ham, potatoes & salads instead of the usual hot dinners of yesteryear.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    37,824

    Default

    The Christmas we spent with our family in NZ, there was the traditional opening of presents in the morning - presents which had been stacked around a real, traditionally decorated tree. Then we went to another relative's home, and on to the beach where we had picnic food at lunchtime, and the children played in the water, and took turns being towed round the bay on a 'biscuit' behind one uncle's boat. Then back to the house in the late afternoon, where there was a sort of running buffet of mixed salads and pies, and cold meat (including turkey), and barbecued meat and fish of various kinds, and fruit, and fruit salad, and the auntie had done her best to make a Christmas cake and Christmas pudding in our honour - both very nice, but not like the UK originals.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    California to Tasman Bay
    Posts
    1,137

    Default

    We get real trees.
    Christmas markets are plentiful, you'll miss nothing there.

    We spend Christmas swimming at the beach or river. Everybody hangs out all day in their togs. When we gather with family, we pitch our tents on the host family's lawn. Like Fern, we usually have ham, potatoes and salad. Might get the bbq going if we've got something special to throw on. Somebody usually has gone foraging or fishing and we'll have some kind of seafood whether it's paua, crays, cockles, snapper and/or fresh smoked kahawai. Even if it's rainy, it's not usually cold. One year, at my sister-in-law's house, we had a 6 family water balloon battle in the middle of a rainstorm. Last year, because of the ferry situation, we were unable to meet up with some of the family but had a great day with just SI family, friends dropping by, and swimming in the sea. It's very relaxing.

    I really love Christmas in NZ. Before we moved here, we'd come visit during Christmas and I thought it was fun but I felt I would miss winter Christmas. I really don't. We do a midwinter dinner with friends and that is when we bust out the mulled wine and all that jazz.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Waimauku near Auckland
    Posts
    502

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    Quote Originally Posted by relocate2014 View Post
    ...outside decorations...
    For outside decorations in Auckland, just google "franklin road christmas lights" and look at some over-the-top efforts.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    made it to the other side
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    1,343

    Default

    It can be what you want it to be
    Yes to real trees, lights (although you have to wait till it gets dark to see the full effect) traditional Christmas dinners -roast spuds and all (usually eaten in the evening when it is a bit cooler), crackers, Christmas pud or artificial trees, BBQs and salads for lunch

    It's the people that make the real difference

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Posts
    3

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    Good question! I was discussing this very thing with my two kids this morning at breakfast as this will be our last Xmas in not-so-sunny Portsmouth (I finally got my job offer confirmed last night for a company in Auckland). I never liked mulled wine anyway....

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    uk.now in gordonton,waikato
    Posts
    59

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    as this our last xmas here up in Cumbria,what I wont miss is the head/chest cold in the lead up to xmas,the chilblains on feet....what I will sort of miss is the possible chance of a white xmas...with snow not just freezing frost!.....what I cant wait for back hm in nz is the ham/salads/bbq warm days/nights,my family,friends..........'mad butcher' for bbq meats and manuka smoked ham mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm hubbie is like a kid in a candy shop,he loves the 'mad butcher'........its what you make it really oooohhhh cant forget to take the dog swimming with picnic for afew hrs... IM COMMING HOME NEW ZEALAND WOOOOHOOOO

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    37,824

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    Aw.... Smiling for you.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Howick near Auckland
    Posts
    93

    Default

    Thanks Everyone, it sounds like the best of both worlds - Christmas in warm weather and a mid-winder celebration if required :-)

    Can't wait to move - just waiting for my company to confirm a transfer - after three interviews via Lync (like Skype). The move will likely be to Auckland.

    Fingers and everything else crossed it will happen soon.

    For those moving to Auckland, we'll have to meet and compare notes next Christmas.

    (my username of relocate2014 may have been a little optimistic, but hopefully only by a little)
    Last edited by relocate2014; 6th December 2014 at 02:21 AM.

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