Are you new to New Zealand and keen to maximise the potential of our summer Christmas and its unique traditions? Read on to discover the key elements of a Kiwi Christmas...
Summer colour
Forget snow, holly and Rudolf's red nose. Sun and nature backdrop the southern hemisphere's festive season.
White sandy beaches are a favourite place to celebrate Christmas Day. Green foliage - the native bush where Kiwis camp, hike and get away from it all. Red flowers of Pohutukawa, the New Zealand Christmas tree.
Food
A day of family feasting spans 25 December. Preferably gathered around a big table on a sunny deck. Some imported traditions - English style ham and turkey. Others local, like salmon on the BBQ or hangi (food steamed underground).
The pavlova is a must at any Kiwi Christmas table. Be warned when dining with Australians - ownership of this sugary, kiwifruit -topped dessert is the subject of ongoing trans-Tasman debate.
Holidays
January finds most of New Zealand at the beach. Business slows down, cities empty out. If you haven’t done so already, combine three days leave with the Christmas/New Year public holidays and get 11 days work-free to kick off the holiday season.
And head for a 'bach'. The quintessential NZ holiday home. Simple summer fun near the sea, lake or bush.
Whanau
"An extended family or community who live together in the same area."
Build your own Christmas gathering. Reach out to workmates, neighbours, friends. Or join others to give back. Volunteer in Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch and help with a celebratory meal for people in need.
Christmas away from home is what you make it.
Combine your most precious personal holiday traditions with some novel ideas from your current environment. The result? A festive season that is meaningful and enjoyable no matter where you are.
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The author of this post, Bridget Romanes, is Principal at Mobile Relocation Ltd. Mobile helps businesses attract, retain and maximise the productivity of expat talent.
By sharing our knowledge through this blog we hope to help newcomers prepare and accelerate their adjustment to life in NZ.
Mobile designs and delivers expat onboarding programmes – finding housing and schooling, community connection, cultural awareness training, coaching, spousal support. We get expats (and their families) settled and focused on their new jobs and lives. Mobile’s mission is to connect newcomers with what they need to thrive in New Zealand.
If you’ve got a question or a comment, please feel free to get in touch via our contact page or message Bridget on Linked In.