With Christmas officially upon us, we thought it was only suitable to write about Christmas in New Zealand. As a fellow expat originally from the other side of the world it is very bizarre to witness a hot Christmas day! It takes a while to get your head around it! The weather can sometimes make you not feel very festive. We certainly struggled with this in our first year here. But the more Christmases we have here the more we are getting used to it!
So without getting all D&M (that’s deep and meaningful folks!) on the issue I thought I would write this article in another way. For a bit of fun…you could say these are the thought processes of an expat who is about to experience their first Christmas in New Zealand. And you will notice in year two of being here, you will learn to embrace it – trust us!
Year One:
“It is so weird it’s hot at Christmas time.”
“Where is all the rain and the snow?”
“Where are the Christmas decorations? It’s October!”
“Can I wear my Christmas jumper?”
“Let’s do it, no, no…its far too hot for a Christmas jumper.”
“Can I send out my Christmas cards that have snow and robins on them?”
“What are you doing for Christmas? A BBQ? What!”
“We are NOT having a BBQ on Christmas day, I want my turkey.”
“Off to the super market we go… WHERE is the turkey?!”
“Ham? Who has ham?”
“Okay, ham it is. Let’s try this ham out.”
“But I still WANT my turkey.”
“A BBQ’d turkey? Yes! Let’s do that.”
“You’re going on holiday? But Christmas time is all about being at home with the family.”
“You don’t watch Tele on Christmas day?”
“But where is Top of The Pops?!”
“Cold beer? Okay, well it is too hot to drink mulled wine.”
“I am sunburnt.”
“Boxing day at the beach? Okay then.”
Christmas Dinner the Kiwi way!
Year Two:
“I am still not getting used to this warm Christmas.”
“Well, everyone is going on holiday at Christmas, I might as well too.”
“It’s October and I am so happy I don’t have to put up with these cheesy Christmas songs.”
“It’s hot, but I will still wear my Christmas jumper.”
“I will make my Christmas cake.”
“I will put up my Christmas tree.”
“I won’t be having turkey this Christmas.”
“I love ham now, it lasts for weeks.”
“BBQ and Beer, this is the life.”
“I don’t mind seeing these pictures of Christmas in England because I am not cold!”
“Okay, I am sold, I certainly can never have a Christmas in winter ever again.”
Comment below if you understand this! As we have said before your perspective on a kiwi Christmas will change just give it time! We have decided to stick to our old traditions (like making a Christmas cake and still wearing our Christmas Jumpers) but we have also recognised we like and embrace the kiwi Christmas traditions! There truly is nothing better than sitting on a beach on Christmas day rather than staring at the T.V!
Merry Christmas Everyone!