Christmas in New Zealand

Description

I grew up having Christmas in the Summer, not in the winter, so my childhood experiences of the Xmas holidays are quite different from most Americans.

Since we are almost coming up to the end of year holidays for 2019, I thought I would try and show you what a Kiwi Xmas holiday looks and feels like.

You all know the tune to Jingle Bells, right? Well the kiwis have their own version of Jingle Bells. New Zealand, and Australia and most of South America, Southern Africa and the South Pacific, do not have any snow to go sleighing in during the xmas season. The Australians have their own Jingle Bells song, but their words are different from the Kiwi version. This layout shows the Kiwi version of Jingle bells.

New Zealand does have its very own Christmas tree. The Pohutukawa (po-hu-tu-ka-wa) tree which blossoms in the North island during the summer. So with its bright red flowers and green leaves, it serves as our Xmas tree, even if we cannot decorate it inside the house. We use artificial trees or regular pine trees for the decorations.

I grew up with the summer motto in NZ being "Sun, Sand and Surf". Actually that sounds like it might have originated in Australia, but never mind. That is what i grew up hearing during the summer holidays. That later morphed into a different motto - one that was meant to be a SAFETY FIRST motto. It went like this. Slip - Slop - Slap - or Slip on a shirt, Slop on some sunscreen and Slap on a hat.

According to wikipedia, that safety motto now says this - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slip-Slop-Slap

But the essential thing to remember is that there is NO such thing as a WHITE XMAS in New Zealand. We don't get no snow at all - except for artificial snow that you find around the Santa grottos at the shopping malls. Instead we get temperatures of over 30 degrees celsius (or over 85 deg F) day after day after day.

Schools get their 6 weeks of summer vacation from mid December to the end of January. Many businesses close down for the week between Xmas and New Year. The Government definitely shuts down during this time. And almost everyone heads to the BEACH!!!

Kiwis usually stay in holiday cottages at the beach, if they own one or can rent one. Or they stay in caravans, RVs and tents. Some beaches provide fireplaces and grills for Barbeques. Others don't and you have to take your own BBQ grill.

It is not uncommon to have a BBQ meal at least once every day - usually for either lunch (and eat the leftovers for dinner) or for dinner. The other meals would be casual with cereal for breakfast and sandwiches go with the BBQ leftovers.

Jandals is a kiwi brand name for what americans call flip flops and they are the most common footwear on the bech. If you wear normal shoes, it is hard to walk with sand inside your shoes and sand can always get into shoes.

Togs (or swimwear) are usually worn under a shirt and shorts until the water is warm enough to go swimming.

Other activities available at some beaches also includes canoes and kayaks, surfboards (unless you bring your own) and many people own their own sail boats or motor boats. Water skiing is a common lake and beach activity. Auckland is called the City of Sails because it has one of the largest marinas in the southern hemisphere.

New Zealand athletes have won numerous medals at the Olympic games from the water sports such as kayaking, rowing, surfboarding and sailing. Not to mention many many kiwis have been professionally involved in major sailing regattas and races around the world. So many kiwis literally grow up in and on the water.

I cannot tell you just how important the summers are to the kiwis.

Supplies

Striped paper and red, green and white solid papers
Xmas day collab - Sharon dewi stolp
https://www.digitalscrapbook.com/collaborations/kits/christmas-day-collaboration-bundle-winter-holiday-red-yellow-green-blue-pink

pohutukawa near a beach - Air NZ
https://www.airnewzealand.co.uk/a-new-zealand-christmas

BBQ in NZ - culture trip
https://theculturetrip.com/pacific/new-zealand/articles/how-to-host-a-perfect-new-zealand-barbie-barbecue/

Merry christmas - from the christmas Store (in NZ)
https://www.christmasstore.co.nz/image-gallery

Jingle bells song - Kiwi style
https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/The-Polkadots/Jingle-Bells-Kiwi-Style