Christmas in New Zealand

New Zealand enjoys summer holidays during Christmas season. Besides throwing out parties and buying and sharing gifts and clothes, visiting beaches is also quite popular among Newzealanders during Christmas season. Shopping malls try to woo their customers by making snow scenes and have Father Christmas dressed in his red cloak and white beard. It was in the late 18th century, when Father Christmas came here with the English settlers. In last two or three decades, New Zealand's traditions of Father Christmas have changed to resemble American or Irish Santa customs.

In the Maori culture, spirits and creatures of the Maori culture resemble the elves and gnomes of European Christmas traditions and hence, they play an important role in Newzealand Christmas celebrations. A special service is held to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Since, there are hardly any motels and many shepherds who tend to the flocks, the people of New Zealand insist on the true meaning of Christmas. Traditional Christmas dinner in New Zealand consists of roast turkey, vegetables and sauces and rich, fruity Christmas pudding with brandy sauce as Christmas dessert. People also make mince pies and offer chopped dried fruit mixture to their guests.