2003 Christmas Greetings
and a Happy New Year

New Zealand Jingle Bells

Dashing through the bush,
in a rusty Holden Ute,
Kicking up the dust,
Turkey in the boot,
Kids are by my side,
singing Christmas songs,
It's Summer time and I am in
my singlet, shorts and thongs.

Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in New Zealand on a scorching summers day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

Engine's getting hot;
We better stop for ice
Put it in the chiller
to keep the beer just nice.
All the family's here,
sitting by the pool,
Christmas Day the Kiwi way,
by the barbecue.

Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in New Zealand on a scorching summers day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!,
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

Come the afternoon,
Grandpa has a doze,
The kids and Uncle Bruce,
are swimming in their clothes.
The time comes 'round to go,
we take the family snap,
Pack the car and all shoot through,
before the washing up.

Oh! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,
Christmas in New Zealand on a scorching summers day, Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Christmas time is beaut!,
Oh what fun it is to ride in a rusty Holden Ute.

Christmas Day in Auckland

Christmas Holidays New Zealand style...

Christmas in New Zealand

Christmas is combined with summer holidays, so as well as present-buying and parties, families are preparing for trips to the beach for summer holidays. Shops are decorated with Father Christmas in his red cloak and white beard, as well as snow scenes, and Christmas shopping is often done in shorts and t-shirts. The New Zealand traditions of christmas have mostly come through the English settlers who began arriving the in the late 18th Century. In the last 20 or 30 years the persona of Father Christmas has changed and he is now referred to as Santa Claus and has become much more like the Santa of the United States.

The New Zealand Christmas tree is called Pohutokawa and its flowers are a brilliant scarlet throughout the Christmas season. Since Christmas occurs in summer, New Zealanders do not have a tradition of snow and ice. That, however, doesn't stop Santa who still visits the cities and towns while dressed in his red and white outfit. Small towns and suburban areas have Santa parades where community groups proudly display brightly decorated floats.

We celebrate the story of the birth of Jesus Christ with a special Christmas morning services and Carols by Candlelight during the week before Christmas.

The traditional Christmas dinner is roast turkey with vegetables and sauces. For dessert it is rich, fruity flaming Christmas plum pudding with brandy sauce. Mince pies, pastry cases filled with a mixture of chopped dried fruit. Another firm dessert favourite is the New Zealand Pavlova, a wonderful concoction made with whipped egg whites and sugar, cooked in a slow, low-heated oven and then decorated with fruit, such as kiwifruit and strawberries, and then piled high with whipped cream. Although Australia claims Pavlova for its own, it was created by a "Kiwi" who worked as a chef in Australia. Therefore, this fabulous creation is also claimed by New Zealand. ! New Zealanders often have their Christmas dinner as a picnic on a local beach. Tthe day is punctuated by swimming, playing Cricket and tennis, and other outdoor activities.

Many people in New Zealand will create a traditional Maori hangi. This is essentially a big hole in the ground which is heated with hot rocks placed in it. It's filled up with baskets of food, covered and then allowed to cook underground. By the time the food comes out, everyone is anxiously waiting for the tender pork, chicken, kumara, pumpkin, potatoes and stuffing. It's been said that there is nothing to compare with the total bliss of the taste of food from a hangi, delicately smoked and melt-in-the-mouth soft. Usually the hangi is served in the late afternoon or early evening. After the meal, folks often sit around singing carols as it gets dark.

Because so many people from the Northern hemisphere now live in New Zealand, it has become the tradition to have two Christmases, one on the 25th of December and the other in July, which is mid-winter. Many hotels, restaurants and homes put on the full Christmas celebration, complete with tree, gifts and of course all the foods which were just too heavy to serve in the heat of summer. In many small towns and villages, Santa visits all the children on Christmas morning riding on a fire engine. They hear him coming because the siren warns them to come out of their homes and stand by the road so he can toss candy to them.

The school year ends during early December and the next school year does not commence until about the end of January. As the children are on holiday many working people take all or part of their annual leave entitlement during this period. As well there are public holidays for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day. This results in a relaxed casual holiday mood being felt throughout the entire country from Christmas Day to late January.

Pohutukawa -- the NZ Christmas Tree