Jan n Neil

that like Christmas in NZ?

I like

• I can go shopping for any food I have forgotten on Christmas Eve and there are no queues at the supermarket (though sometimes the excitement has been heightened during such a trip by a major earthquake!)
• Yesterday (Saturday) I got car parking spaces everywhere I wanted to go, and there were no queues - I was quite shocked to see pictures from the UK press on the crowds
• Manic sales haven't started (if there is such a thing in NZ!)
• We have eaten Xmas dinner outside every year we have been here
• I don't feel obliged to pass round loads of cards at work
• It's not in everyone's consciousness from August onwards
• People do decorate houses and streets and it is still pretty if understated
• Being vegetarian there is a lovely choice of food at this time of year
• The dogs can play outside without bringing mud and dirt into the house
• The garden is full of flowers
• I don't feel pressured to be perfect host/cook/tree decorator etc
  

Snap Shot

Um, I haven't got a bullet point list however:

Me and my 'im will start the day with bucks fizz (the champagne cocktail, not the pop group !) with salmon and scrambled eggs for breakfast. Get sloshed and pretty much stay that way all day.

As we will have had breakfast in bed we will then open our presents whilst still in bed.

We will then lurch to the kitchen chatting and laughing to put Christmas dinner on so it's ready by lunchtime.

After lunch we will probably go for a walk then come back and chill.

The above can be relocated to Britain. So, yes, we just replicate what we would have done/will do at Christmas in either country.

So sue me.

BEVS

No.

Big Sticks likes it too.

Stormer999

Tops from me too

Tomsk

No, I'm with you. I actively prefer an NZ Christmas to the British version, everything seems fresher, less sitting around eating & drinking too much, more getting outdoors & moving, less commercialism, less queues, less crowds, less hype & build up. And the biggest for me - no spending pretty much all day in the kitchen, preparing & then clearing up after, a huge Christmas meal. But my children are young adults now, I suspect I'd be feeling differently if I still had littlies, but now it feels like my turn has come to have the easier, more relaxed Christmas of my choice.

scrubbedexpat094

Tis true, I do

MrsFychan

only our second one here this year so really can't say but atm moment can't seem to get into the festive spirit. House not as decorated as the house in UK would of been as husbands says its just to hard to get the pins to stay in the walls to keep the decs up .
agree its more laid back and easier to shop if you go out and shop, I mainly shopped on-line in the UK so didn't really have the problems of crowds. we will see, we are looking forward to Boxing Day as there is a music gig down on the beach so that should be good

Pom_Chch

Christmas in NZ gets a thumbs up from us as well

Picked up a couple of things today in Warehouse. Drove on the traffic free roads, parked the car, chose some stuff, paid and left all in under 30 minutes. The whole experience was so cruisey there was even time for a liquid lunch

Reylan

Us too!

Assanah

NZ Christmas is unspectacular. Nothing special.

I prefer the German Christmas. I love the special feel to it, everything is lit up, the streets are bustling with people, everything is decorated, the beautiful Christmas markets, the majestic churches, the old traditions, it feels so alive. Wonderful

Stormer999

Crowds and shopping Give me space and nature

j19fmm

I love it here because I'm with lots of my family, which I didn't have in the UK. Love that today we went for a family outing to Waitangi and sat outside having lunch. Love that we went into Paihia afterwards and had the most massive ice creams for next to nothing. Love that I can use the heat as an excuse to have a nana nap in the afternoons....
I confessed to my children last night that I didn't really like Christmas much, the whole present giving commercial bit, but I do so love the gathering of the clan bit

BEVS

Who hides in the bakery at Christmas?


A mince spy.

marblep

love it!

Stormer999

Plase.....no encouragement....