Am Loolah

Just can't get into it, 2nd one now and it's too darn sunny and hot.

nukiwi

This will be our first Christmas and some of the things we have seen look really odd. This is the Christmas tree outside the Albany Mall. Nothing wrong with it except for the achingly blue sky behind it. Not a cloud and full sunshine.

BBQs and garden furniture next to Christmas decorations

Looking forward to the experience.

Bo-Jangles

Bah humbug from me, we're not doing Christmas anymore. It's nothing like Christmas should be, I hate it, so we don't even bother with the farce anymore. With no family here, there's no point pretending we're having a wonderful time. So we'll enjoy the break from work and are going to Aussie for a few days holiday where we can be almost guaranteed to have some sun.

nelsonpom

this will be my 6th down under chrimbo and I love it. Like having good weather and not drissle or fog, miss big family get together but don't miss the arguements and there is always skype ....

luvwelly

My second one too and we felt like such a friendless lot last year, having to go to a hotel Christmas Lunch for some party atmosphere (i.e. the issue here is the lack of an extended family really)..that this year we have simply brought our departure on Summer Holiday (Christmas = summer duhh...surely some mistake) forward....when I do return to the northern hemisphere I will certainly enjoy Christmas more.

My massive tree that takes hours to assemble will stay in box this year - I have substituted it with a NZ$60 fibre optic tree from the Warehouse which took 5 mins to rig up and the 1m20 version works quite well when switched on....during the day though it looks sparse, so am currently buying various expensive Kiwi theme decorations of embroidered Kiwis, Tuis, NZ plants etc etc (rather than tacky santa on surfboards) and that will be it....plus a chocolate advent calendar. Your main summer holiday falling alongside Christmas is simply strange.
The supermarkets have already got mince pies, shortbread, Xmas puddings in but the weather's not cold enough for them to seem appealing. You can't get a turkey here easily at all and to me Xmas is not Xmas without turkey. Even award-winning Wellington restaurants serve up 'chopped and shaped' turkey steaks (yuk) rather than a genuine 'carved before your eyes' bird.
So I can understand where Am Loolah is coming from....if you can't beat them, join them but don't forget to buy the kids some presents...

Ash1

Our second christmas also. Really looking forward to it. I have banned the wife from doing xmas dinner as I cant see the pleasure of her being in the kitchen for 4 hours while I entertain the kids !! So its off to the beach with a bunch of other pomms to eat, drink and be merry whilst sunning oneself.
We always used to go away for xmas in the UK, somewhere sunny as I used to hate the fact that we would buy the kids new toys for outside use which most of the time they couldn`t use as it was raining or just miserable.
Bring it on i say.
Ash

CCGM.IN.NZ

Our third Christmas here and I must say that I am getting into the summer thing. I love the fact the the kids stocking fillers can be ourdoorsy stuff they they can use now instead of gathering dust waiting for the summer months, or should that be weeks, in the UK. I love the long break and going to the beach with a picnic, not sitting in some rellies house watching repeats on TV and everyone getting fat on yet another buffet. Yes I will put up my tree and decorations, snowmen and a 'let it snow' sign included . I dont miss the overcrowded shops of the UK, much more low key here, and the kids are much less materialistic. Two teens and neither of them know what they want from 'Santa'. In the UK it would have been the latest electronic gadget or new mobile phone, even if they did only get one last year. Yep I can honestly say I prefer Christmas here

Batty

This will be my fourth Christmas here. The first two were bah humbug which was no different to any other that I spent in any other country because I was always called the Grinch but last year I made the decision to enjoy it and it was great. We have to spend Christmas Day with the inlaws so on Christmas Eve we have our friends around and that's really my Christmas I'd really advise anyone in Auckland to go see the lights in Franklin Road - there are other places but wandering along there with all the lovely old villas decorated and the whole atomosphere of it is just lovely - you almost feel people should be wandering around in long dresses and top hats!

southerner

We're off to Uk for Xmas this year, so we are looking forward to the traditional northern hemisphere Christmas.

Christmas in NZ is not so much about the buildup, or even the day itself - but seems more about it being the start of the holidays. Kids get new bikes, boogy boards, in line skates and stuff like that, and are outside from early until you drag them in at dusk (which could be 10pm in the south). Obligatory for kids to stop mid afternoon for a bit of pav and boysenberry ice cream.

hazeandsteve

We're riding down to Wanganui Christmas Day for the Boxing Day racing. The campsite have told us it's compulsory to bring Christmas spirit, so I've plumped for JD. Not sure what Haze is doing, but a box of wine is easy to fit on a motorbike.
Turkey sarnies and a bevvy...

Last year we had rellies here, looking forward to this one much more.

shirl

Our 3rd Christmas and still can't get used to Christmas in the sun. We are going to be with the family and grandchildren but feel under no pressure whatsoever to have a dinner with all the trimmings. We will see what the weather forecast is and if it is nice we will BBQ. I suppose the best thing is if the kids have outdoor stuff at least they get to use them here. I so miss winter christmas and wrapping up warm on Christmas day. Still no pressure as they say!

Leccy-Lee

Afraid i am in the "bah humbug" category too sadly.
I really didn't enjoy last year, it just felt so wrong, no cheery lights on a dark cold drive home from work...

BBQs and all that, yeah some may love it. But i do miss a blighty Chrimbo.
That said, NYE last year was great, so roll on 31st

bourbon-biscuit

2nd Christmas for us and I couldn't vote on the poll because I'm "Christmas is coming but not here yet- when it arrives we'll have a blast- thank goodness in the Southern Hemisphere you get all those public holidays in summer and I like to vive la difference when it come to NZ Christmas and do it all NZ style ... including Christmas not arriving until mid December"

Fooferfish

Cracks me up every year, they put lights all over their houses an turn them on when it gets dark, and down south that could be 10pm and then go to bed, we used to drive past a place in Dunedin called the Griswalds, a posh housing estate where they go mad with decorations, and then there are so many cars and people going to have a nose, that we get a traffic jam in Dunedin.Still bazzarr having been used to cold Christmas's with snow back in late 70s, mind you we have been here over 3 years and will see a cold one this year as we fly back for 3 weeks, Christmas and new year in Poole Dorset, fish and chips on Swanage sea front, who cares what the weather is doing, i will be in my elliment, down to Cornwall for some Pasties and clotted cream scones yum.

Bring on the real Christmas, does make me laugh when you see cards for sale with robins and snow on them !!

Bizzarr

love30stm

yeah i must say I dont enjoy Christmas here, I will put my tree up on the 1st Dec though and bought some lights for outside. last year was our first Christmas and it was strange, I put Christmas songs on the cd player like I usually do , but didn't feel quite right ha ha..and I used to Love Christmas I was full of Christmas spirit weeks in advance , dont feel quiet the same in the sunshine does it we had cold meats and a barbecue last year.

I will be glad when its over actually, this year its just me hubby and kids, but I was thinking of doing a turkey this year.. incidentally a lady I talk to in a shop in town is English and has been here 18 years and she still says she dont like Christmas still here.

A friend who lives in Colorado has snow, lucky Devil and feels very christmasy ...