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Sunny Side Up: A Kiwi Christmas
Swapping snowflakes for sand, sunshine, and a surfing Santa
What comes to your mind when you think about Christmas?
Is it snowflakes gently falling outside your window, a white blanket of snow everywhere, warm drinks by the fireplace, and woolly ugly sweaters keeping you nice and cosy? For many, Christmas brings to mind images of winter wonderlands, icy roads, and warm and cheerful family gatherings inside. Heck, even if you Google the word Christmas, all you see is winter-themed festivities, reinforcing your imagination of what Christmas should look like. But if you celebrate Christmas in New Zealand, you’re in for something quite different!
A Southern Hemisphere Christmas
In New Zealand, Christmas falls at the height of summer. Instead of dressing up in layers, Kiwis are more likely to be seen in shorts and flip-flops (or jandals, as they call them here in NZ). There’s no snow in sight, but the sun shines brightly, and the long, warm days are perfect for outdoor fun. Imagine spending Christmas at the beach, enjoying a barbecue, or going on a summer holiday rather than nestling inside from the cold. It’s a festive season that’s much more about sunscreen than scarves.
