Christmas in
New Zealand
Celebrated: December 24-26
Signature traditions
- 1.Summer Christmas — temperatures in the 70s-80s°F (mid-20s°C) shape a beach-and-BBQ celebration
- 2.The pohutukawa tree — the 'New Zealand Christmas tree' — blooms with vivid crimson flowers in December
- 3.Beach BBQ on Christmas Day in coastal communities, with seafood, lamb, and salads replacing traditional roasts
- 4.Boxing Day on December 26 is a public holiday — sales, sport, and continued family gatherings
- 5.Pavlova rivalry with Australia — both nations claim the iconic meringue dessert
What's on the table
Pavlova and BBQ
A summer BBQ replaces the traditional roast in many New Zealand homes. Pavlova — a meringue cake with whipped cream and seasonal summer fruit (kiwifruit, strawberries, passionfruit) — is the iconic Kiwi Christmas dessert.
The iconic decoration
Pohutukawa tree imagery
The pohutukawa tree's bright red blooms — peaking right around Christmas — appear on cards, decorations, and tree-toppers across New Zealand. Coastal homes often decorate with actual pohutukawa branches.
How gifts are given
Father Christmas (or 'Santa') delivers gifts overnight on Christmas Eve. Boxing Day shopping is the traditional time for spending gift money or scoring sales.
Did you know?
The pohutukawa tree, native to New Zealand, is widely known as the 'New Zealand Christmas tree.' Its crimson flowers bloom in December — peak intensity right around Christmas Day — providing a uniquely Southern Hemisphere icon for the season. It's also a sacred tree in Māori culture, central to the homeland's identity.