Christmas

I’ve already given you the low-down on Kiwi Christmas trees, but what about Christmas itself? How is that different from a good ol’ fashioned American Christmas?

It’s summer: There’s no such thing as a white Christmas in Auckland, unless, of course, you’re talking about white sand or white caps on the waves. Summer is in full swing and life is all about going to the beach, or the bach, or otherwise enjoying the warm weather. While I’m loving the warm (think mid 70s as the high) weather, it is also very, very weird. Its not that it was all that cold in Austin around Christmas time, but the fact that it is so warm and so, well, summery, is beyond strange. The long days of summer mean that…

Christmas lights aren’t a huge deal: In the US, entire neighborhoods band together to create impressive light displays. That makes sense as it gets dark early, and the bright outdoor lights are one way to make the long nights more festive. It is the exact opposite here. The long days seem to go on forever (especially with little kids who tend to sleep when the sun sleeps) and lights don’t make as much sense. Don’t get me wrong, there are some lights, and retail centers get dressed up and lit up, but I haven’t seen much in the way of decorated houses as of yet.

There are different carols: I was shocked at my kids’ school when I was handed a carol program of ten songs and I only recognized three of them. In the northern hemisphere, we just don’t sing songs like “Santa Wear Your Shorts.” At another caroling event, a familiar carol was sung to a different tune, completely throwing me for a loop. There has certainly been a learning curve on carols this year!

Santa appears at everything: I’ve seen Santa at school, Santa at the grocery store, Santa at the library, Santa at the mall, Santa in a boat, Santa is everywhere! And sometimes Santa isn’t a rotund old white man with a beard. There’s been quite a controversy this year over why Santa has to be a man and a lesser controversy over Santa as a Maori. It seems like there is a general obsession with Santa, though the kids seem to know that none of the Santas around town are the real Santa.

Santa likes beer: According to a few families we’ve met, kids put out carrots for the reindeer and cookies, milk, and beer for Santa. I guess we’re going to need to get a second mug for an additional beverage for next year.

Christmas pajamas aren’t really a thing: Outside of CottonOn, which has a huge international presence, I was hard pressed to find much in the way of Christmas pajamas. Farmer’s had a few, but nothing cute, and Kmart had a handful of cheap sets. This was a far cry from the racks upon racks of jammies at Hanna Anderson, the Gap, and, well, everywhere else in the States. Finally I picked some red and white pajamas from CottonOn, mainly because I could also get a matching set for the dog.

A lot of the big stuff is still the same. The focus of the holiday remains on family and presents. There’s a big Christmas dinner that is usually a turkey or ham. The larger shops gear up for big after-Christmas sales on the 26th. Church services are available, and Chinese eating establishments are open for business for Christmas lunch.