A Very Kiwi Christmas Tree
It is the most wonderful time of year! We went in search of the perfect Christmas tree this past weekend and I thought I’d put together a little vlog to share our quest and some tips about how different US tress are from New Zealand trees. Even though we’re coming up to our third Christmas in New Zealand, it still doesn’t feel normal to be celebrating as summer ramps up - even though the weather is nearly identical to what it is in Austin right now.
If you are gearing up for your move to New Zealand, there are a few things to note about Christmas decorations as you pack:
Anything labeled “Christmas” will be pulled for additional inspection by MPI. Why? They’re looking for illicit pinecones. Do not bring anything made of pinecones. Other types of decorations - even if they’re wooden - will most likely get through with no problems.
I don’t recommend bringing US Christmas lights. New Zealand doesn’t run on the same power, and you might as well pay for a new 1000 bulb strand than any type of transformer or converter. Side note: the light strands here do not plug in end-to-end, so you’ll either need a really long strand or a power strip to plug in multiple cords.
Lawn and outdoor decorations are few and far between. Since it is summer time and the days are long, very few houses are decorated with lights. There are occasionally a large Santa and reindeer on a roof, but that number is small. Unless you are a die hard Christmas decorator or happen to have extra container room, leave the outdoor decorations in the States.
If you are a real tree kind of family, do bring your Christmas tree stand. Make sure you clean it thoroughly before packing, though! The stands here are few and far between and the lot near you may only have ones that are going to fall apart after one use. (Speaking from personal experience here….)
Merry Christmas!
