Christmas in New Zealand is less about snow and sleigh bells and more about sun, sand and backyard barbecues. Over the holiday season we explore the Kiwi Christmas experience –
from Abel Tasman’s first New Zealand Christmas in 1642 to the declining
reign of the Queen’s message
Santa or Christmas parades began in the main centres in the early 1900s. They were established by department stores to promote the arrival of in store Santas, with the clear aim of drawing customers directly to their stores.
Before e-games, people played all sorts of games around Christmas time.
Some of these games, such as the ‘Light the cigarette race’ and 'the slave market', haven’t stood the test of time very well.
Come late December and thousands of Kiwis get ready for their annual
holiday. They look forward to lazy days at the beach or the bach (or
crib), games of backyard cricket, food on the barbie and the holiday
uniform of shorts, jandals and T-shirts.
Santa Claus made his commercial debut in New Zealand in 1894 when he took his place, complete with tree and toys, among the furniture in the Wellington DIC store on Lambton Quay.
George Sellars narrowly escaped serious injury when he was able to sway his parachute just in time to avoid crashing through the glass roof of the Winter Gardens during the Farmers' Christmas parade.
At Oihi Beach in the Bay of Islands, Marsden preached in English to a largely Māori gathering, launching the Christian missionary phase of New Zealand history.
