Christmas in New Zealand

This article may not provide balanced coverage on areas outside Auckland. Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page. (December 2023)

Christmas traditions in New Zealand—like those in Australia—incorporate traditional Christian, British and North American Christmas traditions, including biblical and winter iconography, as well as modern and local customs. As New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere, the holiday falls during the summer months, so it is often celebrated outdoors with barbeques, picnics, and trips to the beach. New Zealand Christmas dishes include summer fruits and vegetables, a variety of locally-produced meats and seafood, and pavlova dessert. Pōhutukawa are displayed as well as the traditional Northern European tree. Christian church celebrations are held on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, with carols and hymns sung in both English and Māori.

Christmas (Māori: Kirihimete^[1]) became widely celebrated by Christians in the late 19th century. Today, Christmas Day and Boxing Day are both statutory holidays in New Zealand, and Christmas is celebrated by both Christians and non-Christians. While Boxing Day is a standard statutory holiday, Christmas Day is one of the few days of the year where all but the most essential businesses and services must close.^[2]