NEW ZEALAND: Surfing
to welcome Christmas -
in summer
It’s extremely interesting that locals in
New Zealand welcome Christmas by
surfing and enjoying BBQ in summer.
Because New Zealand is located on the
southern hemisphere, its winter lasts
from June to August and its summers
lasts from December to February of the
next year. Therefore, don’t be surprised
if you see Santa Claus surfing on the sea.
I
n this weather, people in New
Zealand like drinking cold
beer, eating BBQ outdoors
instead of enjoying familiar
turkey and hot chocolate
like in the winter. The entire
family will go for a picnic on beach and
go surfing before coming back home
and celebrating Christmas Eve with a
banquet of BBQ in the evening. A “Kiwi
Christmas” party in New Zealand is a
blend of traditional foods such as grilled
meat and a Yule log with new dishes
such as pudding, custard and salad.
Traditional Christmas trees are replaced
by Pohutukawa (Kiwi Christmas tree)
with red flower bunches, which look
like vivid balls. For inhabitants of New
Zealand, a authentic Kiwi Christmas
celebration must consist of two parts,
namely sunbathing on the beach and
having dinner under the shade of a
Pohutukawa.
Travelers visiting New Zealand these
days will be welcomed with Hongi
- unique nose kisses of the indigenous
Maori culture. By rubbing noses
together, they believe that they can
touch the other’s soul through breath.
After that, the guest is no longer a
stranger but becomes a part of the
community.
In New Zealand, there is a custom
which is similar to the x´ng Ɔt one in
Vietnam. They wait for the first person
to visit their house on the first day of
the year. If he is a tall person with black
hair, the family will have good luck
through the year.
TRAVELLIVE
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