I was brought up in the UK, where Christmas is rarely white (in the Bing Crosby sense), but it’s usually cold and gloomy. I recently moved to New Zealand where the seasons are reversed (so December is summer) and I have to say I am having a bit of trouble adjusting to summer weather at Xmas time.

A lot of ‘traditional’ Christmas imagery is oriented towards Northern Hemisphere weather conditions – snowy fir trees, holly, even Santa with his welly boots and warm get-up are all a bit alien when it’s 25 degrees and sunny outside.

I’ve seen kids books over here with stories about having a New Zealand Christmas – going to the bach, having BBQs etc. New Zealand has even invented their own version of Santa Claus – complete with shorts and jandals (flip-flops) – and a ‘Santa Kiwi’, a kiwi bird in a red Xmas hat.

This will be our second Christmas here and it looks like we’re going to have rain again. So, some things don’t change ;)