On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me, eleven pipers piping, ten lords a-leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese a-laying, five golden rings! Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree!

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, twelve piupius swinging, eleven haka lessons, ten juicy fish heads, nine sacks of pipis, eight plants of puha, seven eels a swimming, six pois a twirling, five - big - fat - pigs !Four huhu grubs, three flax kits, two kumera and a pukeko in a ponga tree.

A Christmas celebrated downunder brings together customs from a range of cultures. European traditions of Christmas trees, carols, lights, gifts, stockings and turkey introduced by the English settlers in the late 18th Century are combined with New Zealand culture and customs of the beach, sun, berries, pohutakawa and barbeques. Whatever your heritage and customs, most families blend together their ideas to make their own unique set of Christmas traditions. Here are some we found you might like to adopt, adapt and make your own…

Santa Parades generally start mid to late November and are celebrated in most large cities. Without fail, Santa Claus makes his appearance in the last float, carriage, ute, truck or boat keeping excitement up throughout the parade. Suspense can still be high for children in the main centres when the annual Christmas concert, Christmas in the Park comes to town.  This superb free concert is the perfect opportunity to arm yourself with a chili-bin full of tasty treats and sing along to popular Christmas carols whilst sitting on a rug under the stars. Check out sites like eventfinder.co.nz and wotzon.co.nz and add the dates to your Christmas calendar.

Children can contact Santa with their wish list by writing a letter and posting it to "Santa Claus, Santa’s Workshop, North Pole 0001", ringing 0800 222 222 or emailing Santa through santashelper.co.nz – these elves even have a special mention for Cantabrians who may have lost their chimney during the recent earthquake to let Santa know so he can make special arrangements. If you visit the NZ post site and fill out their form before a certain date, Santa will write back!

Christmas trees are the strongest symbol of Christmas. Whether you opt for the traditional pine tree, artificial tree or Pohutakawa the excitement of decorating with tinsel, lights and an angel or star at the top is shared by adults and children. The first documented use of a decorated tree to celebrate Christmas was in Latvia in 1510, making this year the 500th Anniversary of the Christmas tree. Traditionally trees were decorated on Christmas Eve in anticipation of the following day’s festivities. However nowadays with the commercialisation of Christmas, it’s not uncommon to start decorating around the first week of December.

In India, mango and banana trees are decorated during the Christmas season and in China, Christians celebrating Christmas decorate their ‘trees of light’ with coloured paper flowers and paper lanterns. In Denmark, parents secretly decorate the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve and only show their children the final result before dinner when it is lit up. There is superstition around taking down your Christmas tree on the twelfth day of Christmas (marked as the Epiphany and dated as the 6th of January) and this is still adhered to in many European countries.

You can make Christmas decorations with your children and bring them out year after year. You can also make presents to give to friends, families and kindy teachers. Some are more for adults {link} to make but others you can get your child {link}  to help.

Some local communities have streets or areas that have become well known for displaying Christmas lights on their houses. For younger children this has a great ‘ooh’ ‘ahhhh’ factor, but it does need to be dark for best effect. So after dinner and bath, pack the children into the car in their pyjamas and dressing gowns and head off to see the lights. With any luck, they’ll fall asleep ion the way home.

The first known printed advent calendar was made in 1902 or 1903 in Germany to count down the 24 days until Christmas Day. Today most advent calendars are for children and are started on the 1st of December to mark the start of advent (the season including the four Sundays preceding Christmas). It’s most common now to find a chocolate behind each of the 24 windows with a larger chocolate available under the 24th window (you may have to draw straws with your children as to who can open the window on the 24th of December!).

There are heaps of opportunities to remember families who are less fortunate at Christmas. Either through the giving of new or pre-loved toys, food or your time, many charities have well advertised campaigns you may like to support.

Traditional Christmas carols, songs and hymns focused on the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus and over time have extended to include references to winter scenes, Santa Claus and reindeer. Leading up to Christmas, carol services are popular and vary from being held in cathedrals and churches to open-air candle lit events. Christmas songs that include references to a characteristically New Zealand Christmas include Te Harinui, Sticky Beak the Kiwi and A Kiwiana Christmas. Snoopy’s Christmas received huge popularity in New Zealand and reached the number one position in the pop charts in 1967! Although open for debate the most popular three Christmas Carols (judging by sales) are White Christmas, Silent Night and The Twelve Days of Christmas. Carols by Candlelight events are hosted throughout the country and are great family fun.

Remember it’s hard work delivering all those presents so both Santa and his reindeer need sustenance to keep them going! Feeding Santa and his reindeer on Christmas Eve is a tradition you can introduce to your children. Foods typically left out for Santa include Christmas mince pies, cookies, milk and if he’s lucky, a can of beer or a tipple of sherry. Don’t forget the reindeer either – leave carrots and a bowl of water outside for them. Sometimes those reindeer can be a bit naughty and poo on the doorstep, leaving behind droppings that look remarkably like raisins.

For eager children who can’t wait to open their presents, a Christmas stocking is an early morning treat and is typically filled with small gifts from Santa and hung at the end of the child’s bed or from the mantelpiece. Children can help decorate or choose their stocking prior to Christmas which adds to the excitement.

While the traditional Christmas festive meal of hot turkey or glazed ham, roasted vegetables, potatoes, plum pudding with brandy sauce, cake and mince pies is still alive, it’s not uncommon for families to opt for a summer version including salmon or ham cooked on the barbeque, salads, pavlova, strawberries and raspberries. If you can pull your children away from their new toys and the excitement of spending time with family and friends get them to help decorate the pavlova or dot your dessert with berries.

Typically Christmas plum puddings were made on or immediately after the Sunday ‘next before advent’, so four to five weeks before Christmas Day and the day became known as ‘Stir-up Sunday’. In keeping with custom, each member of the household (including children) gave the mixture a stir and made a wish. It was common practice to include silver coins in the pudding mixture, which could be kept by the person fortunate enough to receive them in their serving as they were believed to bring wealth in the coming year. Sadly due to the risk of choking, breaking a tooth and tainting the Christmas pudding this tradition has slowly disappeared, however there’s nothing to stop you adding an apricot, date or prune stone to your pudding and adhering to the tradition with adults.

Playing backyard cricket or tag after Christmas lunch can be turned into an annual Christmas sporting event with adults versus children (adults, try not ot get hurt!!!) or one family against another. It’s also a good excuse to expend a bit of energy after all that Christmas lunch! Alternatively a walk around the neighbourhood or a family bike ride can get you out and about merrily waving and calling “Merry Christmas” to everyone you see.

Proudly Partnering with Parents Centre

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