Christmas, Kiwi Style: How to Spend the Day in Auckland or Queenstown

If you grew up with Christmas in the northern hemisphere, the first one here takes some getting used to. No snow, no coats, no dark at four o'clock. Christmas in New Zealand is a summer holiday: long light evenings, a beach or a lake, and something cooked outside. Once you stop fighting it, it is hard to go back.

It is also the one day of the year when a little planning makes all the difference, because a lot of the country takes the day off. With a car from Evolve Rentals you are not relying on anyone else's holiday timetable, and the day goes wherever you want it to.

What is open on Christmas Day in New Zealand?

Less than you might expect. Christmas Day is a restricted trading day, so most shops must close, and that includes supermarkets. Dairies, petrol stations, pharmacies, cafes and restaurants selling food to eat, and souvenir shops are among the exceptions. Queenstown is one of a handful of tourist areas with its own exemption from the rules, but plenty of businesses still close for the day. The detail is on Employment New Zealand's page.

The practical rule is simple. Do the shopping on Christmas Eve, book any restaurant well ahead, and plan a day outdoors rather than a day of attractions. Buses and ferries run to holiday timetables, if at all, so check before you rely on them.

How do people spend Christmas Day in Auckland?

At the beach, mostly. The city empties out, the roads go quiet, and the waterfront feels like it belongs to whoever turns up. Mission Bay and Takapuna are the easy city beaches. Out west, Piha has the black sand and the big surf, and it is a place to swim between the flags and nowhere else.

If you want a proper drive, our Auckland day trips are all within an hour of the city, from Piha to the wine country at Kumeu and north to Matakana. And a picnic in Cornwall Park under One Tree Hill is about as Auckland as Christmas gets.

How do people spend Christmas Day in Queenstown?

By the lake, and with a view. Town is quieter than usual, but the scenery does not take the day off. A long lunch on the lakefront, a swim if you are brave, because Lake Wakatipu stays cold even at Christmas, and a drive in the long evening light is a very good day.

The two classic Christmas drives are short ones. Arrowtown is twenty minutes away, historic, leafy and very pleasant to wander. Glenorchy is 45 minutes along one of the best lake roads in the country, and a picnic at the head of the lake beats most Christmas dinners.

What should you eat for Christmas in New Zealand?

You can find a traditional roast if that is what feels like Christmas. But while you are here, try it the local way at least once: something on the barbecue, new potatoes, strawberries, and a pavlova whose country of origin nobody at the table should raise if they want a quiet afternoon.

For the road, a good pie is never the wrong answer, and our pick of pie shops worth the drive has the ones to know. Check their Christmas hours first, because pie makers have families too.

What about Christmas Eve and Boxing Day?

Christmas Eve is the busy one. The supermarkets are full, the car parks are fuller, and anything you need for the next day has to be bought before the doors shut. Get it done early and the evening is yours.

Boxing Day is a public holiday too, but it is not a restricted trading day, so the shops are allowed to open and plenty of them do. For a lot of New Zealanders it is the real start of the summer break, so the popular spots fill up. If you are planning something longer than a day, our December road trips from Queenstown are the natural next step.

What should you pack for a summer Christmas?

Sunscreen, before anything else. The summer sun in New Zealand is strong, and a long lunch outdoors is exactly how people get caught out. Add a hat, a jacket for the evening, because a Queenstown summer night can still turn cool once the sun drops behind the mountains, and togs for anyone brave enough for the lake.

And if Christmas lunch comes with a glass of bubbles, sort out who is driving before the first one is poured. Then enjoy it.

Getting the car sorted

Christmas is peak season in both cities, so book early and have the car in hand before the day. In Queenstown we bring the car to you, which nobody else in Queenstown does and which is the whole reason Evolve exists, or you can collect from us at 153b Glenda Drive in Frankton. In Auckland it is collection from the Grand Millennium at 71 Mayoral Drive, in the middle of the city.

Then book your car with Evolve Rentals, pack the picnic, and let Christmas be a summer's day. When it is over, New Year's, Kiwi Style has the rest of the holiday covered.

FAQs

Are shops open on Christmas Day in New Zealand?
Most are not. Christmas Day is a restricted trading day, so most shops and supermarkets close, though dairies, petrol stations, pharmacies and places selling food to eat can open. Queenstown has its own tourist area exemption.

Is Christmas in New Zealand in summer?
Yes. Christmas falls in early summer, with long days and warm weather, so most people spend it outdoors at a beach, lake or park.

What is there to do in Auckland on Christmas Day?
Head to a beach such as Mission Bay, Takapuna or Piha, have a picnic in Cornwall Park, or take a drive to Kumeu or Matakana.

What is there to do in Queenstown on Christmas Day?
Spend it by the lake, drive to Arrowtown or Glenorchy, and make the most of the long evening light.

Does public transport run on Christmas Day?
Services run to holiday timetables, if at all, so check before you rely on them. Having your own car avoids the problem.

Are shops open on Boxing Day in New Zealand?
Yes. Boxing Day is a public holiday, but it is not a restricted trading day, so shops are allowed to open.