A place for collectors of anything old and interesting!
Have a Merry Kiwi Christmas!
A NEW ZEALAND CHRISTMAS AT THE SEASIDE. New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16109, 24 December 1915
New Zealand's first Christmas service took place on December 25, 1814 at Rangihoua in the Bay of Islands, read more here and about the Reverend Samuel Marsden (1765-1838) here. In the mid 19th century, the 25 December was just another working day for many people in New Zealand, before some of the provinces (such as Otago) made it a holiday. The New Zealand History website also discusses the Kiwi Christmas and presents images and media on this topic. A Reader's Digest survey asked a sample of New Zealanders ‘Just what does Christmas mean to you and what do we treasure most', watch the video here. New Zealand classic TV Christmas clips can be seen at the NZ On Screen site. Stories behind ephemera collections dedicated to the silly season can be found at the site of the History Geek, including Merry Christmas from El Alamein and Xmas 1918. In the immortal words of Fred Dagg, "you don't know how lucky we are". And finally a song we all know, Star of Wonder, Merry Christmas!
Some NZ icons from the past shown below.
Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 140, 17 December 1935, Page 18
From Papers Past, Southland Times , Issue 10920, 24 December 1906, Page 3
Edmonds Sure to Rise factory and gardens in Woolston, Christchurch, in 1939
Manawatu Times, Volume XLXI, Issue 3487, 22 December 1926
Northern Advocate, 10 December 1927
Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LVI, Issue 9668, 21 December 1927
From Papers Past Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20735, 21 December 1932
From Papers Past Otago Daily Times, Issue 22142, 21 December 1933
Thanks to Mike for this festive Aulsebrook's Xmas Pudding bowl picture. See an original advert featuring the Aulsebrook's Xmas Pudding below.
Christmas parades have taken place in New Zealand since the early 1900s, see the NZ history site here
Page 18 Advertisements Column 2 New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22279, 29 November 1935
The D.I.C. (originally the Drapery and General Importing Company of New Zealand Ltd) was a New Zealand department store chain, founded in Dunedin by Bendix Hallenstein in 1884. With Christmas themed window displays and Santa, department stores made shopping fun.