Every year, as December rolls around, most of us start counting down the days until the classic Kiwi summer holiday. Whether you’re heading to the bach, going camping, or just planning to melt into a beach towel for a week, the long summer break feels like a built-in part of being a New Zealander.
But… how did it get so long? And are our holidays too long?
A very Kiwi tradition
Cultural historian Richard Wolfe says leaving town over Christmas and January has become a massive part of Kiwi identity — practically a rite of passage.
The NZ History site even calls our summer downtime an “end-of-year prize for being a New Zealander.”
But not everyone is convinced.
A LinkedIn post from business adviser Toss Grumley went viral recently after he questioned why NZ “shuts down” for weeks on end.
He asked why “no business discussion can happen for about ten weeks.” Cue: a national debate.
Even PM Christopher Luxon weighed in, saying that overseas — especially in the US — people usually take just a couple of days off for Christmas, then head straight back to work.
So how did the long break actually start?
A few reasons:
1. The weather
We’re in the Southern Hemisphere — Christmas happens in the middle of summer. Perfect for beaches, bbqs and camping. Unlike Europe or North America, where it’s freezing.
2. Holidays became a legal right
- As far back as the 1860s, even gold miners took time off over Christmas/New Year.
- In 1944, the Annual Holidays Act guaranteed workers two weeks of paid leave.
- Today, NZ workers get at least four weeks.
3. The beach is always close
Because no part of NZ is more than 120 km from the coast, beaches and baches naturally became the summer go-to.
Add post-war prosperity in the 1950s + more families owning cars = summer holidays boomed.
But does NZ really shut down?
Not exactly.
Retail, hospitality, healthcare, police, power companies — plenty of people still work right through Christmas and New Year.
Farms? Summer is their busy season.
But many offices do close for weeks, and for some people, that’s vital.
Productivity vs. wellbeing
Grumley argues the long break hurts productivity.
Others say the opposite — that Kiwis are exhausted by the end of the year and the long pause helps us reset.
The Public Service Association says holidays are crucial for workers’ mental health and family time.
And with NZ’s long-hours culture and rising stress levels, they argue cutting holidays would only make things worse.
Some even suggest that as the climate warms, summer breaks may become more important for people’s wellbeing.
So… are our summer holidays too long?
It depends who you ask.
What’s clear is that the long Kiwi summer started with our climate, work laws, and holiday traditions — and over time, it’s become a defining part of who we are.
Love it or hate it, the great Kiwi summer break isn’t going away anytime soon.
TIN Bureau