we have xmas trees just like we did in usa. tho there is a native tree here called the pohutukawa that blooms around xmas with lovely red flowers, kin to bottle brush i think but much much prettier when they are all in bloom along a street. this is called the nz xmas tree.
we always have had a fresh cut tree but keeping it fresh enough is fun and games. our tree stand has a big bucket of water under it. we recut it when we get it home and plunge it straight into a bucket of fresh water overnight, then bring it inside and into the stand/bucket of water. that water is checked daily and topped up as needed. its not too bad actually. the temps here probly not much different to temps some folks keep their homes heated in winter there where it is really really snowy and cold. tho never having lived myself where it does snow in winter or gets really really cold i'm just guessing. i've been thru a winter where there is snow and it is cold but not in my own home so not sure how warm i'd have it. here we dont have central heating or air conditioning....unless you count opening and closing all the doors and windows in the house as the temps call for, lol. all that said, we do have snow in the southern alps in the south island and snow on our active volcano in the middle of the north island(i live up this way but not near the volcano). iirc there is still snow on the alps down south right thru the summer so if your hell bent on snow at xmas here it is available but ya gotta go to the snow. it wont come to you. we dont get snow here in auckland, sea level and we are set on an isthmus between two big harbours so no hope of snow even in winter. :)) the worst part of xmas weather here in auckland is if it is hot and the humidity reaches over 95% so drizzling. sends everyone inside out of the drizzle but still hot so all the doors and windows are open and we're all inside hot and trying to look happy as we shovel down the traditional hot xmas dinner. now that has always seemed odd to me but as i arrived here as the newcomer/outsider i just took what i was given for dinner and its never changed. i keep trying to get dh to go for cold meats and only salads but he insists we do it like his mum did it. hot leg of pork or lamb, roast vegetables, xmas pudding with brandy sauce, pavlova with strawberrys and lashings of whipped cream and trifle of course, we can not forget the trifle, lol. argh, now i'm full just thinking about it. we're doing ds and his g/f here tomorrow for xmas lunch early for them as they leave on the 20th for the philippines for 3 weeks. :( it wont be the same without everyone here on the day but they've made their plans already. gonna be mighty quiet around here on the day, only me, dh, dd and her b/f and ds and the cat who'll run and hide thru the whole day. so tho it is different in the south pacific for xmas weather from up north, we can give ya snow if you really came down south at that time for the snow. best time for snow here is in the winter tho. then there really is skiing down the side of an active volcano in the morning and you can drive a ways and swim in the pacific ocean...well if you're one of those crazy enough to like swimming in the ocean in the winter..some do,i dont. ewwwwwww too bloody cold for me. again, i run off on a tangent and give ya more info than anyone needs or wants. sorry bout taht. cheers, j.
"Taria" wrote in message news:RAo8j.11296$rB1.4750@trnddc03...