New Zealand Holidays - 2008

New Year's Day is the first day of the year in modern Gregorian calendar,celebrated on January 1st. In New Zealand celebrate this day with large street parties and fireworks displays,local councils usually organise parties and street carnivals and fireworks displays.

Waitangi Day is the New Zealand national day celebrated each year on February 6.New Zealand’s national day commemorates the signing of the founding document - the Treaty of Waitangi on February 6, 1840. Waitangi Day marks the coming together in friendship of the Maori people and the white European settlers.Official celebrations are held at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds in the Bay of Islands, Northland.Waitangi Day celebrated throughout the country.

Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Black Friday, Great Friday,this day commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary.Good Friday is the Friday before Easter sunday.Many church services are held in the afternoon, usually around noon or midday to 3pm, to remember the hours when Jesus hung on the cross.

On Easter Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ.In New Zealand, people attend Church Services over the weekend to celebrate both the death and resurrection of Christ and to mark the end of the season of Lent.

Anzac Day (25 April) is observed in New Zealand as a day of commemoration for those who died in the service of their country and to honour returned servicemen and women.25 April is the anniversary of the landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps at Gallipoli in 1915.On this day the country remember the 2,721 New Zealand soldiers who died during the eight-month Gallipoli Campaign.Dawn Parades and other memorials nationwide are typically attended by the New Zealand Defence Force, the New Zealand Cadet Forces, members of the New Zealand Police. Shops are prohibited from opening before 1pm as per the Anzac Day Act 1966.

New zealand celebrates the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II.In New Zealand, this holiday is on first Monday in June, and usually serves as the opening weekend to the country's ski season,the winter season.On this day The Queen's Honours list is released, which makes appointments to the order of New Zealand for services to the public. There are hundreds of recipients of these orders each year for a very wide range of services to the New Zealand public, from services to television to services to prisoner welfare.

In New Zealand, Labor Day is a national public holiday celebrated on the fourth Monday in October.Its origins are traced back to the eight-hour working day movement that arose in the newly founded Wellington colony in 1840. Its colourful parades served as an annual reminder of workers’ rights and Labour Day.

In New Zealand,Christmas comes in the middle of the summer holidays,so present-buying and parties, families are preparing for trips to the beach. Shops are decorated with Father Christmas in his red cloak and white beard, as well as snow scenes.Many towns have a Santa parade with decorated floats, bands and marching girls.The New Zealand traditions of Christmas mostly come from the English settlers.

Boxing Day is national public holiday in New Zealand, it celebrate yearly on December 26, a day after Christmas Day.Boxing Day got its name from an old tradition when employers boxed gifts for their workers on the day after Christmas.