Family Festivals & Public Holidays - Information for NZ Parents

Festivals, Events, Public Holidays in NZ - note the 2011 & 2012 dates and what each holiday celebrates.

We aim to provide you with the history of each festival, and give you ideas for sharing the celebration with your children. Some festivals have very strong traditions, while others have evolved more recently. Why not use some of these festivals to share another culture with your children, and start a family tradition of your own?

This section is still in the growing stages, so if you are aware of an upcoming festival or cultural event that you think should be covered, then drop us a line and we will add it to this section. Happy Celebrating!

New Year's Day 1 January	Public holiday - Monday 2 January 2012
Day after New Years Day 2 January	Public holiday - Tuesday 3 January 2012
Chinese New Year 23 January 2012	Exploding firecrackers and dancing dragons - great fun! 2012 is the year of the Dragon.
Waitangi Day 6 February	Monday 6 February 2012
Shrove Tuesday Tuesday 21 February 2012	Aligned to be 47 days before Easter. Pancakes and fun mark the beginning of Lent (you could give something up and donate to your favourite charity!)
Ash Wednesday Wednes. 22 February 2012	The first day of Lent. Ash Wednesday occurs 46 days before Easter.
Valentine's Day 14 February	A day to make friends, family and lovers feel special Tuesday 14 February 2012
Children's Day Sunday 4 March 2012	A wonderful day to experience lots of fun free events with your family
St Patrick's Day 17 March	Wear something green, dance a jig and search for a 4 leafed clover - the kids will love it! Saturday 17 March 2012
Passover full moon in April	Passover is a festival celebrated by both Jewish and Christian families. Read Diane Levy's article here. A week long festival, starting Saturday 7 April 2012
Easter Friday 22 April & Monday 25 April 2011	Read all about the story of Easter here, as well as discovering fun craft ideas for you & the kids
Anzac Day 25 April	A time for us to remember and honour all of those who have lost their life at war. Public holiday - Monday 25 April 2011
Mother's Day Sunday 8 May 2011	A day to celebrate and recognise Mothers.
Youth Week 21 - 29 May 2011	Recognising the part that young people play in our communities.
Queen's Birthday 1st Monday in June	Public holiday - Monday 6 June 2011
Matariki new moon in June	A time to celebrate new beginnings and recognise the Maori New Year. Events happening around New Zealand are published here .
Mid Winter Christmas	Christmas really can come more than once a year. Instead of hibernating this winter - let's celebrate!
Maori Language Week in July	Celebrating the Maori Language in New Zealand.
Father's Day 1st Sunday in September	A day to celebrate and recognise Dads Sunday 4 September 2011
Labour Day 4th Monday in October	Public holiday - Monday 24 October 2011
Halloween 31 October	Scary costumes, trick or treating, lots of lollies and treats! Monday 31 October 2011
Guy Fawkes 5 November	Fireworks, bonfires and great excitement for the kids - just make sure everyone stays safe! Saturday 5 November 2011
Christmas Day 25 December	The biggest and most anticipated family day of the year, especially for young children. Public holiday - Monday 26 December 2011
Boxing Day 26 December	Another big family day. Public holiday - Tuesday 27 December 2011

The above Family Festivals & Public Holidays information is intended for NZ Parents and is regularly updated by the Kiwi Families team.

Festivals

New Year's Day

Waitangi Day

Queen's Birthday

Labour Day

Christmas Day

Boxing Day