NZ and our long summer break - are we blowing it or are we a model for the world? Here’s what you say

Tuesday, 9 December 2025

As December rolls on, much of the country is moving into the so-called “Great New Zealand Shutdown”.

With many people heading to the beach, bach or back yard, a question resurfaces: are our summer holidays simply too long? In a column in The Post, Toss Grumley argued that the New Zealand summer break is too extreme.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, asked about the issue on Newstalk ZB, declined to say whether the long Kiwi summer should change, but said in the US, where he spent 16 years, workers “maybe get two weeks’ annual leave”, Christmas is “a couple of days off”, and people generally return to work on January 3 or 4. He expects to do the same this year.

And Simon Bridges, head of the Auckland Business Chamber, said there was “objective merit” in the idea that New Zealand’s summer holiday break is both too long and in the wrong place.

“There is a view that New Zealand just shuts down not just for Christmas and New Year but in many cases all the way through to March,” he said.

Bridges said he has spoken to international businesspeople who see New Zealanders as “life stylers,” more interested in their work-life balance than in growing the economy.

We asked you for your thoughts - here’s what you said:

For scrapping the shutdown

IgorS wrote: “I think that the holiday season shutdown of business operations has had its day. Staff should, within reasonable limits, be able to use their leave when they want to rather than having to use some of it at a particular time of year because their workplace is closed.

TheseusShip said: Coming from the UK, I've never got used to the extended holiday period. It probably does hold the country back a bit, but not so much as 'the number 8 wire' mentality. I love living here, but there needs to be a fundamental shift in culture if NZ wants to be taken seriously on the world stage.

Justapoint wrote: The time NZ “shuts down” is too long, it makes getting work done incredibly difficult. The same period summer holidays are available is the same period industry “shuts down”. The same period I have off to get the work done at home and the business are all closed…. This must be a killer in the world market. Obviously it ties in with school holidays as well. However what we cannot do or allow to happen is a shortening of leave entitlements - in fact they should be increased and allowed to take half pay and leave without pay options.

ShaneO_71 said: Clearly going to be in a minority here but as a business owner for 15 years most of my time from start of December to end of February was completing my contract(s). When I was employed, as a manager having to run a branch that stayed open while staff went on holiday was frustrating. My wife and I have always disagreed on this Christmas break and given that this time was also the time I needed to get things done for myself having businesses close is a pain in the backside. I don't advocate getting rid of leave or holiday entitlement I just think more businesses would benefit from being operational for more days.

silent_bob wrote: I hate being made to take time off over Christmas - I'd prefer to take my leave when I want - usually when things are a bit quieter when most are back at work. Company shutdowns are weird, you'd think most companies would prefer to make money all weeks of the year, not just mid Jan to mid Dec.

BMO said: I understand the reasons for having a longer break then re: the school holidays. However, I don't think business leaders should be able to make a unilateral decision to close and force everyone to take annual leave if they don't want to. I don't have children, and travel over December/January is insanely expensive, so why should I be forced to? If anything, it's a great time to get head down and stuff done when more people are out. Plus, we're a multicultural country where people have various cultural holidays throughout the year that they want to observe over Christmas - NZ is absurdly old-fashioned in this regard.

Against scrapping it

AndiS_11 wrote: We work damned hard to have this break removed.

DavidY_80 said: The whole country is exhausted. You can see it in people's faces, 2025 has drained the spirit out of many of us. So, a big rest and recharge is needed.

Solitudeflower wrote: Leave the holidays alone, people need this break, especially if you do a very physical job, people need to spend time with family.

RetroGirl1 said: Get your hands off our holiday!!! A few day trips to the beach and we shout ourselves some fish and chips or an ice cream. Life is tough enough without losing this remaining Kiwi thing.

TheBiz wrote: Hands off my summer. If you mess with that expect more people to leave.

brittneyb said: What is Luxon going on about? He is honestly living in a rich man's utopia where he is completely detached from the reality of being an employee on the 'shop floor' so to speak. Retail only closes for ONE day over the Christmas /New Year period. Hospo pretty much stays open right through, especially in summer holiday hotspots. My partner's business he works for only closes for a fortnight. Maybe parliament should all finish up work on 24th December at 5pm & come back on 4th January at 8am too?

Other points

NoT_12 wrote: As Luxon has worked in the USA he will also remember that their summer break is in the middle of the year, where ours conveniently falls at Christmas, if he wants to make a productivity change then open up Easter trading.

Grouse said: Move the shutdown/holidays. It’s hottest in January/February anyway.

trishs wrote: It’s the businesses’ choice to shut down… it’s not it’s government mandated. Personally I wouldn’t mind working through those two weeks and taking leave later in the summer.

Black Caps 76 said: You can't separate the 'long summer break' from the office/work place to schools. If the school calendar was to change, that would see flow-on effects for the office culture. Australia's schools have a similar structure to ours so we can't say ours are excessive. The reality is the Northern Hemisphere have their summer June-August. Ours is Dec-Feb. But offices saying 'circle back Feb' does raise the productivity issue over the Dec-Jan period for workers who don't have skin in the game re the schooling system.