By REBECCA WALSH
Wouldn't you know it.
Just when you thought you could laze on the beach and catch up on all that reading you meant to do during the year or head out to the golf course to improve your handicap, the weather packs in.
With New Year fast approaching, humid days are turning into sleepless nights and car trips are becoming uncomfortable.
And while the sun has been shining in parts of the country the chances of enjoying it, in winds sometimes reaching 100 km/h, have been minimal.
Sadly, there is more to come, with the MetService forecasting blustery westerlies and showers for the top half of the North Island and heavy rain for Northland today.
The MetService says heaviest falls are likely north of Dargaville, where as much as 12mm an hour may fall this morning.
A cold snap in the South Island will pull temperatures well below 20 degrees by tomorrow.
But around the country, golfers, campers and sun-worshippers are gritting their teeth and making the most of their holidays despite the wind and gloomy weather.
Camping grounds are full or filling up fast and golf clubs are busy.
John Tailby, manager of the Orewa Beach Holiday Park, said the odd shower had not put campers off and he did not expect any problems with bad weather.
Washing machines and clothes driers were working overtime at Raglan Kopua Holiday Park.
Manager Yvonne Owens said overcast weather had sent some people home a day or two early but others were still arriving and putting tents up in the drizzle.
"People are weathering it out. They are going into Hamilton for the day."
Numbers at Piha Domain Camp are expected to double before New Year's Eve but owner and manager Bob Anderson said strong westerly winds were probably putting some older people off.
"There have been no complaints. You can't do much about the weather. You have to keep smiling."
And while campers may be prepared to battle it out, the numbers catching a wave or suntan at Piha Beach are well down on previous years.
Shawn Wanden, head lifeguard for the regional lifeguard service, said the northwesterlies that had been blowing for almost a week had created big "messy" surf, forcing most surfers to abandon the west coast beach for the shelter of the east.
Low cloud had also deterred sun-worshippers. Normally about 1200 people would take to the beach each day over the holiday season but yesterday there was a crowd of about 400.
Rough seas and 30-knot winds in the Hauraki Gulf kept many boats ashore.
Joe Baker, custodian of the Maraetai Beach Boating Club, said it was the quietest Christmas in four years with less than half the usual number of boats out on the water.
"We are telling them to stay home or go to the pub.
"It's not nice being bounced around out there ... but we are hoping the weather will pick up so everyone can enjoy their holiday."
Commercial fisherman John Guinibert said 50 or 60 boats would normally launch into the Manukau Harbour from the Cornwallis boat ramp at this time of year.
But yesterday Mr Guinibert's two boats were the only vessels on the water, with the rough west coast seas putting everyone else off.
And in the South Island rough weather has kept fishermen off Lake Wanaka.
So, what happens when people don't get their holiday fix?
Wellington-based relationship consultant Suzanne Innes-Kent said people relied on good weather over the Christmas-New Year period to restore a sense of relaxation and when the weather did not deliver they felt disappointed and stressed.
"I think the issue is being cooped up inside when your expectations are leading you outside.
"There's definitely something about warmth and sun which is physically restoring and it has an effect on the emotions if you can't have it."
The issue was a particular problem in New Zealand with Christmas coinciding with the end of year and summer holidays, Ms Innes-Kent said. People had to cope with seeing their extended families and the "inevitable tensions" that created, as well as recovering from the year at work and Christmas itself.
"It's so much better if you can walk out the door in the morning and it's a warm and still day. You can catch that feeling of, 'Oh, life is good.' Bad weather prevents you being able to take that big breath."
Ms Innes-Kent is a firm advocate of a shorter break at Christmas and "everything shutting down" in the really hot weather in February.
But there is good news ahead for those not heading back to work. The MetService is predicting more settled weather in the first half of January with more fine days, lighter winds and warm temperatures.
Herald Online Weather
Sun battling to get through
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