New Zealand peacekeepers in East Timor and Kiwi staff in Antarctica find ways to celebrate, reports PHILIP ENGLISH.
From freezing countries in the Northern Hemisphere through the steaming tropics to the deep south of Antarctica, New Zealanders serving overseas experienced diverse Christmases.
For many it was the first Christmas away from home.
Some festivities were low-key. In Third World Asian countries where New Zealanders are getting rid of unexploded mines or working for Volunteer Service Abroad, there were no national Christmas celebrations.
Other observances will have to wait. Wing Commander Sean Bainbridge, an Air Force officer serving as a United Nations military observer in Kosovo, will not celebrate with local Serbians until January 7, the date of their Orthodox Christmas.
For hundreds of New Zealand personnel in the Middle East, Bosnia, Africa, Cambodia or Laos, Christmas Day was like any other.
The 600-plus soldiers of NZBatt3, the third rotation of troops to serve in East Timor, tried to brighten up the lives of locals at Suai, near the border with West Timor.
On Christmas Eve two truckloads of carol singers wearing Santa hats and carrying candles performed around the battered town.
They also sang at the main Suai Catholic church, the scene last year of a brutal massacre by militias of at least 200 people. A small memorial marks the spot where the bodies were burned.
More carols were sung back at the base later with Fijian soldiers and local high school students.
Some of the New Zealanders returned to the church for midnight Mass.
Captain Denise Mackay said that yesterday began with a surprise delivery of 350 freshly cooked and shrink-wrapped pizzas flown in by the Defence Force from Darwin.
The pizzas were shared between the Suai headquarters and troops in six remote outposts - delivered by an Air Force Iroquois helicopter of Hobsonville's No 3 Squadron.
Captain Mackay said the pizzas were to be served with a Christmas barbecue last night.
"I'm sure everybody is thinking of their loved ones at home and the fact that it is not a normal family Christmas, but everyone is really making the most of being over here.
"Of course, everyone has to remain vigilant. We all need to be ready to react if anything does happen so everyone's got their weapons and things, just like normal.
"But there is certainly a relaxed kind of feeling in the air today, which is fantastic."
At Scott Base in Antarctica, the main festive meal was held on Christmas Eve to give chefs and cleaners a day off yesterday.
"Christmas Day is a day off for everyone," said telecommunications technician Anthony Powell.
"It's been pretty much a sort of lying-back-and-relaxing day."
Two teams of researchers, including a group of students, spent the day camped out on the ice, studying penguins and other features of the frozen landscape.
Mr Powell said the weather had been good.
"For about the last couple of weeks the temperature has been sitting on about minus 4 degrees or so.
"Normally on a day like today if it's calm you can stand outside in a T-shirt for half an hour at a time."
Jungle carols and icy idyll
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