Love, Actually: Germans pleased to experience Christmas in summer

Auckland Airport welcomes thousands of people that return to or visit New Zealand to spend time with their friends and family at Christmas. We present some of these magic moments.

Bernhard Schoot is very happy to be in New Zealand for Christmas.

He's come from Hanover in Germany where they receive less than 8 hours of sunlight a day around Christmas.

"We are lucky.

"In Hanover it is cold and dark and now we have summer, it's very fine and long days and of course our family," he said.

Arriving in Auckland on Monday around midday, Schoot brought his partner Regina Winkler and daughter Katrin Schoot to visit his other daughter Heike Schwendel who lives in New Zealand now.

Schwendel eagerly waited with her partner Timothy Wenter and daughter Lena McLean for her family to exit customs.

Time dragged on as the flight was processed but Christmas cheer filled the room as the family entered the arrivals terminal with outstretched arms.

They were all very happy as it had been nearly three years since Schwendel last saw her family.

"My sister, it's the first time that she came out. I've been here 10 years... so it's fantastic," Schwendel said.