Mohamad said he feels sad for friends and relatives back in their homeland but is glad to be safe in New Zealand this Christmas, even if it means the family is missing their usual festive celebrations.
"We feel sad about what is happening in Syria, it is beyond our control and what can we do?" he said.
"There were many Christians in Syria and Darayya so our Christmas tradition has always been to visit our friends and neighbours who are celebrating the holiday. We would celebrate with them."
Mohamad said before the war, life in Syria was good.
"We were very happy and comfortable," he said. "Darayya was a beautiful city and it was very famous for doing the best furniture and growing grapes for wine.
"But it has been completely destroyed, all the houses are gone and 400,000 people were forced to flee."
Now the family has settled in New Zealand, Diaa wants to become a doctor and Ahmad a pilot.
"My children are continuing their studies which is the most important thing," Imane said. "Everything here is available for us, the children can study and my husband and I are learning English.
"Our favourite thing about New Zealand is the safety. No matter how long the day or night is, we know we are safe and nothing scares us."
Foreign Minister Murray McCully said New Zealand's $1 million aid money would go to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has been helping evacuate civilians from Aleppo.