New Zealand
Christchurch in December
☀️ SummerPleasant and mostly dry.
Why December scores 9.7What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort9.4
- ✓Comfortable temperatures (21°C highs / 10°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point 10.5°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~48 mm rain)
- Air quality10.0
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~4 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline9.5
- ·Normal precautions
| Dec | Jan | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 9.7 Excellent | 9.8 Excellent |
| Season | ☀️ Summer | ☀️ Summer |
| High / low | 21° / 10° | 23° / 12° |
| Rain | 48 mm | 42 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 11° | dew pt 11° |
| PM2.5 | 4 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Christchurch Airport weather-station normals. Rainfall: Christchurch Airport weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Boxing Day 25–28 Dec · 4 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore ChristchurchEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyThe largest city in New Zealand's South Island, rebuilt after the 2010–2011 earthquakes, and a gateway to Canterbury, Akaroa and the Southern Alps.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
Waitangi DayEvery year6 February every year
New Zealand's national day.
Why go: A public holiday with community events.
Where: Nationwide
New Zealand Cup and Show WeekDate variesUsually mid-November
Horse racing, trotting and the Canterbury A&P Show.
Why go: Christchurch has a regional public holiday on Show Day.
Where: Addington Raceway and Canterbury Agricultural Park
Christchurch Botanic Gardens
Large gardens by the Avon River near the city centre.
Punting on the Avon
Flat-bottomed boat rides along the river.
Quake City
A museum about the Canterbury earthquakes and the city's recovery.
Transitional Cathedral
An A-frame church built partly from cardboard tubes after the earthquakes.
International Antarctic Centre
An attraction about Antarctica near the airport, which is a base for Antarctic programmes.
Akaroa
A harbour town on Banks Peninsula with French heritage and Hector's dolphin cruises.
Canterbury lamb
Lamb from the region's sheep farms.
Akaroa salmon
Salmon farmed in Akaroa Harbour.
Waipara Valley wines
Pinot noir and riesling from the wine region north of the city.
Hokey pokey ice cream
Vanilla ice cream with honeycomb toffee pieces.
Merino and possum knitwear
Warm knitwear from New Zealand wool and possum fibre.
💡 Outdoor and gift shops
Pounamu
Greenstone carvings, valued in Māori culture.
💡 Reputable galleries; ask for authentic New Zealand pounamu
Mānuka honey
Honey from the mānuka bush.
💡 Supermarkets and shops