Viewfinder: New Zealand's Holiday Spirit

Author:: Pacific Standard Staff
Publish date:: Dec 27, 2017

Children and families enjoy the houses on Franklin Road lit with Christmas lights on December 1st, 2017, in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the 24th year Franklin Road residents have decorated their houses with lights for the Christmas season. — Children and families enjoy the houses on Franklin Road lit with Christmas lights on December 1st, 2017, in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the 24th year Franklin Road residents have decorated their houses with lights for the Christmas season.
(Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Viewfinder is Pacific Standard's daily photo feature, showcasing one image from the news.

African Heritage Dancers dance to the African Heritage Drummers during a Kwanzaa celebration at the Lincoln Theater in Washington, D.C. Kwanzaa is a pan-African holiday established in 1966 celebrating family, community, and culture through seven principles of unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.

African Heritage Dancers dance to the African Heritage Drummers during a Kwanzaa celebration at the Lincoln Theater in Washington, D.C.

People admire Christmas illuminations along the Meguro River in Tokyo, Japan, on December 17th, 2017. The illuminations, which encompass some 500,000 LED lights, will be displayed until December 24th.

Bystanders admire a Christmas display along the Meguro River in Tokyo, Japan, on December 17th, 2017.

Performers dance during the Lagos Street Carnival on December 3rd, 2017, in Lagos. Commercial activities in the bustling Ikeja district of Lagos were grounded as people danced along the major roads to celebrate the second edition of the Lagos street carnival, heralding the Christmas and New Year's period.

Performers dance during the Lagos Street Carnival on December 3rd, 2017, in Lagos.

Runners dressed in Father Christmas costumes arrive to take part in the annual five kilometer Santa Dash in Liverpool, England, on December 3rd, 2017. Many runners wear a blue suit, usually the supporters of Everton football club, rather than a red one, as red is the color of their bitter rivals, the Liverpool football club.

Runners dressed in Father Christmas costumes arrive to take part in the annual five kilometer Santa Dash in Liverpool, England, on December 3rd, 2017.

People walk in front of the Brandenburg Gate, decorated with a photo collage by the French street artist and photographer known as JR for German Unity Day, on October 3rd, 2018, in Berlin, Germany. The national holiday celebrates the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990.

The national holiday celebrates the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990.

Revelers parade through the streets of Lewes in East Sussex, southern England, on November 5th, 2018, during traditional Bonfire Night celebrations. Thousands of people attended the annual parade through the narrow streets until the evening came to an end with the burning of an effigy or "guy," usually representing Guy Fawkes, who died in 1605 after an unsuccessful attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

Revelers parade through the streets of Lewes in East Sussex, southern England, on November 5th, 2018, during traditional Bonfire Night celebrations.