Festive greetings await at the Welsh bar celebrating Christmas in June

‘I wish it could be Christmas every day’, ’70s glam rockers Wizzard famously sang on their 1973 festive banger, well for one bar in New Zealand, it is Christmas – for this week at least.

The Welsh Dragon Bar in Wellington, the only Welsh bar in the Southern Hemisphere, is celebrating its Mid Winter Christmas this Sunday, June 25, for all those NZ residents and travellers down under who miss celebrating the festive season when the weather mirrors a UK winter.

Currently in Wellington it’s raining and around 11 degrees C, so a perfect facsimile then of just what it’s like in Wales on Christmas Day.

Of course, the seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere, with temperatures at their highest during December and January.

So instead of having a turkey barbie on the beach, the owners of the Welsh Dragon bar are offering special festive occasions for customers.

With their pub and restaurant decked out in festive decorations complete with a Christmas tree, there are plenty of tinsel and plenty of treats on offer for those who want a traditional Christmas experience.

GALLERY OF IMAGES FROM THE WELSH DRAGON BAR

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The pub’s Mid Christmas event on Sunday is already sold out, with a roaring fire to welcome guests who will enjoy a three course Christmas feast, which of course will include roast turkey with all the trimmings.

In recent years, the events have even included a visit from Santa and a Queen’s speech – from one of the regulars.

The bar is run by general manager Hannah Williams from Wrexham and co-owner Andrew Jones from Tonyrefail.

“I worked for the previous owners for around eight or nine years,” said Andrew. “They were looking to retirement so sold to myself and two of our Welsh regulars. Matt from Cowbridge and Angela from Brecon.

“Hannah is the General Manager and runs the pub amazingly.”

The bar is a real home away from home for the Welsh. There are flags adorning the walls, rugby and football shirts hung around the bar and plenty of Welsh refreshments on tap.

“As well as Brains and Wrexham Lager we also stock a large variety of Penderyn whiskies, gins, vodka and rums.

“We are always looking for ways to promote Welsh products at the pub, but being on the other side of the world makes the logistics of that a lot harder.

“We’ve been particularly excited to see the return of Welsh tourists to the pub in recent times. We have missed the accents, singing and humour over the Covid years.

“There is a Welsh welcome awaiting everyone in Wellington.”

Find out more about the Welsh Dragon Bar via welshdragonbar.co.nz