Aotearoa Summer!

3. A meringue-based dessert topped with fruit, named after a famous Russian ballerina.
6. Often called the "New Zealand Christmas Tree", it blooms with crimson flowers along the coast
7. A modest New Zealand holiday home or beach house (pronounced like the composer, but spelled differently).
9. High-pressure weather systems that typically bring settled, sunny weather to the islands.
11. The noisy insect that creates the "soundtrack" of the NZ summer with its rhythmic clicking.
12. The type of "invisible" radiation from the sun that requires us to "Slip, Slop, Slap, and Wrap."

1. The specific date in December (usually the 21st or 22nd) marking the longest day of the year.
2. A popular outdoor cooking method, often abbreviated to three letters.
4. The Te Reo Māori word for "seafood," frequently gathered during summer trips to the coast.
5. The iconic Kiwi footwear originally inspired by Japanese wooden sandals.
8. A coastal body of water where freshwater streams meet the salty sea—perfect for afternoon swims.
10. Relating to the rise and fall of the sea, which dictates when you can jump off the local wharf.