While many of us tuck into our Christmas dinners at home, the festivities are a bit different for our Defence Force personnel stationed overseas.
The Defence Force works to keep New Zealand safe and secure 365 days a year - and today is no different.
More than 170 members are spending the holiday away from their families, supporting 12 international missions.
"We have ships at sea, we have airplanes flying in support and the drug smuggling operation doesn't stop on Christmas Day," Combined Task Force Commander Brendon Clark tells Newshub.
Clark is commanding a Bahrain-based multi-national task force, conducting security operations in the Arabian Gulf.
"[About] $1.82 billion is the total street value in New Zealand of the narcotics we have intercepted whilst in command since July," he says.
The success is making the time away from home a little sweeter.
"We are on the other side of the world and it makes it all worthwhile," he says.
Ten hours ahead of Bahrain and significantly colder, celebrations in Antarctica took place on Christmas Eve.
"We had to handmake a present… which was awesome to see and some really talented gifts were made, and we actually celebrated with some snow cricket outside," medic and communicator Max Neustroski says.
And it's not just overseas - more than 840 personnel are spending Christmas on Operation Protect duties supporting managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities here in New Zealand.
All personnel are now looking forward to spending time with their loved ones.
"Merry Christmas to my partner Bailey, mum and dad back in Gisborne," Neustroski says.
"Wish we could be there but we're over here doing a mission, you can be really proud of it, you're certainly in our thoughts," Clark adds.
Thoughts that will turn into hugs in the New Year.
