Like Surf Lifesaving Dunedin lifeguards, who will spend Christmas Day keeping beachgoers safe by patrolling St Clair, St Kilda and Brighton beaches between noon and 5pm.
And with the Dawn Princess cruise ship arriving in Dunedin at 7am, tour guides like Eddy Bell, of D-Tours Otago, will be spending the day showing off Dunedin's sights to cruise passengers.
‘‘It was my choice [to work]. I'll basically be showing people the sights of New Zealand and wildlife.''
Mr Bell says he also had an extra festive treat for his passengers - Christmas lunch.
‘‘I'm going to provide food for them because there will be nowhere open to eat. I'm providing some ham and a pav. Just a light Christmas lunch because we have to take it with us.''
While Mr Bell's passengers would not get the opportunity to visit the University of Otago Marine Studies Centre and aquarium in Portobello, as it is closed on Christmas Day, there would be someone on duty, manager Tessa Mills said.
‘‘There will be someone who does checks on Christmas Day to ensure everything is ticking over. As well as ensuring that no fish or octopus have jumped out of the tanks, a technician will check the water flows two or three times during the day.
"If the flow stops, then not only would the creatures in the aquarium die, but also those creatures that students are holding to study in the marine laboratory.''
The Night and Day store in the Octagon was ready to do a roaring trade on sought-after items such as batteries, cakes and vegetables on Christmas Day, manager Murray Devereux said.
The franchise, which is contractually obligated to open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, will have 11 staff work shortened shifts throughout December 25, Mr Devereux said.
Night and Day employee Martin Porthouse, who will spend four hours working on Christmas Day, said he had never worked on Christmas before.
‘‘I'm a bit disappointed but you have to do what you have to do. Normally we have a Christmas lunch, but my family have been really good and are doing a Christmas dinner instead which is really nice.''
Other people on duty on Christmas Day include hospital staff, St John staff, hotel staff and police officers who are out in force for the holiday period.
