While many around the South were raising a glass over a Christmas ham with family and friends yesterday, employees stationed at Scott Base in Antarctica were celebrating in their own way.
Dunedin resident and Scott Base mechanic Daniel Oskam said about 45 people remained on base for the festive season.
"It’s my first Christmas here and also for quite a lot of the base staff ... However, some people here are seasoned professionals and it’s their 20th-odd time.
The base had their Christmas dinner "a little early," and enjoyed a massive cook-up on Christmas Eve.
On the menu were turkey, ham, roast vegetables, smoked salmon, pate, potatoes and base-made bread rolls.
For dessert was tiramisu, pavlova, chocolate cake and some ice cream made using liquid nitrogen.
The Christmas experience was a little different for much of the staff — the "mad shopping experience" was noticeably absent.
The staff took part in a Secret Santa, but without an Antarctic shopping centre, many had to get a little creative.
"The Secret Santa presents were mostly handmade from resources around Scott Base — one guy got his face printed then sewed it up into a pillow featuring his face for his Secret Santa.
Mr Oskam made a figurine depicting a man climbing a steel frame for his Secret Santa, who is a field worker who rock-climbs.
Some of the Base workers were going to make use of the skifield’s short opening day, and would be carving up on the slopes.
Due to the Antarctic summer, flights were few and far between until the new year, and many of the Base workers would be holed up there until next year.
