It was the second time in the family a baby had been born on Christmas Day and fireworks heralded her arrival.
Nathan and Belinda White, of Wanaka, welcomed their first child, daughter Summer Grace Isabella White, into the world at 10.29 on Christmas night at the Charlotte Jean Maternity Hospital in Alexandra.
Summer weighed in at 2.9kg (6lb 9oz).
Mr White's mother was also born on Christmas Day.
Therefore, even though Summer was due on the 23rd, Mr White admitted he and his wife were ''quite keen'' for her to be born on Christmas Day.
Their wish came true.
''We'll never forget it. Christmas Day will never be the same,'' Mr White said.
Coincidentally, a minute after Summer was born, fireworks went off at a house beside the hospital.
''It was pretty exciting, a great Christmas present,'' Mrs White said.
The couple and staff managed to eat a satisfying Christmas dinner, although delayed - at 2am on Boxing Day.
Midwife Morgan Weathington, of Wanaka, said she had been a midwife for three years and this was the first time she had helped a woman give birth on Christmas Day.
''It was a beautiful, primary birth.
''There's always a lot of joking leading up to it - is it a good or bad thing to be born on Christmas Day? Ultimately, you don't have any control over when the baby's going to come.''
Charlotte Jean quality co-ordinator Sue O'Brien said it was a special week for the maternity hospital too - it would celebrate its 20th birthday tomorrow.
Summer was the fourth baby to be born on Christmas Day in the hospital's history.
The last Christmas baby at Charlotte Jean was born in 2005.
