It's going to be a white Christmas for some Defence Force troops serving overseas this year.
Summer chef in Antarctica Corporal Quentin Hathaway is on his first overseas deployment and without his family on Christmas. Photo: Supplied / Defence Force
More than 200 personnel will be spending the day on duty thousands of kilometres away from home, including about 100 serving in Iraq.
Corporal Quentin Hathaway is the Summer chef in Antarctica.
He's celebrating Christmas and Boxing Day a day early this year because they're back on duty from 26 December.
It's Corporal Hathaway's first overseas deployment and he leaves behind family in Wellington and Palmerston North.
He's cooking for dozens of people this Christmas, with a traditional glazed ham and roast vegetables on the menu.
"People get quite creative with making gifts for each other and someone dresses up as Santa and we all get a present," he said.
Corporal Hathaway said it's his first white Christmas.
Corporal Quentin Hathaway will be back on duty from 26 December and will be celebrating Christmas a day early. Photo: Supplied / Defence Force
There's also been a dumping of snow in the Korean Demilitarised Zone.
Flight Lieutenant Dan Garnett is there for six months and is on duty for Christmas.
The 30-year-old has been in the military for five-and-a-half years and will be celebrating with European counterparts.
He's got pre-packaged gifts to open on the big day.
Flight Lieutenant Dan Garnett is in the Korean Demilitarised Zone for six months. Photo: Supplied / Defence Force
"As long as they make it to Christmas day," he joked, "I'll have something to open."
Captain Heath Cowan has also held off from opening gifts early.
It's also his first Christmas away from home because he's training and mentoring Iraqi soldiers.
A lunch is on the cards, however he's going miss the usual roast lamb with all the trimmings.
"I grew up on a farm so Christmas is generally a whole lot of meats with chicken and lamb and what-not all roasted up," he said.
He says it will be a fairly relaxed day.
Captain Heath Cowan is training and mentoring Iraqi soldiers and will also spend his first Christmas away from home this year. Photo: Supplied / Defence Force
