The chocolates in the advent calendar continue to disappear at an alarming rate, but as we head closer to Christmas Day, the forecast across much of the country is set to be dry with sunny spells.

Forecasters are predicting Christmas Day will be a mixture of sun and cloud, with light easterlies. It should reach a high of 21 degrees and drop to 17 overnight.

People are being urged to pack their sunblock this week with fine and hot days in the forecast.

On Boxing Day it'll be a case of ‘lather, rinse, repeat', with sun and cloud plus light easterlies, bringing with it a high of 21 degrees and a low of 16.

It will be a little touch and go for the Coromandel Peninsula, with NIWA forecasting fine spells, a few showers and easterly winds on Christmas Day, with a high of 20 degrees and a low of 14.

Boxing Day should be the same; fine spells, a few showers and easterly winds, with a high of 21 degrees and a low of 14.

Yesterday was the longest day experienced in the South Pacific, also known as the summer solstice - the time of year when the South Pole is at its closest inclination to the Sun, resulting in over 14 hours of possible daylight for parts of New Zealand.

'With plenty of cloud-free sky across the country, there were some spots that got to enjoy a full day of midsummer sunshine, especially across the north of the country,” says MetService meteorologist John Law.

'For much of New Zealand it looks settled and warm for Christmas Day. There will still be some areas of cloud, especially across the far north, eastern coastlines and lower North Island.

'However, these should break to leave some sunny intervals.

'Although the outlook is dry, isolated afternoon showers are forecast to spring up over central parts of both islands and cloudier, wetter weather is forecast to push onto the West Coast.

'If you are planning on taking a post-lunch tramp into the ranges on Christmas Day, keep an eye on the rain radar - there might just be a few showers bubbling up here and there.”