DECEMBER 2022

HOME & PROPERTY

out throughout the day so the kids really appreciate what they’ve received. We’ll enjoy a festive family breakfast and listen to Christmas music while cooking our late afternoon feast. We like to wrap up the day satiated and sleepy with a nice family Christmas movie on the couch. Why is Christmas your favourite time of the year? I have so many wonderful Christmas memories. To me, Christmas is about being with the people you love – and, if you can’t be with a loved one, calling them and letting them know you’re thinking of them. Everyone we’ve met over the years from one country to the next holds a special place in our heart. From my family to yours, I wish you all a sparkling and magical Christmas. May 2023 bring many fun adventures you will treasure!

You’ve lived all over the world! How do you decide where to spend Christmas? Having lived abroad so long, we like to go back to New Zealand and take turns between my family in Wellington and Bill’s family in Hawkes Bay. When it’s Bill’s year, the whole family gets together (more than 30 relatives), and we have a fun day together enjoying a true NZ summer Christmas barbecue. However, over the years we’ve moved further away, sowe take advantage of the opportunity to travel.We’ve had skiing Christmases in Chamonix, St Moritz and Zermatt. Building snowmen is the best. In Zermatt, we woke up Christmas morning and saw that the roof of the neighbour’s house had footprints to the chimney with no other prints leading up to it. My kids’ reaction to this was priceless… they knew Santa was for real! On Christmas Eve, I gift everyone matching pyjamas and a Christmas Eve story. We have a family cookie decorating session while drinking hot chocolate (and mulled wine for the adults). In Singapore, we used to turn the air-conditioning right down to make it feel like winter. On Christmas morning, I wake up early to be a part of the excitement. There’s always half-eaten carrots, notes to Santa with replies, footprints and a few oats scattered around from the reindeer. After all the fun, we open a few presents, but I space this What do you do on the actual day to create memories?

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DECEMBER2022