A Kiwi Christmas

It’s long over now – the party hats and wrapping paper in the bin, the sherry all drunk and the turkey turned into soup and eaten up in butties. My Kiwi Christmas did not include crackers or sherry or Christmas pudding, but that didn’t make it any less traditional. We were up in the mountains … Continue reading »

Auckland

Almost cannot believe I’m here. Really. I think I’ve been talking about coming to New Zealand since I was a teenager. Here and Canada were the top two places on my list when I was 15  (I was very loyal to the old Empire in those days). I moved to London and made almost exclusively … Continue reading »

Peace like a river ran through the city

Ah, peace like a river ran through the city Long past the midnight curfew We sat starry-eyed Oh, we were satisfied And I remember Misinformation followed us like a plague Nobody knew from time to time If the plans were changed Oh, oh, oh, if the plans were changed. You can beat us with wires … Continue reading »

Christmas gingerbread

We put up our Christmas tree today – it’s cold enough, and I’ve got less than a fortnight of winter left in this country this year. We’re a few baubles short of a full set (literally as well as metaphorically) so I made Christmas gingerbread to ice and hang with the lights on the tree. … Continue reading »

The appeal of tweed

You know when you get a bee in your bonnet about something and you just can’t shake it? For some reason I’ve had a niggling thing about Harris tweed the past few weeks. In the run up to Christmas, when B was packing up all her worldly goods and possessions, or giving them away, or … Continue reading »

Sing choirs!

When peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendours fling, And the whole world give back the song which now the angels sing. It came upon a midnight clear One of the best things about Christmas is that you’re allowed to sing full pelt wherever you like, as long as you’re singing a carol. … Continue reading »

‘tivities

People say Christmas is great because you get to be a kid again. I think this generally refers to being excited and playing games, not to the fighting with your siblings and eating so much you’re sick. Of all the Christmas rituals, one of my favourites is the Nativity, especially when I get to play … Continue reading »

Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat…

In case it had escaped your attention, Christmas is coming. Everyone has their own variation on the rituals and traditions surrounding Christmas. My family eats beef on Christmas Day, for example, much to people’s consternation – ‘What? No turkey?’ – because when we were kids we basically lived off turkey all year round. Beef’s the … Continue reading »

Ten years

Traditionally, this is the time of year when you reflect on the past and voice your hopes, aspirations and resolutions for the future. I’m not really very good at it and never make New Year’s Resolutions. This morning I was sitting, drifting off into the recesses of my mind when I should have been concentrating … Continue reading »

Christmas at Summer Hill

Well I can’t wait for Christmas, been buckle-knee’d and listless, and you say that you’ve been wishing weeks away. We hung the lights out in the street, twisted round the bows of trees. The choir sung its holiest refrains, like ‘Gloria, hosanna in the highest!’ Heaven knows this year’s been black and blue. But we’re … Continue reading »