Deck The Halls ...
Dec 7th 2009, 8:30 pm
#16
TeamEmbo
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Rangiora
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Re: Deck The Halls ...
I posted back 3 parcels at the weekend to family in UK. It took me ages to choose small, lightweight, affordable (cheap!), postable gifts so I was gobsmacked when the postage came to $100.06 
Could have paid my lecy bill with that
I'm not bothering next year. None of them bother keeping in touch, not even with our kids so they can make do with our best wishes in a card next Christmas.
Could have paid my lecy bill with that
I'm not bothering next year. None of them bother keeping in touch, not even with our kids so they can make do with our best wishes in a card next Christmas.
Dec 7th 2009, 8:40 pm
#17
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Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Renting in Snells Beach
Posts: 310
Re: Deck The Halls ...
Hii Guys not been on here for a while but thought I'd pop in to say I put my decorations, tree up on Saturday. Feels a bit wierd as we are now in our lovely little rental 5 miles away from our( still call it that) house that I have to pass on the way to work 
we had planned to all put them up but have both my boys home with this blasted high temperature, sore throats and a nasty chesty cough, so they just watched
Never used to put them up this early but was accused of being ''Ba humbug'' by the OH I love christmas have sent all my cards, wrapped all the presents(still a few to get yet though) and drunk most of the Baileys I'd bought 
lets hope it's still on offer in Morrisson's
we had planned to all put them up but have both my boys home with this blasted high temperature, sore throats and a nasty chesty cough, so they just watched
Never used to put them up this early but was accused of being ''Ba humbug'' by the OH
I love christmas have sent all my cards, wrapped all the presents(still a few to get yet though) and drunk most of the Baileys I'd bought lets hope it's still on offer in Morrisson's
Dec 7th 2009, 8:54 pm
#18
Joined: May 2009
Location: Welly UK to Welly NZ to Welly UK
Posts: 2,227
Re: Deck The Halls ...
Christmas Tree......real or artificial??
We have always bought a real tree, one of the non-drop variety but ......should I be getting used to not having a real one and go for an artificial one this year?? Whats the norm in NZ??
We have always bought a real tree, one of the non-drop variety but ......should I be getting used to not having a real one and go for an artificial one this year?? Whats the norm in NZ??
Dec 7th 2009, 9:33 pm
#19
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Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Tauranga, BoP, NZ
Posts: 578
Re: Deck The Halls ...
Going to get tree on Sat,always had a real one back in Scotland. Waiting to see how it looks with decs I have before buying new ones. Not putting up many decs in house but boys have their illuminated santa stop here sign and santa sitting on a moon thingy for their bedroom windows.
No doubt the day will start VERY early with pressie opening and playing with toys etc. Will feel weird not having to get ready to go and visit rellies with bags of pressies,and not having to look out warm clothes ( hopefully
)
Dinner......??????? don't know what to have as weather in Dunedin unpredictable
fancy a BBQ with seafood,steaks etc but also fancy roast tatties,carrots,parsnips etc. Having my friend and her family down (plan was we were going to hers as I was BOUND to be working 25th as the newbie and she would be off but guess what.....) so need to talk to her and see what we can come up with. Probably a combination of both then a walk on the beach to get rid of the calories.
Then back home to skype the family in Scotland at the start of their Christmas Day and to wind them up about being on the beach
I have felt weird walking around in reasonably good weather looking at Christmas stuff,wearing sandals and a t-shirt. I have also been really emotional too,having to stop myself from crying in the shop as the lump arrives in my throat when I think that I will not be with my parents at Christmas.....first time in 42 years But I knew this would happen,as I'm sure we all did as we left the Uk and headed to NZ. The "first's" of anything are hard but I personally feel that the first Christmas is harder than the first birthday,easter etc. But I am determined to enjoy it as much as possible.
Phyl x
No doubt the day will start VERY early with pressie opening and playing with toys etc. Will feel weird not having to get ready to go and visit rellies with bags of pressies,and not having to look out warm clothes ( hopefully
) Dinner......??????? don't know what to have as weather in Dunedin unpredictable
fancy a BBQ with seafood,steaks etc but also fancy roast tatties,carrots,parsnips etc. Having my friend and her family down (plan was we were going to hers as I was BOUND to be working 25th as the newbie and she would be off but guess what.....) so need to talk to her and see what we can come up with. Probably a combination of both then a walk on the beach to get rid of the calories.Then back home to skype the family in Scotland at the start of their Christmas Day and to wind them up about being on the beach
I have felt weird walking around in reasonably good weather looking at Christmas stuff,wearing sandals and a t-shirt. I have also been really emotional too,having to stop myself from crying in the shop as the lump arrives in my throat when I think that I will not be with my parents at Christmas.....first time in 42 years
But I knew this would happen,as I'm sure we all did as we left the Uk and headed to NZ. The "first's" of anything are hard but I personally feel that the first Christmas is harder than the first birthday,easter etc. But I am determined to enjoy it as much as possible.Phyl x
We have put the tree up - earlier than normal - and we have arranged to go to MILs for xmas dinner - so long as she can be happy about it!!
This is a really crap time to go - Santa cant come to our house cos we have to carry everything we have left here - not easy with an 8 year old. You know every visit you make as 'routine' over the christmas holidays is likely to be the last time you see them.
I think that this is one christmas that i wish i could sleep through and wake up on the 5th Jan - just in time to get on the plane.
I will try to make the best of it for the kids sake - and its the last one - we should make it special - but i will be so glad when its all over.
Ding dong merrily on bloody high!!
Psycho x
Dec 7th 2009, 10:50 pm
#20
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,208
Re: Deck The Halls ...
I done know about how hard the firsts are gonna be - but the lasts are a stinker!!!
We have put the tree up - earlier than normal - and we have arranged to go to MILs for xmas dinner - so long as she can be happy about it!!
This is a really crap time to go - Santa cant come to our house cos we have to carry everything we have left here - not easy with an 8 year old. You know every visit you make as 'routine' over the christmas holidays is likely to be the last time you see them.
I think that this is one christmas that i wish i could sleep through and wake up on the 5th Jan - just in time to get on the plane.
I will try to make the best of it for the kids sake - and its the last one - we should make it special - but i will be so glad when its all over.
Ding dong merrily on bloody high!!
Psycho x
We have put the tree up - earlier than normal - and we have arranged to go to MILs for xmas dinner - so long as she can be happy about it!!
This is a really crap time to go - Santa cant come to our house cos we have to carry everything we have left here - not easy with an 8 year old. You know every visit you make as 'routine' over the christmas holidays is likely to be the last time you see them.
I think that this is one christmas that i wish i could sleep through and wake up on the 5th Jan - just in time to get on the plane.
I will try to make the best of it for the kids sake - and its the last one - we should make it special - but i will be so glad when its all over.
Ding dong merrily on bloody high!!
Psycho x
It is hard, but make the most of it for your 8 year old and so you can have some warm memories to take away with you.
Dec 8th 2009, 1:11 am
#21
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Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Dunedin
Posts: 1,383
Re: Deck The Halls ...
I done know about how hard the firsts are gonna be - but the lasts are a stinker!!!
We have put the tree up - earlier than normal - and we have arranged to go to MILs for xmas dinner - so long as she can be happy about it!!
This is a really crap time to go - Santa cant come to our house cos we have to carry everything we have left here - not easy with an 8 year old. You know every visit you make as 'routine' over the christmas holidays is likely to be the last time you see them.
I think that this is one christmas that i wish i could sleep through and wake up on the 5th Jan - just in time to get on the plane.
I will try to make the best of it for the kids sake - and its the last one - we should make it special - but i will be so glad when its all over.
Ding dong merrily on bloody high!!
Psycho x
We have put the tree up - earlier than normal - and we have arranged to go to MILs for xmas dinner - so long as she can be happy about it!!
This is a really crap time to go - Santa cant come to our house cos we have to carry everything we have left here - not easy with an 8 year old. You know every visit you make as 'routine' over the christmas holidays is likely to be the last time you see them.
I think that this is one christmas that i wish i could sleep through and wake up on the 5th Jan - just in time to get on the plane.
I will try to make the best of it for the kids sake - and its the last one - we should make it special - but i will be so glad when its all over.
Ding dong merrily on bloody high!!
Psycho x
This year as the boys were thinking about lists my OH was winding up the wee one about how was Santa going to find him. He replied very calmly that before we left he put a note under his old bed to let him know we were going to Dunedin but had no address yet
True enough we asked my MIL and yes she had found a note as he said,wee pet.Phyl x
Dec 8th 2009, 5:23 am
#22
---
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,994
Re: Deck The Halls ...
We had the same last year.....got both sets of parents together and the boys and us. Was nice but emotional. They kept saying things like "next year you will be in the sun".
This year as the boys were thinking about lists my OH was winding up the wee one about how was Santa going to find him. He replied very calmly that before we left he put a note under his old bed to let him know we were going to Dunedin but had no address yet True enough we asked my MIL and yes she had found a note as he said,wee pet.
Phyl x
This year as the boys were thinking about lists my OH was winding up the wee one about how was Santa going to find him. He replied very calmly that before we left he put a note under his old bed to let him know we were going to Dunedin but had no address yet
True enough we asked my MIL and yes she had found a note as he said,wee pet.Phyl x
Dec 8th 2009, 5:28 am
#23
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 794
Re: Deck The Halls ...
Don't get hung up on the fact that it's summer at Christmas. Do what you always did if you want, or do it completely differently to celebrate being in a new country. Do what you want. it will all be acceptable in NZ.
I like a real tree and put it up 12 days before Christmas, if I remember to count. We had a larch in a pot on the deck which served as the tree for the last few years - lovely shape but no scent. Then last year at a drunken party we let someone make it into a 6 foot bonsaii and now it won't take all the decorations.
Off to the Chirstmas tree farm! We usually have the whole roast dinner, even if it's hot. But the last couple of years it's been freezing. I've had a BBQ dinner a couple of times, but even our kiwi kids don't like the idea. It's not Chirstmassy. Save the BBQ for later on Christmas day, when you can't be bothered, after you've had a walk on the beach and invite a few friends or neighbours round.
Chirstmas is whatever you make it. Sometimes on Chirstmas evening we go to a highways and byways meal put on by a single friend who gets lonely on Xmas and invites other singles, aliens and those at a loose end. We usually drop by with a bottle.
I like a real tree and put it up 12 days before Christmas, if I remember to count. We had a larch in a pot on the deck which served as the tree for the last few years - lovely shape but no scent. Then last year at a drunken party we let someone make it into a 6 foot bonsaii and now it won't take all the decorations.
Off to the Chirstmas tree farm! We usually have the whole roast dinner, even if it's hot. But the last couple of years it's been freezing. I've had a BBQ dinner a couple of times, but even our kiwi kids don't like the idea. It's not Chirstmassy. Save the BBQ for later on Christmas day, when you can't be bothered, after you've had a walk on the beach and invite a few friends or neighbours round.Chirstmas is whatever you make it. Sometimes on Chirstmas evening we go to a highways and byways meal put on by a single friend who gets lonely on Xmas and invites other singles, aliens and those at a loose end. We usually drop by with a bottle.
Dec 8th 2009, 7:15 am
#24
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Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Tauranga, BoP, NZ
Posts: 578
Re: Deck The Halls ...
Thanks for the good wishes - they are really helping.
Be on the dark side before we know it
Dec 8th 2009, 9:58 am
#25
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Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Tamaki Makau Rau
Posts: 778
Re: Deck The Halls ...
I like a summer Christmas. It's a bit less frantic, and as someone else said, more about relaxing outdoors
This is the first Christmas in years that we are hosting ourselves
Not much of a clue as yet
Most likely some chilli prawns on the bbq
then rolled and stuffed pork loin
salads and spud
Then the ubiquitous Pav
can't be bothered to over do it this year
This is the first Christmas in years that we are hosting ourselves
Not much of a clue as yet
Most likely some chilli prawns on the bbq
then rolled and stuffed pork loin
salads and spud
Then the ubiquitous Pav
can't be bothered to over do it this year
Dec 8th 2009, 10:13 am
#26
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,208
Re: Deck The Halls ...
I like a summer Christmas. It's a bit less frantic, and as someone else said, more about relaxing outdoors
This is the first Christmas in years that we are hosting ourselves
Not much of a clue as yet
Most likely some chilli prawns on the bbq
then rolled and stuffed pork loin
salads and spud
Then the ubiquitous Pav
can't be bothered to over do it this year
This is the first Christmas in years that we are hosting ourselves
Not much of a clue as yet
Most likely some chilli prawns on the bbq
then rolled and stuffed pork loin
salads and spud
Then the ubiquitous Pav
can't be bothered to over do it this year
Did smile to myself at about 7PM this evening - driving home with air con on behind a car with a Christmas tree sticking out of the back window.
Still something delightful about that.
Dec 9th 2009, 8:02 am
#27
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Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Tamaki Makau Rau
Posts: 778
Re: Deck The Halls ...
Isn't it...I used to miss the "proper" Christmas until my hubby told me to pull my head in.
He only knew a summer Christmas as a kid (apart from the one year that it rained in Waiouru)
He reckons that summer Christmas is great for kids as they get cool outdoor stuff and get to play with it all summer long.
Sure there's no snow, but there's sun, and barbies and that whole 6 week slowdown where everyone is at 70% speed. The roads are quiet, and the people are friendly.
I love it now.
My main concern is that with the deck doors open the cards all blow over in a gust of wind and then I think...Bleedin heck it's Christmas and I'm on the deck...yahoo
He only knew a summer Christmas as a kid (apart from the one year that it rained in Waiouru)
He reckons that summer Christmas is great for kids as they get cool outdoor stuff and get to play with it all summer long.
Sure there's no snow, but there's sun, and barbies and that whole 6 week slowdown where everyone is at 70% speed. The roads are quiet, and the people are friendly.
I love it now.
My main concern is that with the deck doors open the cards all blow over in a gust of wind and then I think...Bleedin heck it's Christmas and I'm on the deck...yahoo
Dec 9th 2009, 8:49 pm
#28
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Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Tauranga, BoP, NZ
Posts: 578
Re: Deck The Halls ...
Isn't it...I used to miss the "proper" Christmas until my hubby told me to pull my head in.
He only knew a summer Christmas as a kid (apart from the one year that it rained in Waiouru)
He reckons that summer Christmas is great for kids as they get cool outdoor stuff and get to play with it all summer long.
Sure there's no snow, but there's sun, and barbies and that whole 6 week slowdown where everyone is at 70% speed. The roads are quiet, and the people are friendly.
I love it now.
My main concern is that with the deck doors open the cards all blow over in a gust of wind and then I think...Bleedin heck it's Christmas and I'm on the deck...yahoo
He only knew a summer Christmas as a kid (apart from the one year that it rained in Waiouru)
He reckons that summer Christmas is great for kids as they get cool outdoor stuff and get to play with it all summer long.
Sure there's no snow, but there's sun, and barbies and that whole 6 week slowdown where everyone is at 70% speed. The roads are quiet, and the people are friendly.
I love it now.
My main concern is that with the deck doors open the cards all blow over in a gust of wind and then I think...Bleedin heck it's Christmas and I'm on the deck...yahoo
you can tell you are on the other side of the world We went christmas shopping to York weekend of the 29th nov - i reckon there was more people in that town that weekend than the whole of NZ in any one time - all in a rush, all cross at the queues, and the weather was bloody freezing!!!!:curse:
roll on the summer christmas n barbies
Dec 10th 2009, 1:33 am
#29
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,208
Re: Deck The Halls ...
Well, this evening is the Primary School's annual Christmas On The Field event. We wander over to the school's playing field with picnic and wine. Sit in the sun catching up with friends and other parents, teachers and other's children watching the children perform on the back of a truck, singing, dancing and the famous school rock band. Father Christmas comes, usually driven on to the field in a convertible and the children enjoy a "lolly scramble." Then there are bouncy castles and rides, ice creams and hot dogs etc.
It's such a lovely way to start the festive season.
We wander over to the school's playing field with picnic and wine. Sit in the sun catching up with friends and other parents, teachers and other's children watching the children perform on the back of a truck, singing, dancing and the famous school rock band. Father Christmas comes, usually driven on to the field in a convertible and the children enjoy a "lolly scramble." Then there are bouncy castles and rides, ice creams and hot dogs etc.It's such a lovely way to start the festive season.
Dec 10th 2009, 1:51 am
#30
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 38,627
Re: Deck The Halls ...
One of the things that I do love about Christmas here is the carols by candlelight in the parks.
We'll be going to our village one this year and take a picnic ,some wine , our folding chairs and a cosy rug.
We'll be going to our village one this year and take a picnic ,some wine , our folding chairs and a cosy rug.