For many Kiwis a good Christmas would probably consist of a barbecue and a trip to the beach, but for many northern Europeans in New Zealand a hot Christmas in the summer simply doesn’t feel like Christmas.
There’s no midwinter Father Christmas who visits but you might still get a small gift or two handed around the dinner table, a bit of tinsel here and there and maybe even a tree if you decide to go all out. Crackers at dinner are a necessity of course, provided you’ve still got some left over from December. You’d be lucky to find any in the stores.
I find a good Christmas dinner on a cold winter's day, fire blazing and jumpers on, really makes me feel at home. For me, a dinner needs a roast turkey, stuffing, potatoes, carrots, sprouts are very important, Yorkshire puddings, gravy (and lots of it), pigs in blankets and of course a nice pudding and a fruit mince pie afterwards, with your choice of custard or cream. I’m probably still forgetting a few things so don’t count that as a full list.
If you don’t fall into a food coma afterwards, a bit of afternoon TV is always welcome, and for me not being home in England means no Christmas special of Doctor Who.
A new series of Top Gear has just begun, perhaps not to everybody’s taste but always entertaining, or maybe you could catch up on Coronation Street.
For those of you who miss enjoying your winter vegetables with your Christmas dinner in December, be sure to get that seasonal produce in now and stick it in the freezer. Sprouts are especially important, you simply wont be able to find them when the warmer weather returns. (GEORGE SHIERS)