Famous faces, festive places: Local celebs on holiday
As Christmas lights twinkle across the Garden City, some of Canterbury’s brightest stars step into the spotlight once more to share their season’s magic.
Mark Rocket, New Zealand entrepreneur, aerospace executive, and the founder and CEO of Kea Aerospace
“This year I’m aiming to celebrate with a big Christmas family dinner here in Christchurch – I tell the kids each year that I make the world’s best gravy. Over summer, it will be great to have some relaxing downtime after a busy year. I plan to do some forest walks, beach swims and catch the new Avatar movie.”
Dame Pieter Stewart, founder of NZ Fashion Week
“We celebrate Christmas with a fairly traditional dinner, timed to fit in with grandchildren, although they’re all nearly old enough to eat in the evening now. We unwrap presents in the morning, before friends come around for bubbles and brunch. I’m looking forward to long summer days spent in our favourite place in the Marlborough Sounds, with children and grandchildren coming and going over the whole season. I love watching the grandchildren learning water sports just as their parents did years ago.”
Simon Barnett, radio and television host and presenter
“We always have an early family Christmas breakfast, (croissants and bacon) with my children and the little ones… it’s very exciting as they reveal what Santa left under the tree. Then, we migrate to my mum’s or sister’s for an extended lunch or dinner with my brother-in-law’s famous steamed pudding with brandy custard (loads of brandy!). We get together again with my daughters and their husbands in the evening for a recap of the day, and our tradition of remembering the best moment of the year, the worst moment of the year, and the greatest answer to prayers! It’s fun and very reflective. We are a super ‘Christmassy’ family and dress up every year in matching pyjamas or cardigans – ugly but tradition!
I can’t wait to spend quality time with my family over summer. We go boating, biscuiting, kayaking, and I love wakeboarding so it’s great fun. I bike with my grandchildren to a secret beach (not so secret but the kids think it is) and search for grizzly bears and snakes, and skim stones. I pack secret jellybeans which are ‘magic’ and give them superpowers.
Then, there’s barbecues, backyard cricket, and music, with a sneaky glass of Central Otago red. Bliss.”
Tiki Taane, musician, experimentalist, musical activist, producer, and live engineer
“Christmas for our whānau is all about hanging out at home in Pāpāmoa and spending that time together before we all head off on summer adventures. This year, I’m performing my 32nd New Year’s Eve in a row, so I’m amped to be playing at my local, The Island, in Pāpāmoa. I’ll spend the next three months on the road touring festivals and playing my own shows. Check out tikidub.com for dates and see you at a show soon.”
Miriama Kamo, journalist, children’s author and television presenter
“Although we’re Christchurch born and raised, we often congregate in Auckland because most of my siblings live here. So, we’re all converging here and will enjoy time hanging together with all our kids, nieces, nephews and our mum, Mary. I love being in Auckland over Christmas and New Year – everyone else leaves and you feel like you have the city to yourself. No traffic, no lines, no busyness – it’s bliss. This summer, I’m looking forward to the sun, and time… just time to breathe and relax with family. Maybe we’ll spend some time on Waiheke Island, but mostly just chilling out and being together.”
Dame Sophie Pascoe, retired New Zealand gold-medal para-swimmer
“We will be celebrating Christmas up in Pōhara, Golden Bay where we go every year camping with family and friends. Our son is nearly two, so no doubt it will be a full day of being down at the beach and enjoying the sunshine with lamb racks cooked on the barbecue for our Christmas late lunch. It’s my absolute favourite time of the year – I’m looking forward to the beach, sunshine, camping, getting out on the boat, relaxing, and spending quality time making lifetime memories with my family and friends.”
Andy Ellis, former All Black turned television presenter
Christmas is always in Christchurch; we have all our family here. The day begins with our crew at home, and we spend the second half at my wife Emma’s parents’ house down the road. We have a big family so there are kids everywhere! We’ll head down to Lake Brunner, and because Wānaka is the place to be for our 16-year-old daughter, we’ll be there too. Then, we’ll mission around Kaiteriteri, go up to the Bay of Islands for fishing, and because I’m playing in January’s Black Clash in Tauranga, we’ll spend a week in Mount Maunganui.
I’m just keen to make the most of summer, that’s the play.
