Christmas in Kiwi Land

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Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Hello! Hope you all had a great Christmas and kept warm! We certainly enjoyed ourselves in the sun! It was very different celebrating Christmas without any snow!!

Christmas for us consisted of eating pancakes, bacon (kiwi style) eggs and fried shrimp in the morning- It was most delicious! In the afternoon, we basked in the sun with our hostel friends and chilled out. In the evening, our hostel had a potluck dinner which was very delicious and we brought surprise spread and it went over well. Although they didn't have seafood sauce we substituted it with salsa. Our hostel "mom" baked a traditional kiwi style dessert called pavlova roll with fresh fruit along with peanut clusters (we know them as "haystacks") . Later in the evening, we jammed with our hostel friends and each took a turn singing songs. All in all it was a great Christmas in the sun!!

A kiwi traditional Christmas dinner consists of either roast lamb and salads or tuna fish with salads. Some families cook a ham or turkey and do the potatoes and veg too but its just too hot to cook.

Not sure what we are doing for New Years but we will keep you posted.

Well this was a short blog but we wanted to keep everyone in the loop.

Have a safe and happy holiday. All the best in the new year!

Cheers!

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Photos

Us
Us on the picnic enjoying the sun!

Christmas Brunch
Christmas Brunch outside on the picnic table. Fruit dish, bacon and eggs followed by pancakes

Carla in her Santa Hat
what a cutie!

Cranberry Juice
a brunch isn't complete without Cranberry Juice!

Clear Blue Skies!
Not a cloud in the sky on Christmas Day. Pohutukawa tree in bloom.

The view from the backyard
Christmas day, nothing but palm trees and sunshine!

Santa in NZ
Carla got to sit on Santa's lap.

Christmas Games
Santa and his elf played showed up and played some mini ping pong.

Christmas Supper
all of our potluck food. Carla, Nick and hostel mom lynne

Potluck
nick, kathleen, matt, jess, lynne and Tom.

Dessert
kiwi style dessert

Jamming away
hostel friends singing a tune

Comments

[Mom]

Merry Christmas
Wow, these pics are so cool! Hard to believe it was Christmas there with no snow. Thanks for taking part in our Christmas on Skype, it was so awesome to see/hear you guys, everyone thought it was so neat. Like Cecil said, See you in 7 weeks! take care, love mom

[Mom]

Santa is that you?
Hi! Looks like a good time. Of course Christmas wouldn't be Christmas if you didn't have too much delicious food. The santa suit must of got a little warm? Aunt Mary and Aunt Marian are on their way here this evening and Uncle Dave and Aunt Maggy are coming tomorrow. So we will have a little party for New Year's Eve. Enjoy your New Zealand celebration and talk to you again in 2010. Happy New Year's!!!

[Kristin]

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Hey you guys!!! Love the pictures still!! Looks like you guys had fun at the hostel- I especially like the Santa Outfit Nick!!! Although, I have to ask what is up with the rips...heheh- looks like a funny story! Sorry guys- I tried calling you on Christmas day here, but I couldn't get through/make it work I guess?? Sniff sniff- I hope you had an awesome Christmas and New Year anyway! I dont think I have to wish you a Happy New Year though- cuz its pretty obvious that yours will be a happy one lol!! Keep having fun on the beach, meeting new friends and adding new adventures to your already growing list! Miss you both - so jealous of all your warm weather fun!! If you're ever having a blue day- just think its probably at least -20 something plus wind chill here brrrr Take care you guys! Kristin

[Jenn Graff]

Look like you both had an awesome Christmas/New Years!! xoxoxo look forward to more pics!