Nic Watt of Masu
This Christmas with the wind blowing the right way, we will spend our family morning tradition in Smokehouse Bay, Great Barrier Island. Santa usually arrives via a dinghy and the reindeer is driving the outboard.
Imogen Tunnicliffe, head designer at Citta Design
This year the whole family is going to my sister's house on the North Shore. They live about three minutes' walk from the beach, so after lunch we are planning on playing a bit of beach cricket and then going for a dip. We have a Christmas theme this year of "Treasure", as the kids are pretty keen on it at the moment. I'm making a jewel salad and we are having crown rump.
We are having a treasure hunt and my daughter has decided she will dress up as a purple dragon. It will also be my son's first Christmas, which is pretty exciting. These days, Christmas Day is about watching all the kids go crazy together. My sister and her family have moved back from London, and it is so nice that all the cousins are together.
Anna Worthington, owner of Cakes by Anna
Christmas day will be my first day off all month, so I'll be retreating to Mum and Dad's for some TLC, and to gorge on Christmas ham (the highlight of the festive season, in my opinion). All my brothers and sisters will be in Christchurch this year, which will be lovely. I'm generally excused from any cooking duties, although I find it difficult to keep out of the kitchen, and there is an unspoken rule that cake is banned.
Nick and Jenny Clegg, founders of Federation
Nick: Basically I'm hoping it's going to be sunny, as I'm lucky enough to live pretty much on the beach on the Shore. So instead of sitting in traffic to drive somewhere amazing, I'm going to chill at home with my three little wolves (my babies) and swim in the pool and go to the beach and just have a mellow kiwi summer. Maybe I'll throw a big party on New Year's Eve, just maybe.
Jenny: Christmas plans this year revolve around the kids and some serious relaxation. This year we are sticking to New Zealand and all it offers for the Kiwi summer. Hopefully, the weather will sort itself out and [we'll have] lots of beach time, a bit of camping and some barbecues with friends.
Kyle Street, executive chef at Depot and Federal Delicatessen
Street family Christmases are all about lazy day barbecues. My dad's not one to maintain his barbecue - last year we almost set the house on fire - so this Christmas Eve I'm in charge of giving it a bit of elbow grease.
My picks for the barbecue this year are asparagus and corn. As the summer heat hasn't really kicked in yet, corn is only just coming into its own now. Compound butters liven up barbecue fare and you can make these in advance. Leave good quality butter out to soften, then mix with fresh flavours. Smoked butter with lime zest, juice and fresh chilli goes well with sweet corn, or try black olives and parsley slathered on asparagus or steak.
- VIVA
