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Sunday, December 24, 2006

New Zealand Christmas

Normally the shops here go crazy the day before Christmas. However I headed to the supermarket today for some last minute items and was surprised that I didn't even have to queue at the checkout. My daughter who works at a different supermarket was actually sent home because they had rostered on more staff than they needed. I guess the fact that Christmas is on a Monday is making it less rushed for everybody - finish work on the Friday, then there is still a whole weekend for that last minute shopping, instead of a few hours late at night on Christmas Eve.

On the other hand, the weather is giving me problems. It has been raining and raining, and then raining some more, with a few fine interludes in between. I did a huge pile of laundry, put it in the dryer which I don't usually use in summer, and then found out that the dryer wasn't working. Christmas Eve is not a good time to get it fixed. So I ended up stringing up a line on our patio, which is open at the front but otherwise covered, and "decorating" the front of our house with a load of laundry. It gives new meaning to hanging up the Christmas stockings.

When we were in Wellington last week I took the opportunity to take the photograph below. One of the things I miss in Christchurch is the pohutukawa trees blooming at Christmas. We are too far south for them to thrive - although there are a few, if you hunt them out. This tree is also known as the New Zealand Christmas tree because it blooms so profusely with bright red blossom around Christmas time. As it was a little early, not all of the trees were blooming yet, and those most thickly covered seemed to be out of reach of my camera, but this will give you a taste.

8 comments:

Danielle said...

beautiful photo. hope your stockings dry with all that rain! here today via michele's. hope you have a wonderful christmas!

scrappintwinmom said...

The weather here is troublesome as well, its unseasonably warm. No white Christmas this year! Here via Michele.

Shirley Goodwin said...

The weather is a bit kinder here in Oamaru - I picked the kids up from the airport in CHCH on Wednesday, and boy was it foul! Have a great Christmas anyway, Catherine.

Jean-Luc Picard said...

It's virtually Christmas in NZ, Catherine. Enjoy it to the max!

Michele sent me here.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

BEAUTIFUL Flowers, Catherine. I can see why you miss them.
A Very Very Merry Christmas to youy, dear Catherine!

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Forgot to say Michele sent me this A.M.!

Thumper said...

Merry Christmas!

I was surprised traffic wasn't too bad here, either. The grocery store was a madhouse, but my son went into Best Buy and there was only one person ahead of him in line.

Here via Michele's!

David Edward said...

im southern calif we called that "bottle brush" it grew up to eight feet high. Merry Christmas!