Honeymoon - Making a traditional Christmas

Christmas day was like no other I’ve had in my life, and I learnt to just go with the flow, or it would send your mind in a spin if you think of the time difference, when it was Christmas day in NZ, it was still Christmas Eve in the UK…. Matthew and Andy’s first Christmas in their new house, and they wanted to make traditions, so that’s what we did. After waiting for Santa, pretending to be asleep when he arrived, we had a nap before it was Christmas morning! Breakfast in the living room, doors open, looking at the gorgeous view. Then present opening. Ali and I gave each other the same card, bought independently! And…tickets to watch England and New Zealand at the cricket! I know nothing about cricket, but always wanted to go and watch. 

So, on with making traditions…going to the beach for a swim. We went to Camp Bay, a gorgeous little beach along a gravel road. The sea is so green, and the views immense. Mathew and I paddled up and down in the surf, and it was as though the years disappeared. It was like we were home again, on the phone. A sign of a good friend, you don’t have to speak every 2 seconds, but you are always there for each other, and will always pick up when you left off. Matthew and Andy swam in the sea, we baked in the sunshine, then back for some more traditions. 

Lunch/ dinner/ supper started at 3pm and went on until after midnight. There was the crisp nibbles, then the antipasti course, vegetable course, wild pork, venison course, the goat kebabs course, the South African sausage course, the pannatone and mascarpone cream course, the coffee course, and the cheese course. All in 9 hours. We sat on the veranda, and had to keep coming indoors to cool off between courses and digest as Matthew sweltered by the BBQ. 

Next tradition, playing Christmas tunes and the entire musical ‘Wicked’ on the keyboard as we sang. Singing about sleigh bells and snow in the sunshine really is odd. Elphaba had her reindeer ears, Andy had his Christmas hat. In the evening, the lanterns were lit, and we sat on the deck chatting as the sun set. I got through to my family to wish them a Merry Christmas. Their Christmas was just starting, as ours was ending. An amazing end, to a fabulous day.