Covid Christmas 2021

The sea water is warmer than any other year since I started swimming, 1998. The air temperature is too- more humid so winds that used to be chilling, now, are not. It's disquieting. Easier to swim but not as it should be. A harbinger of things to come. 

Meanwhile I return to pick fruit at school where our earthquake work, delayed till now is encompassing major revamping of the school site. My food job for Christmas dinner is dessert, chocolate mousse, berries and ambrosia. Easy. Sharyn pops in for a coffee then Kahu and I go to Kate's with Ruth, David, Naia and Yazmin. Ham, salmon with little to no fuss. We drive to Alex's for a beach catchup and I leave Kahu. I'm too tired to pop into other celebrations, I'm either getting old or life has got harder. Happy to go home for quiet time. 

David's a surfer so I take him to the beach on Boxing Day. Then the rain starts again. Sousa, the tile cleaner queen drops in to see my finished house and gets her gear out to clean tiles I haven't done all year. It's been a step too far but Sousa gives me the start I need and some cleaning gear. I can't leave it so long again. When the rain stops I drive over to Nicky's place in Te Oka. The family are there cutting down an old macrocarpa hedge to let in light and create space. A brave move as it takes years to grow macrocarpas that big. And it's heaps of work. I swim in cool water and am woken by a noisy bellbird at day break. It's so nice to be out of the city, away from the internet and life. Te Oka is another of New Zealand's little known, isolated scenic stars. 

Staying safe with Santa during a Covid Christmas

Liz McDonald and Charlie Gates05:00, Dec 09 2021

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His helpers may be elf-isolating and the reindeer enjoying herd immunity but Santa is working hard to manage Covid risks this Christmas.

Meeting excited children at malls and stores around Canterbury despite the pandemic and his advanced years, Santa has adopted a range of approaches to keep everyone safe.

Key safety measures for 2021 are masks and social distancing – and no-one is sitting on his knee.

But other rules depend on where Santa is.

READ MORE:
* Traditional Santa visits will look a bit different this year due to Covid-19
* Ho-ho-no: Santa parade and grotto cancelled as Christmas falls foul of Covid
* Southlanders social distancing with Santa

At Ballantynes department store in central Christchurch, families need to book in to visit Santa’s grotto and everyone aged over 12 must wear a mask. Eva Hills, 3, visited last week with her mum Renee Parsons and dad Michael Hills.

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Eva Hills, 3, visits with Santa at Ballantynes in Christchurch with mum Renee Parsons and dad Michael Hills.

Parsons said they all had to sit forward from Santa, whose chair was placed between two Christmas trees.

“There was no contact with Santa. We thought it was funny. Santa had a mask on under his beard.”

Their photo will be one to keep, she said.

“It is a pretty striking photo. We just think it is a record of the times. This is what we’re living with at the moment.”

Ballantynes chief executive Maria O’Halloran said the safety of staff, customers and all visitors to the store was their priority.

The store had followed the Government’s orange traffic light rules, and customers had been very supportive, she said.

The sea water is warmer than any other year since I started swimming, 1998. The air temperature is too- more humid so winds that used to be chilling, now, are not. It's disquieting. Easier to swim but not as it should be. A harbinger of things to come. 

Meanwhile I return to pick fruit at school where our earthquake work, delayed till now is encompassing major revamping of the school site. My food job for Christmas dinner is dessert, chocolate mousse, berries and ambrosia. Easy. Sharyn pops in for a coffee then Kahu and I go to Kate's with Ruth, David, Naia and Yazmin. Ham, salmon with little to no fuss. We drive to Alex's for a beach catchup and I leave Kahu. I'm too tired to pop into other celebrations, I'm either getting old or life has got harder. Happy to go home for quiet time. 

David's a surfer so I take him to the beach on Boxing Day. Then the rain starts again. Sousa, the tile cleaner queen drops in to see my finished house and gets her gear out to clean tiles I haven't done all year. It's been a step too far but Sousa gives me the start I need and some cleaning gear. I can't leave it so long again. When the rain stops I drive over to Nicky's place in Te Oka. The family are there cutting down an old macrocarpa hedge to let in light and create space. A brave move as it takes years to grow macrocarpas that big. And it's heaps of work. I swim in cool water and am woken by a noisy bellbird at day break. It's so nice to be out of the city, away from the internet and life. Te Oka is another of New Zealand's little known, isolated scenic stars.