Christmas in New Zealand.

 I love looking at all of the blogs from the northern hemisphere at this time of year. Seeing the snow and fires lit. However, I wouldn't trade our summertime Christmas (well actually I would if someone gave me a plane ticket for a holiday) because it really does have its own magic.

 I steer away from traditional Christmas colours. To me summer is all about vibrancy so my Christmas is usually full of pink, yellow, turquoise, orange, navy and red. The brighter, the better. This year I can't get my crochet ball wreath to stick to the wall (???? A true first world problem, the sticky hooks keep falling off - maybe it's too humid) so I am using it as a centrepiece with flowers stuck in the middle. It really seems to be enjoying its new challenge this year - in fact it's quite hard to stop it from going on about it….

 I'm also taking inspiration from the cook book, 'Notes from a Swedish Kitchen' by Margareta Schildt Landgren. I made Kladdkaka (chocolate sticky cake) last night - oh my giddy aunt, it was insanely good, like a light chocolate brownie with a really wonderful flavour. It lent itself really well to being gluten-freeanised as well - always a bonus.

 It's also berry season. We are all so full of antioxidants and vitamin c at the moment that we seem to be zinging about the walls - although that doesn't really explain why Hugo is at this moment, languishing on the big blue couch with a temperature. He seems to come down with a virus on the first day of the holidays poor little man. School is a big commitment for a 7 year old and he does put his all into it.

 And this is our kitchen/dining room. Sunlight lifts the spirits so much doesn't it. Our Christmas tree is so haphazardly decorated that it looks kind of wonderful but most definitely needs to be admired from a distance. Do you like my new silver shoes - I bought them from the children's section (kids have big feet these days) from a very inexpensive shop - best buy ever.

I hope you liked a peek into summer down under. The irony is of course that we are becoming quite antsy for rain, so as beautiful as it all is - we really, really need some fat and dark clouds blotting out the sun! It's just sooooooo lovely though!

Lots and lots of love,

Kate xxooxx.

p.s. I would love to see what you are doing Christmas wise at the moment. Please leave your link in the comments section and I will pop by!