Happy 2017! I know I’ve been a little bit quiet recently, but you’ll (hopefully) be pleased to know that I have so much to share about the last of my #take12trips adventures for 2016. In mid-December, I headed off to New Zealand for a wonderful family holiday. In part, it was to celebrate the huge milestone Golden Anniversary of my in-laws and was also the first time in 10 years that my husbands family would be all together in one location. It also included my first long-haul flight solo parenting with a pre-schooler, as I left the UK before my husband for a short stopover in Singapore (I might add that I was seriously scared before I went). Thankfully all went well apart from in his excitement he “forgot” to sleep. In fact, it was a rather wonderful family Christmas in New Zealand.
Our trip was filled with family fun on my brother-in-law’s smallholding, lots of beach exploring and a mini vacation within our holiday to New Zealand’s South Island. You might have seen some of our adventures over on my Instagram feed.
Seeing my son spending time with his cousins reminded me of my own childhood holidays particularly when they were feeding the pigs and collecting the eggs. It’s hard that they only get a small window of time to be together due to distance, but all the sweeter to see how quickly they bonded.
This trip showed me that New Zealand is a truly excellent family holiday destination, particularly with a preschooler. The people are extremely friendly and want to help you make the most of your time in their country. They generally also want to hear a lot about the UK (and what’s happening in Coronation Street). So watch out for a separate post about why it’s the ultimate family destination.
I’m writing this just a couple of days after getting back and I am so sad to have left that wonderful country and my family. I’m also amazed that Christmas in New Zealand is still a relatively un-commercial affair. Maybe its because it’s summer but I’m hoping its because they believe Christmas is about being together and not about how much you spend (and entertain). A good family Christmas for me is about sharing the day with your nearest and dearest, and this is ultimately what makes the day special.
Have you spent Christmas in a hot country? What differences did you enjoy? If you enjoyed my family Christmas in New Zealand post, you might also be interested in my blog post about flying with a toddler here.