Sure, you could buy it in a tub – hell, you could just buy a packet of ready-made pies – but that’s not the point. The point is Christmas contentment. I love a lot of things about Christmas in the United States. I love the cold, (sometimes) snowy weather in the Northeast. I love the … Read more
It can be hard making small-talk with your loved ones over the holidays – which is exactly why television was invented. Sam Brooks shares the best shows to binge on Lightbox over the silly season, no matter your demographic. For the child (outside you): Paw Patrol. Your child has probably seen all of it already, and … Read more
What do you get your drunk uncle for Christmas? What about your aunty who believes in conspiracy theories? Or your cousin’s wife who is super racist? Emily Writes has your back. Buying Christmas presents is heaps of fun when you like the people you’re buying presents for. But what if you get the family dickhead … Read more
Michael Hann has spent years mining for Christmas-song diamonds, proving that not all festive music is irredeemably horrible. Here he pulls on his big white beard and presents the definitive playlist There was a time, not so long ago – while the previous president of the US lived in the White House – when CDs … Read more
The best-selling books this Christmas at the Unity stores in High St, Auckland and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND UNITY 1 Becoming by Michelle Obama (Penguin Random House, $55) The smash-hit memoir of Xmas. 2 Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi (Ebury Press, $65) Cookbook, nominated among the best 20 non-fiction books of 2018 at The Spinoff. 3 Patterson: Houses of … Read more
Over some festive fizz and a spot of good-natured mother-daughter ribbing, Sophie and Emerald Gilmour share two delicious glazes plus some ingenious tips for getting the best out of your Freedom Farms ham this Christmas. Whether you want a classic glazed ham or something a bit jazzy, Freedom Farms, Dietary Requirements co-host Sophie Gilmour … Read more
When she lived in New Zealand, Elle Hunt never really understood the fuss about Christmas. That all changed when she moved to London, she writes in the latest instalment of her Elleswhere series about life as a New Zealander in London. “36 degrees? Yes thank you I WILL get 97% of my legs out,” my … Read more
From beach outings to barbecues to battling feelings of festive stress, December is jam-packed with moments made for popping the cork on something sparkling. The first glass of Champagne in our house on Christmas day is a bit of a ritual. The anticipation builds all day from the moment we finish our breakfast serving of … Read more
Henry Oliver talks to Bruce Ward, the man who made ‘Snoopy’s Christmas’ a perennial hit single in New Zealand charts. Want to win $1000 cash for yourself and have $1000 donated to the SPCA?? Universal Music NZ is feeling the Christmas Spirit and giving you the chance to win this awesome prize, just by streaming … Read more
Christmas can be stressful – so Emily Writes decided to do something about it by giving up on festive travel. She explains why you should join her in refusing to budge this Christmas. I’m going to say straight up that nobody should be forced to travel at Christmas. Lots of people love travelling, they love … Read more
These are perfect as a gift or to keep on hand to impress impromptu Christmas visitors with. Or, you know, just eat them – it’s Christmas! With our eldest now at school, baking has found a regular place in my life. I take pleasure from the simple task of making something not only to fill … Read more
All week this week we present the 20 best books of the year. Today: the 20 best collections of poetry. Poūkahangatus by Tayi Tibble (Victoria University Press, $30) The best book of poetry published in New Zealand in 2018. Tibble’s debut collection is agile, daring, compelling. The poems draw whānau close and the women who matter … Read more
Every day in the lead-up to Christmas, open the door to reveal a Spinoff writer’s short, sizzling commentary on a weighty subject. Our arbitrary and strictly enforced word limit: 365. Today: Alice Neville on why you should tell your kids that Santa isn’t real. Santa controversy upon Santa controversy has beset us this festive season, so … Read more
Need some last minute Christmas present ideas? Why not support Māori-owned business while you’re at it? Cards, prints, art and stationary There are lots of artists and designers making beautiful products that not only look great but also showcase te reo Māori. Tuhi make planners, and maramataka journals to record your low and high energy … Read more
Ben French asked his colleague what she wanted for her Secret Santa. She requested that he turn one of his regular rants into a piece of writing. Gifts – a nicety, once considered essential in any respectable human relationship – have slowly become a socially pressurised test of manners and protocol. In spreading needless, excessive … Read more
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Don Rowe pays tribute to the Christmas mince pie. This should surprise nobody, but: the only good mince pies are Christmas mince pies. That’s not an opinion, not a ‘hot take’, that’s a cold, hard fact. Fruity, sweet and … Read more
Every day in the leadup to Christmas, open the door to reveal a Spinoff writer’s short, sizzling commentary on a weighty subject. Our arbitrary and strictly enforced word limit: 365. Today: Leonie Hayden on why she should still have a Christmas stocking. I am 37-years-old and I still get a Christmas stocking. I would be … Read more
A very tasty breakfast treat that makes a very charming Christmas present. With Christmas mere weeks away, it can be easy to get caught up in the commercial hype of it all. Resist, I say, and make this orange and ginger muesli instead. It’s simple to make and can be whipped up weeks in advance, … Read more
Every day in the leadup to Christmas, open the door to reveal a Spinoff writer’s short, sizzling commentary on a weighty subject. Our arbitrary and strictly enforced word limit: 365. Today: Emily Writes on why Christmas music is great. Christmas music is a gift and you know it. Look, before you @ me: I worked … Read more
British Caribbean documentary maker Jay Hall — who sat down with the owner of Dutch Delights and convinced him to do away with the blackface tradition — talks about Zwarte Piet, or Black Pete, and its racist history. In November 2016, I was out in Birkenhead where I was living at the time when a vintage … Read more
You have to buy a gift for someone, and the one thing you know is that they’re into video games. But what the hell are you meant to buy them without looking like a fool? Sam Brooks has you covered with the gaming gift guide for non-gamers. Christmas is hard if you’ve got people to … Read more
Every day in the leadup to Christmas, open the door to reveal a Spinoff writer’s short, sizzling commentary on a weighty subject. Our arbitrary and strictly enforced word limit: 365. Today: Alex Casey on dreams. If nobody talked about their dreams, we wouldn’t have The Terminator. We wouldn’t have Google. We wouldn’t have Einstein’s theory … Read more
We are entering the fourth phase of summer and the teoteo are calling out to let you know their chicks have hatched. Read on to find out what else Hakihea (December) holds. Welcome to the maramataka for Hakihea (December). Heading into the beautiful sunny season you can expect to see new tohu depending on whether … Read more
Every day in the leadup to Christmas, open the door to reveal a Spinoff writer’s short, sizzling commentary on a weighty subject. Our arbitrary and strictly enforced word limit: 365. Today: Emily Writes on the Freakshake. 2017 might have been the year the “Freakshake” was born. But 2018 was truly the year this abomination became … Read more
Every day in the leadup to Christmas, open the door to reveal a Spinoff writer’s short, sizzling commentary on a weighty subject. Our arbitrary and strictly enforced word limit: 365. Today: Jihee Junn rains on your parade. Parades are awful, ban all parades. Santa Parade, Pride Parade – there’s no such thing as a good parade. Ever watched … Read more
Every day in the leadup to Christmas, open the door to reveal a Spinoff writer’s short, sizzling commentary on a weighty subject. Our arbitrary and strictly enforced word limit: 365. Today: Sam Brooks with a hot tip for a hot meal on Christmas Day. It was the morning of Christmas 2016, and being New Zealand, … Read more
Want to give to charity this Christmas? Hold the tinned tomatoes – here’s what they really want. Right now charities and community groups are being flooded with gifts, food and goods from well-meaning Samaritans looking to share a bit of Chrimbo goodwill. But the most valuable thing you can give to charity, it turns out, … Read more
Jackie Clark from The Aunties has one Christmas wish: before you give to charity, do your research. We are coming up to the time of year when people get into the spirit of giving. Although your heart might be in the right place, when you donate to your favourite charities this Christmas season, try not … Read more
Henry Oliver talks to The Beths’ Elizabeth Stokes and Jonathan Pearce about their love of Christmas and uncool music. It’s been a year for the Beths. Their album Future Me Hates Me was released to frenzied fandom around the power pop-loving world. Funny famous people tweeted about them. They toured relentlessly, spending tens of thousands … Read more