one on one
Celebrating ‘Tis the season to be jolly, and Christmas means different things to different people. Metropol asked a few of our well-known locals about what it means to them.
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Lianne Dalziel Christchurch City Mayor Lianne Dalziel plans to spend her Christmas in town catching up with family.
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may slip away for a few days afterwards, but a ‘staycation’ is definitely on the cards,” she says. “Last Christmas I helped serve meals at the City Mission lunch, but Covid-19 has put paid to that this year. “People seemed to get a real kick out of having the Mayor serve them, so I had been looking forward to doing that again. It would have been my last time in the role of Mayor. Hopefully an ‘extinguished’ Mayor will be good enough in the future!” For Lianne the Christmas spirit is about coming together with family and friends. “The Christchurch Dalziels connect with the Wellington, Perth and Tokyo Dalziels and chat about the year that was. This is something I always look forward to. And the cousins always put on a Boxing Day barbeque, which is another family get together – except for the cricket fanatics who always watch the Boxing Day Test.” And her most memorable Christmas “was actually the first time I went to England, Scotland and France. I went with my relatively new boyfriend, Robbie, who I fell in love with, and married five years later! That was definitely the best”.
8 16 December, 2021 Metropol
ne thing I have noticed though, as I get older, is it seems to come around quicker! It’s a time for me to get all the year’s projects together, wrap them up and clear my desk. It’s amazing what you can do in the office in the last three weeks, before Christmas. “In the final countdown of five days, like many others, I rush around buying all those last minute gifts. The final week is very social with drinks and lunches. “Now we have a caravan we’re thinking of all the last minute, “can’t do with-outs” that have to be installed before we head north.” For Mike, Christmas day is generally a long lunch, in the sun, by the pool with the family. “Regrets and guilt, on excessive food intake, generally set in about 5pm when I’m still scoffing 4th and 5th helpings of dessert. Boxing Day we’re on the road with the caravan, wife Rachel and our three dogs. “Golden Bay here we come. Generally two weeks in the region of Motueka and Kaiteriteri. We spend most days (road) cycling, mountain biking, coffees, BBQs and a few gins. “Christmas is friends, family and fun times.”
Mike Pero Businessman Mike Pero says Christmas is always a special time for him and also his family.
