Kiwi Olympic star Barbara Kennedy has revealed how she'll be spending Christmas this year. Photo / Supplied
For Shortland Street starlet Rebekah Randell, 2020 started out well.
She married the love of her life Bevan Randell in February and was working her dream job playing Dawn Robinson on the TV2 drama.
"Intertwined with all the madness, it has still been one of my favourite years," she beams. "It has been a year of personal growth and learning. Not only in regard to all these new phrases like 'social distancing', 'level 4' and 'bubble', but really learning how I evolve within a crisis."
The bubbly actress, 27, feels more grateful than ever for all she has.
"During the lockdowns, we lived simply," she tells. "Bevan spent time renovating and I spent hours in the kitchen, creating dishes I always wished I had the time to try. I joked that lockdown was our honeymoon because Europe was no longer on the cards!"
For their first Christmas as a married couple, Rebekah and her hubby, 33, will be camping up north with his side of the family.
"This year will be my first not spending at least some of Christmas Day on my family's farm, because we've started taking turns each year," she explains. "Still, I love a big Christmas dinner with all the trimmings and spending time with loved ones, which is just how it has always been."
Her favourite holiday memory is being a child on Christmas morning. "My siblings and I woke up extremely early and would run out into the lounge to ensure Santa had been. Of course, he had, but with Dad working on the farm until around 8am, we had to wait for him to come home before we could open our gifts."
For a young Rebekah, it felt like eternity. "When we have children, I look forward to Christmases on the farm, watching them having to wait to open their gifts. I'm sure we'll find it very funny knowing how hard it was to be patient."
To top off her and Bevan's big year, Rebekah is looking forward to basking in the "magic, excitement and love" that comes with a Kiwi Christmas. "It's all about family and food in our world!"
For much of his career, The Hits Drive co-host Mike Puru has spent Christmas Days working on-air. This year, however, the former Bachelor New Zealand host will share the day with his partner Anton at home in Auckland, accompanied by some of their friends for food and downtime.
"Anton will be working around the America's Cup, so we'll spend time with our foreign friends who can't be with their families," tells Mike, 45. "I've worked a few Christmas Days over the years, but there's always been loads of food and love so, for me, it's about taking time to appreciate those constants in your life."
The radio star, who works alongside Stacey Morrison and singer Anika Moa, is enjoying the less hectic pace that 2020 has delivered – and learning to mix things up.
"I've realised I'm very routine," he laughs. "But I've liked spending time at home, rather than racing around so much and I've become more comfortable with taking on new challenges. I'm looking forward to 2021 bringing a fresh start."
While Mike won't be with family to celebrate Christmas Day, he'll take a moment to reflect on his favourite holiday tradition: the taste of fresh New Zealand whitebait, cooked with love.
"My sister and brother-in-law go whitebaiting and each year save enough to have if we're all together, or they send some to me," he grins. "It's usually the way we do it due to work commitments for everyone. But we all try hard to have a meeting place and just wait to see who can travel and turn up."
For Mike, the simple dish makes his day. "It's more important than a turkey or ham on the bone," he explains. "I also love the hustle and bustle and stress that leads up to a day where nothing's on or open, and you can just relax."
Christmas is all about family for Heather Du Plessis-Allan. In fact, it's the only thing that matters, says the Newstalk ZB Drive radio host, who this year will be spending the occasion at her brother's farm in Onewhero.
"All I want to do is be with my family, doing nothing at all but eating, reading, sleeping, listening to music and lying in the sun," she tells the Weekly.
Looking back to her childhood, one of her favourite Christmas memories is camping with her grandparents and falling asleep listening to the adults talking around the fire.
These days, you'll find her embracing a rather unusual tradition – singing Bohemian Rhapsody! It's something that was established by the family of her husband Barry Soper, who is the political editor at Newstalk ZB. It doesn't matter where the family is, they come together from all around the world, even if it's online.
"Sometimes, some of them are in a park in Melbourne and they get Zoomed in and sing along at the top of their lungs," Heather laughs.
Born in South Africa to a South African mum and a Kiwi dad, she moved to New Zealand at the age of 12, and usually several of her family members will make the trip Down Under to visit, but pandemic travel restrictions mean it's simply not possible this year – she's particularly sad to not see her 91-year-old grandmother.
And, reflecting on 2020, Heather hopes she'll never have another year like it, which started with the deaths of her stepdad and dad, then two other family members and a friend. "Then, of course, there was the pandemic."
But despite how difficult it has been, Heather's decided to enjoy her life more, saying, "We are so lucky to live in a country spoiled for good food, good gin, good wine, beautiful landscapes and fun things to do. I want to see and experience more of it."
Even when he's at the beach on Christmas Day, away from the cameras or mic and indulging in good food and sunshine, Ryan Bridge can't escape the call of a great yarn.
"There's nothing like a restful break with family, hanging with siblings and the parents under the same roof again," says the TV and radio presenter, 32.
"But ultimately, it's the conversations you have during this time that makes it what
it is. Everybody's relaxed and together, catching up on the year with a drink in hand."
While he's used to spending the holiday rushing to visit both parents' sides of the family, 2020 will be different for the Aucklander. "I'm making it easier by having my family up here the week before the big day to celebrate," he shares. "It's also my brother's 30th birthday, so we'll combine celebrations. Then on Christmas Day, I'll be free to eat and drink with other loved ones."
Of course, Ryan admits the silly season isn't complete without Mariah Carey on repeat.
"Mum's also always baking chocolate eclairs and playing The Pogues, which is a great Christmas combo. She plays their song Fairytale of New York in the morning when we wake up."
When it comes to the New Year, Ryan is quietly delighted it's approaching. "On the whole, 2020 is not a year I will look back on fondly. But there are a few personal things I achieved worth celebrating, like getting a new house and wee puppy Fanny."
Also, he was able to continue reporting during lockdown. "I was privileged enough to work through this year," he affirms.
"The lockdowns and the uncertainty were tough for everybody, so I feel incredibly grateful I could go into the newsroom each day and speak directly to those making the big decisions and to those affected."
He has advice for people coming into January. "It's important to stop and ask yourself, 'Is this making me happy?' If not, drop it," Ryan advises. "My outlook on life is pretty simple: we're all here for a finite period of time and nobody has any real idea what happens afterwards. We're here to enjoy ourselves and do our best."
Now that she's a parent to two Santa-loving sons, Christmas is all about the kids for television reporter Melissa Stokes. It was welcoming her boys Hugo, 9, and Freddie, 7, that made the holiday season all the more special, topped with the usual anticipation of her mum's decadent pavlova.
"I love the magic I still get with having younger kids, who head into the month of December with such energy," says the 1 News presenter. "Their Christmas shopping lists and ideas of what to buy others always gives me a big laugh. For us, Christmas is nothing fancy. It's about enjoying each other's company and trying to get at least one good photo as a memento of the day!"
After a testing year, she's looking forward to spending Christmas Day visiting friends down the road for a swim, before getting together with family to watch the kids run around. "A family walk or kayak in the afternoon would round things off beautifully," enthuses Melissa, 42, who will spend Christmas Eve with her husband Dave Pierce, 45, preparing their sons' presents.
"It's certainly becoming a tradition for us to struggle putting together whatever hundred-part gift we've organised for the kids," she grins. "Last year, the climbing frame was finally up at midnight!"
Her own childhood Christmas memories include busy road trips to Taupō ̄ and the Hawke's Bay, alongside her mum's "big boisterous family" for long games of cricket, volleyball and badminton, followed by nighttime possum hunting on the farm.
This year, she's preparing for a quieter celebration. "2020 has been so strange, like the year all the cliches came true and I did a lot of worrying! You just never know what is coming and all that really matters is having a healthy and happy family." Also, Melissa quips, it taught her that no matter the recipe, she really can't make bread.
"I've realised I don't need a lot and I can live a much more local life," she says. "I've been surrounded with wonderful people this year and a sense of togetherness that fills my cup."
This year has been the first time Olympic gold winner Barbara Kendall has spent
a full winter in New Zealand since she was 16. While Aotearoa's closed borders have meant many ruined holiday plans for travellers, the former board sailor, 53, has loved staying home with her husband of 27 years Shayne Bright and their teenage daughters Samantha, 19, and Aimee, 15.
"I haven't missed all the travel overseas and have enjoyed having to adapt to bringing all my education online, through interactive learning," tells Barbara, who created the Power Up self-development workshops for Olympians and elite athletes. "I've been really happy having the time at home to potter in the garden and wing foil and surf with the family. I'm the most content and relaxed I've been in years!"
Lockdown, she says, was a fantastic time to reassess what she values in life. "I realised what gives me energy and what zaps it and how lucky I am no matter how good or bad the day is," she explains. "This year, Christmas is even more about taking time to give thanks and appreciation."
Barbara's favourite thing about December is the flowering pōhutukawa trees, accompanied by sun, sand and the ocean.
"Food, family, surf, camping, boating and adventures also bring joy to me," she shares. "We always have our extended family Christmas before the actual day, so everyone can get away on their holidays."
Gift giving is a little out of the norm at Barbara's. "We all bring a selection of random presents and place them in a box in the middle of the room," she explains. "Everyone takes a present and they're allowed to trade if someone gets what they like. There's always great negotiation and hilarity as presents get traded!"
This year, the sporting icon will spend Christmas Day at the beach and sharing a roast lamb meal, before long-time friends join the family for dessert and games.
"I'll definitely be toasting that we all survived 2020," she says. "I used to have my years so well planned out with the Olympics, but now I'm just taking things day by day and going with the flow."
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