Nicky Park: Feeling festive (+competition & calendar)

Herald online

17 Dec, 2012 01:30 AM2 mins to read

Santa Claus will be joining us to answer your questions.Photo / Thinkstock

I get pretty pumped about Christmas. I have tinsel adorning the front deck of my house, a pine-scented candle on the burn, I own a cheesy festive jersey and the Mariah Carey Christmas album is on repeat.

So I was pretty excited when I managed to tee up a LIVE CHAT WITH SANTA CLAUS for NZ Herald readers this week.

The jolly big guy will be online for an hour, answering your questions from 10am on Thursday, December 20.

PLUS get your question in early below and be in the running to win a family pass (for two adults and two kids) to the Musica Sacra Christmas Concert at the Auckland Town Hall on December 22, 2012.

There's plenty happening in the lead up to Christmas (check out the interactive calendar below for all the goings on in Auckland over summer).

In a bid to shake The Grinch out of my manfriend, I took him on an evening tour of the city last Friday night.

After a delicious feast of oysters, sliders and champagne at The Depot we wondered around Aotea Square amongst stalls, swing dancers and street performers. As dusk took hold, we hailed down Steve on Queen Street - a friendly tuk-tuk driver who cycled us around the lit-up streets of downtown Auckland. We weaved around (envious looking) pedestrians, wind in our hair, admiring the dressed-up windows in Smith & Coughey's, the pretty lit bunting down alleyways and snapping selfies in front of the giant Whitcoulls' Santa. It was a fun way to check out the city and certainly woke up our inner-kiddies.

Steve dropped us down at a bustling Silo Park to browse the night markets before checking out an outdoor screening of Grease.

I reckon New Zealanders are really good at embracing the warmer, longer daylight hours. I put it partly down to the new-found freedom on the back of a chilly winter.

So, go on, it is the season to be silly! Find something on the calendar that tickles your fancy and check out the BIG little City website here. Get out and about with friends and family. And don't forget to send us your questions for Santa Claus!