Her mother and siblings, along with her stepfather, nieces and nephews and her 96-year-old grandmother, will spend tomorrow at her Ponsonby home, Kaye said.
"I'm hosting Christmas Day but I'm not doing any of the cooking, because generally my family don't like my cooking ... so I'll be thanking them from my armchair, with my feet up."
She may have one job though - replacing the sweet treats that had disappeared from the house.
"I've bought quite a few Christmas chocolates, which were supposed to be for Christmas Day but a lot of them have gone," she said, laughing.
'I'm just very grateful for my family. They're just absolute legends'
Christmas Day would be "very relaxed, very casual and just good food".
She had learned to appreciate the important people in her life following her diagnosis, Kaye said.
"I think for anyone who goes through major trauma ... one of the beautiful things that can come out of it is life comes a lot more into focus and you even more appreciate the people in your life that love you and that has certainly happened for me.
"I'm just very grateful for my family. They're just absolute legends. They're the people that are there, particularly if you're sick. I've spent a lot more time with them and they've just been absolutely incredible."
Post-Christmas she has few plans.
Relaxing, gardening and time with her "fur babies", cats Lily and Charlie, is high on the agenda. Plenty of reading is also likely.
"Usually I like a combination of trashy romantic books, and I also like biographies. My plan is after the mad rush to go and have a look at the sales."
She had taken up gardening since being on leave, and was proud of her "awesome tomatoes" and potted lemon tree.
"I've never had a vege garden, but I've become a little bit of a hippie on the food front."
Return to the Beehive planned next month
She was now making a plan for how to manage her garden when she returned to work next month.
As minister for youth and associate minister of education, she is determined to attend the first cabinet of the new year, due to take place around the third week of January.
Prime Minister Bill English said when he announced his reshuffled Cabinet last Sunday that Kaye was likely to take over as Education Minister when Hekia Parata stands down from the role in May.
Kaye was waiting for the official announcement before making any comment about the role, and had plenty to focus on in the meantime.
"At the moment I'll be minister for youth and associate minister of education, and we'll see what happens in May. But I'm looking forward to getting stuck in [to work]. I've been attending a couple of electorate events and been working on some local electorate projects, which is good. So easing back into it.
"I've had a variety of [cancer] treatment, but I'm feeling pretty good and I'm really looking forward to being back at the Cabinet table in the new year."
