How Gold Coast celebrities are spending Christmas
Christmas is a time to be close to the ones you love. From sixpence in the pudding to obnoxious inflatables, five celebrities share their Christmas time traditions.
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No matter where you are or what you do, Christmas is a time to be close to the ones you love. From sixpence in the pudding to obnoxious inflatables, five celebrities share their Christmas time traditions.
Charli Robinson
Getaway presenter
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How will you be spending Christmas?
It will be my daughter Kensington’s first Christmas. In a way it’s brought back the Christmas spirit, experiencing it through her eyes, she recognised Santa and points and smiles at every Christmas tree so it’s all new and exciting. She was due Australia Day this year but my waters broke Christmas night last year — safe to say Boxing Day will be a lot more relaxed, and her birthday on the 27th will be extra special also. We’re spending Christmas with my family in Port Stephens where I have all my favourite wonderful childhood memories so to share that with her is such an incredible feeling.
Do you have any Christmas Day traditions?
For over a decade with Hi5 we would perform in Melbourne at the Christmas Eve carols so the tradition was waking in a hotel and flying back quickly to my family. It’s still a joy to wake up at my parents now, no flights, just family, presents under the tree and lots of food. Being together is absolutely the most important thing to me.
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GOLD COAST WEATHER FORECAST FOR CHRISTMAS
Who hosts the Christmas feast and what’s usually on the menu?
My parents. They go all out with a traditional dinner. My mums cauliflower and broccoli mornay is what I’m craving, plus the pudding we put old sixpence inside and everyone finds one while eating, it sounds funny but it’s a great old tradition.
What’s your best festive season tip?
Take a breath, be patient. If you have family to spend your day with you are so lucky. If you can’t be with them, give your time to the local aged care where it can be a very lonely day. Pop in with a smile and a chat, that’s what Christmas is about. When so many Aussies are struggling without homes from the recent fires, send them prayers.
Lise Carlaw and Sarah Wills
Those Two Girls radio presenters
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How will you be spending Christmas?
Lise: We’re hosting at our home this year, so Christmas Eve afternoon will involve lots of chilled champagne and obnoxious inflatable narwhals by the pool in the company of our kids, parents, grandparents and close family friends.
Sarah: We’ll be in Tropical North Queensland this year sweating and spending Christmas with my husband’s family. Extreme temperatures bring out the worst in me, so my Christmas wish is 24/7 aircon.
Do you have any Christmas Day traditions?
Lise: Christmas Day always involves a cooked BBQ brekky and mimosas at my in-law’s house. The kids open presents with their cousins and it’s a lovely, casual, intimate affair. Then it’ll be back to our place for more pool-action, leftovers from the night before, lazy naps set to a chilled yet festive Spotify playlist, and lots of family time.
Sarah: Yes — gaining three kilograms.
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Who hosts the Christmas feast and what’s usually on the menu?
Lise: My family is French, so our main celebration occurs on the night of the 24th, and good food is a huge focal point. On the menu this year: Wood-fired pizza for starters courtesy of my husband’s latest outdoor pizza oven obsession, confit duck and duck-fat roast potatoes prepared by my uncle, an abundance of fresh salads thanks to Mum the Salad Queen, my aunty’s annual showstopping dessert creation to round us out, and of course lots of French wine.
Sarah: My mum has really been pushing for my sisters and me to pick up the Christmas baton, but we keep trying to throw it back to her. However, I did it for the first time last year and it was a hit. The menu? Cold ham, cold salads, cold trifle, cold rum balls, cold wine. Boom.
What’s your best festive season tip?
Lise: Only one location per day, simplify across the board and everyone out of the kitchen.
Sarah: Family members who don’t remove the prawn poop chutes for you don’t love you (hi, dad). Make sure guests don’t eat too much so you have leftovers to last a week.
Georgina Lewis
Channel 10 News presenter
THE COLOURFUL CHRISTMAS MURAL WITH A MESSAGE
How will you be spending Christmas?
I’ll be spending Christmas at the Coast with family before heading to Vietnam for an overseas adventure.
Do you have any Christmas Day traditions?
Mum’s trifle is a Christmas tradition that can not be tampered with! It’s been served up for dessert for as long as I can remember. I truly believe there would be anarchy if it was left off the lunch menu.
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Who hosts the Christmas feast and what’s usually on the menu?
My sister is hosting Christmas lunch this year. I’m actually not sure what’s on the menu — I just request the trifle! Haha.
What’s your best festive season tip?
Stay hydrated and stay safe on the roads. And if you are spending it outdoors — make sure you are sun smart too.
Miguel Maestre
Celebrity chef
PACIFIC FAIR CHRISTMAS EXTENDED TRADING HOURS REVEALED
How will you be spending Christmas?
I’ll be spending Christmas Day with my beautiful family around a busy table with amazing food that I’ve prepared. Nothing beats being with your family on Christmas Day.
Do you have any Christmas Day traditions?
We get up early in the morning and the kids open their presents. I then put the turkey in the oven and we head to the beach with my father-in-law to have a glass of champagne and take our annual Christmas photo. We then go home and have everyone over for a massive Christmas lunch. Same thing every year.
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Who hosts the Christmas feast and what’s usually on the menu?
Well seeing I’m a chef I host every year and do all of the cooking. We have a glazed Christmas ham, turkey, salads and veggies and lots of beautiful seafood. Dessert is always a pavlova and a Spanish orange Christmas cake — roscon.
What’s your best festive season tip?
Do as much prep the day before and keep it simple on the day so that you can enjoy the company of your loved ones.
Catch Miguel Maestre on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here on Sunday, January 5 on Channel 10.
Matt Okine
Comedian and author
FULL LIST OF 2019 CHRISTMAS CAROLS ON THE COAST
How will you be spending Christmas?
We’ll be waking up in Toowoomba to exchange presents and enjoy a solid seafood lunch with my partner’s side of the family, and then making the drive down to Brisbane to get stuck into an African Christmas dinner with my Ghanaian side of the family.
You became a dad this year — how will Christmas be different with little Sofia in the picture?
We live interstate, so it’ll be the first time she’ll get to meet a lot of people. I’m scared of how many presents she’ll get. Also we’ve had to rule out a Christmas tree this year because she wants to climb up everything at the moment and that bad boy will come crashing down within two seconds of going up.
Do you have any Christmas Day traditions?
I love spending time with my dad on Christmas. It’s one of the definites in life. And with my daughter, Sofia, around this year, it’s all the more important. I used to dress up as Santa when all my cousins were a bit younger, so maybe Brown Santa will have to make a comeback.
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Who hosts the Christmas feast and what’s usually on the menu?
My cousins Alex and Sammy put on a great Ghanaian get-together every year with traditional dishes from Teshie, Accra, like banku with ochre soup. Usually everyone brings a plate, and my dad and uncles stand over the BBQ cooking up these incredible peanuts, spicy, dry-rubbed meat skewers called chichingas. These skewers are all-time. One day they will be the new chicken satay and you’ll have heard it here first.
What’s your best festive season tip?
Look after yourself this festive season. If you need to have a nap, have a nap. If you feel like stepping outside to check your phone, check your phone. It’s the holiday season so that you can have a holiday, not so that you can ‘work’ under the guise of seeing family. You are number one — take care.
Matt Okine’s new stand-up comedy tour Solo Diner kicks off February 2020.
Rangey Stacey
Totally Wild presenter
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How will you be spending Christmas?
I will be spending Christmas with my family... As always there will be plenty of delicious food, drinks, presents, and fun packed into the day which always seems to fly by. By the end I’m always totally exhausted.
Do you have any Christmas Day traditions?
We always begin Christmas Day with opening presents one by one. On Boxing Day we take the leftovers to my mum and dad’s to feast again, and hang out in the pool.
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Who hosts the Christmas feast and what’s usually on the menu?
We often alternate the hosting duties — this year is at our house. The menu will feature cold meats, seafood and salads. We’re planning to barbecue a whole fish this time which will be yummy.
What’s your best festive season tip?
My tip is to keep it simple and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
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