Christmas in the Sun: A Kiwi Summer Story

When people overseas talk about Christmas, they picture snowflakes, fireplaces, woolly jumpers, and hot drinks that steam up your glasses.

But for me?
Christmas has always meant sunburn, sunscreen, and swimming.

Growing up in Aotearoa (New Zealand), Christmas isn’t a winter holiday. It’s a summer holiday wearing a Santa hat. It’s golden light on the water, cicadas screaming their heads off, long lazy evenings, and that unmistakable promise of summer freedom.

My Christmas smells like:

• fresh early mornings

• smoky BBQs

• sunscreen that never quite rubs in (hello white streaks!)

• and that warm, sweet “bush walk in the heat” smell.

It sounds like:

• cicadas buzzing (and flies ... yay)

• cold cans cracking open

• birds in the bush

• and the splash of someone cannonballing into water they definitely didn’t check for depth (please don't do this, ALWAYS check!)

It tastes like:

• Christmas cake (one year Glenn and I got through at least five… January sales were dangerous)

• Christmas mince tarts (now that I'm a fairly strict carnivore, these are nothing but memories, very fond memories *swoon*)

• cold ham

• fresh strawberries with whipped cream!

• kiwifruit on pavlova (another distant memory, but so good!)

And it feels like:

• long days with no agenda

• baring my legs in shorts (and scaring many)

• markets and fairs, and the delicious foods and smells that come with them

• reading under trees

• swimming until my fingers prune

• and escaping to our cabin for a couple of weeks of blissful nothingness

That cabin escape is one of my favourite traditions. No shopping-centre chaos. No packed carparks. No pressure to perform festivity.
Just: books, nature, peace, and the gentle hum of summer.

It's a reminder that Christmas isn’t about a date on a calendar, it’s about rhythm. It’s about stepping out of the year you’ve carried, and walking barefoot into a softer one.

And that’s my Christmas wish for you this year: May your summer (or winter) feel gentle. May your rest feel earned. May something small and unexpected delight you.

Now… speaking of delight. Let’s talk gifts.

Whether you’re shopping for a book-lover or supporting a writer through their next creative sprint, here are gifts at every budget.

🎁✨ The Summer Gift Guide for Readers & Writers

All price points: $0, $20, $50, $70, $100

📚 Gifts for Readers

$0 — Free & Fabulous

• A personalised “To-Be-Read Fortune”: a list of 3 books you think they’d adore

• A shared reading date: “Let’s read in silence together with snacks”

• A hand-crafted bookmark 

$20 — Small, Sweet, & Thoughtful

• A gorgeous bookmark set

• A thrifted book in pristine condition (second-hand treasures = magic)

• A bookish mug (“The Inkbound Society...”) (designed by yours truly!)

$50 — Luxe Without Going Overboard

• A beautiful book sleeve for protecting paperbacks on the go

• A 3-month digital reading subscription (Scribd, Kobo Plus, etc.)

• A reading light with warm/cool modes - check out a fantastic one here

$70 — Treat-Level

• A special edition or illustrated edition of a favourite book

• A comfy outdoor reading cushion for summer lounging

• A hardcover journal for book notes & quotes

$100 — “You Are Deeply Loved” Tier

• A gorgeous collector’s edition (clothbound, sprayed edges, the works)

• A low-profile outdoor deck chair perfect for summer reading

• A gift card to their favourite indie bookstore

✍️ Gifts for Writers

$0 — Free & Meaningful

• A writing playlist you curated just for them (I have a drafting/editing one here : and an anime inspired one here)

• A “writing date” voucher: one hour of quiet co-work encouragement

• A gentle letter reminding them their stories matter 

$20 — Practical & Lovely

• Fine-tip pens (rainbow, obviously — writers are goblins) (I bought this set for myself, they're SO PRETTY!)

• Sticky notes, tabs, or annotation goodies

• A pocket notebook for ideas at rogue moments

$50 — Creative Boost Zone

• A high-quality A4 or A5 notebook for plotting

• A writing craft book (James Scott Bell, Lisa Cron, etc.)

• A set of coloured gel pens for mood coding scenes

$70 — Serious Encouragement

• A lap desk for writing anywhere

• An ergonomic keyboard mouse combo

• A 6-month subscription to a writing app (Scrivener upgrade, ProWritingAid, 4theWords, etc.)

$100 — Big Cheer Energy

• A beautiful fountain pen + ink

• A premium writing course module or workshop

• A custom notebook with their name or project title on the cover

🌞 Closing Note

Wherever you are this Christmas—sweating under the sun, roasting by a beach BBQ, hiding in the shade with a novel, or wandering a market with an iced drink (or perhaps wintering it out)—I hope you find a pocket of peace.

May your days be warm (weather or snugness-wise).
May your stories flow.
And may your holiday gift to yourself be something simple and joyful.

Meri Kirihimete & Happy Holidays