Holiday lights the start of a tradition
Lighting up Christmas has become a new tradition for one Scottish-South African New Plymouth family.
The McVeys – Gary and Catherine and their three children – are part of the Bell Block Christmas lights spectacular, and Catherine McVey, who is from South Africa, says Christmas in New Zealand doesn’t have its own flavour.
‘‘This, for our family, has become our Christmas tradition,’’ she said. ‘‘We really enjoy doing it.
‘‘[Gary] was from a place where Christmas is dark and cold and very Christmassy from that perspective – the weather lends itself to that – and I was from a place where it’s hot and you go to the beach and play cricket on Christmas Day.
‘‘We had to start making Christmas our own in a foreign country with our own kids.’’
Putting up the lights is also a lot of fun and connects them as a family – the kids like the slightly dangerous element of getting some of the fixtures in place. It also connects her work in the church – she is a pioneer minister at the Taranaki Cathedral – and the world outside, as the youth group come for a barbecue and then go for a walk around the lights.
For Catherine, Christmas is about the birth of Christ and from that perspective opening her home and space to whomever comes through.
The family did have some decorations stolen from their Nadine Stanton Dr home – two sparkly kiwi worth $50 – but at work the next day McVey said she was reminded of all the good in the community when she saw the donations from the Foodbank drive.
‘‘That outweighs two kiwis being stolen, to see that the community in New Plymouth gave so generously.’’
While there is a competition element to the lights, that’s not important to them, she said.
‘‘There’s such a lot of people that come through – and there literally are thousands that come through this area. It’s so lovely to be able to do such a small, little thing that makes so much joy.’’