Beck Wadworth

Beck Wadworth is the founder of blog and brand An Organised Life, which specialises in beautiful minimalist stationery designed to bring order and structure to our busy lives. And, you guessed it, all is calm and bright during her festive season celebrations thanks to a lot of careful preparation and planning… Where will you be spending Christmas this year? Beck:

I always head home to Marlborough to spend Christmas with my family. It’s my favourite time of year in my favourite place!

Is your Christmas Day super-organised or is it a welcome chance to just go with the flow?

I definitely love to prep and plan for everything, including the festive season. For me personally, I like to break up the spending over this time. I write my gift list in early November and break up my budget over the six weeks leading up to Christmas. I love to design and make a lot of my gifts, so planning in advance gives me a lot of time to get this done too.

In terms of the actual day, believe it or not, I am pretty flexible. My parents are both really organised too so it all comes together naturally. However, in the leadup, as a family we all divide up who is bringing what food on the day.

Beck: Do you have any special Christmas traditions? Is there anything you like to make yourself? Beck:

I love setting up the table for Christmas Day and I love decorating the tree! When we can’t be together as a family setting up the tree, we often send each other videos with the Christmas carols playing. It’s become an unspoken tradition. My other signature tradition is my Christmas wrapping. It’s always monochrome and minimal.

What do you love to cook and eat over the festive season? Again, any special traditional dishes that you always make? Beck:

My grandma makes the most beautiful desserts that I always overindulge in. She usually brings a pavlova, trifle, cheesecake and a traditional Christmas cake. I’m very spoilt.

We always have a cheese platter and Champagne to start the long lunch and then move into some beautiful mains including new potatoes, salads, turkey, ham, and more. We definitely go for a relaxed style. We sit outside under the sun umbrellas wearing our Christmas hats from the crackers and enjoy being together as a family.

After lunch, we can often be found playing croquet on the front lawn.

What’s your best Christmas stress-busting tip? Beck:

Plan out your finances in advance and break up the spending. Have clear communication as to who is doing what on the day – spread out the workload. Prep and plan as much as possible so you can relax and enjoy the actual day.

Can you share an especially fond Christmas memory? Beck:

My late grandfather always dressed up as Santa (a low-key Kiwi summer one, with shorts, a shirt and a Santa hat!). For as long as I can remember, I was Santa’s helper and handed out the gifts after he had read out the card.

The Santa role has now been handed down to my brother and I’m his helper, which is really special.

Favourite Christmas album / movie? Beck:

Love Actually – always! anorganisedlife.com

What are your go-to survival tactics for long road trips? Jennifer:

Thankfully the days of ‘I spy with my little eye’ have passed. If I’m on my own it’s podcasts all the way and waiata Māori, especially the ones I’m trying to learn.

Favourite items for the picnic hamper/ chilly bin? Jennifer:

My stepmother Rula’s finely cut coleslaw salad – truly the best in the world – and a crusty wholemeal sourdough loaf.