Edwina Bartholomew

Sunrise presenter Edwina Bartholomew has always been close to her brother, James, and sister, Meg, and with both of them living overseas, Christmas is made extra special by the family reunion. “Christmas is about bringing everyone together,” she says. “We have a lot of traditions, some which Mum loves; some she hates.”

One of the things her mother hates is the ritual watching of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

Baking Edwina’s grandmother’s Christmas cake, however, is something everyone can enjoy.

“Mum soaks the fruit and we try to get together and put the cakes in the oven ourselves, and we eat Christmas cake for what feels like months,” Edwina says. “We’ve got a small family, so it never feels like a huge affair. But we really relish that time and coming from all over the globe to be together for that week.”