LIVE DAY | Exploring the Past
Step back in time at Howick Historical Village to explore daily life in the past.
Delve into the world of ancestry and artefacts with two talks spread throughout the day. Learn about the Victorian passion for collecting and their Cabinets of Curiosity at 11:00 with Lexie Palmer-Gapper, General Manager. Then, at 1pm hear from Seonaid Harvey, Senior Research Librarian Family History, Central Auckland Research Centre on how to begin your own family history research.
Experience the Village bustling with life, with costumed villagers and performances by Morris dancers at 10:30am and 11:30am and the bagpipe band at 12:00pm! Try your hand at calligraphy or making a silhouette portrait and meet bookbinders from the NZ Association of Book Crafts. Be the first to see the new Coach House display and learn about early transportation in Auckland.
There will be something for everyone with the coal range in Puhi Nui homestead fired-up and traditional treats on offer. Make butter or attend a Victorian school lesson. Visit the sweet shop, filled with old-fashioned lollies & fudge.
Explore the gardens and unwind at the Homestead Café for brunch or lunch. Make a day of it!
Admission: adult $18, student/senior $14, child $10, family $46, child under 5, members & annual pass holders - free. Unlimited door sales available.
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!
Suellen’s sweet Christmas tradition
The festive season is always a great excuse to indulge your sweet tooth, and this time of year poses the perfect opportunity to bring a real showstopper to the Christmas table.
For Suellen’s family, that showstopper is Croquembouche, an impressive tower of cream puffs bound together with spun sugar that is popular at weddings in France and Italy.
What began as a birthday treat at a local French café has become a cherished Christmas tradition for Suellen and her 17-year-old twin granddaughters, Ellie and Sadie. Every year, the trio gather in Suellen’s apartment at William Sanders Village to cook this festive dessert - a holiday highlight they all treasure.
Click read more for the recipe.