Halswell Community Hub Xmas Donations
Every year for the past 7 years we have collaborated with several agencies around Halswell and Christchurch. From Odyssey House, the Hoon Hay Food Bank, Open Home Foundation, City Mission Outreach and Project Esther, to local families in need. The aim is to bring a little relief and hopefully a little joy at Christmas. It can be a stressful and expensive time of year for many. While we realise October seems a little early to start thinking about Christmas, we need time to receive donations, sort them and pass them on to the recipients before each organisation pauses over the Christmas period. We do ask that all items are new only please.
Drop off to: the Halswell Community Hub, 381 Halswell Road from October through to mid December.
This year we are partnering with:
Ngā Maihi - Steppingstones Trust/Odyssey House/Purapua Whetu
Open Home Foundation
Local families
Donations required:
Toiletry packs – shampoo, conditioners, sanitary items (period underwear/pads/tampons/cups etc), deodorant, toothbrushes & paste, cotton buds, body wash/soap, lip balm, hairbrush, razors, hair ties, shaving cream, sunscreen and cosmetic bag/toiletries bag. Outdoor sports equipment/toys, weighted soft animals, squishmallow toys, unicorns, pokemon cards, books, transformers, fidget toys, art supplies like a sketch pad/ watercolour pencils Voucher activity(Swimming Pools etc).
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.
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!