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From the editor - December 09

What are we going to do for our Christmas tree this year?� asks my daughter Ellie, while gazing longingly at the beautiful pages of this Christmas Special issue of NZ House & Garden. �I hope you are not going to hang orange peppers again � you know people think we are the weirdest family on the planet because we hang peppers on our tree at Christmas.�

This odd habit had its genesis in a Christmas house tour the first year I was editor of this magazine (1998). I was astonished to find a tree decorated with silver objects and glowing orange bell peppers. I couldn�t wait to get home with two dozen peppers, a pair of snips and a roll of soft wire. Every year since, I�ve wired up the peppers and they hang happily on the tree until Christmas evening when we begin to eat them as required. For the next few days the well-ripened peppers are consumed in a variety of ways � roasted, barbecued or raw. Believe me, there are no sweeter peppers than those that have reposed peacefully among the tinsel, pine needles and Christmas lights.

But I can see from the inspirational array of gorgeous Christmas ideas in this issue that it is time to move on � maybe. I love the lushness and the sense of excitement over the fact that Christmas is on the way. Our rituals are even more important when we feel anxious or stressed, and taking time and making the effort to celebrate is good for our health and our happiness.

It is time to congratulate my team here at NZ House & Garden for creating such an exuberant and joyous issue. Every page shows their attention to detail and the care they take to make every tiny thing as good as it can be. They are wonderful � the cleverest in the land � and I am lucky to work with each one of them. And all of us, including our company general manager Lynley Belton, who we introduce on page 18, wish you a joyous and peaceful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Ps We think NZ House & Garden is the best Christmas gift around, especially at our best-ever subscription price of $70 for a year � that�s 12 issues of fabulous houses and gardens! Perhaps Santa will renew yours?

Story: Kate Coughlan
Photographs: Mark Smith