Hospice Mid Canterbury want to help people to take the stress out of preparing for Christmas.
They are offering a fun day of demonstrations with a Jingle & Mingle event in Staveley on November 23.
It follows the success of their biennual homes decorated for Christmas event, where visitors said how beautiful the displays were but that they could never create them.
Member of the organising team, Ang Farr said anyone can create special displays with what they have – they just need to believe in themselves and give it a go.
Jingle & Mingle is being held in the beautiful garden setting of The Staveley Boutique Lodge from 10am to 3pm.
‘‘We want people to come and enjoy a day out to watch the demonstrations and feel at ease trying things at home,’’ Farr said.
Fellow member Anne Marie Leech said the day was about giving people tips and tricks to make Christmas hosting easy.
The nine demonstrations on offer during the day are: building a platter brimming with flavour and colour, learning to glaze a ham, mastering gravlaxing salmon, picking up tricks and tips for making a tree sparkle, creating show stopping desserts, making stunning Christmas flower arrangements, presenting an amazing Christmas table and learning how to beautifully wrap presents.
Along with the demonstrations there will be Christmas-themed stalls including Christmas decorations, relishes and sauces, handmade cards and cheese boards.
Jo Meehan, owner of Staveley Lodge, approached hospice offering her house for the Christmas homes event and it sparked the idea of holding a fun and festive day, featuring some of that event’s most requested demonstrations.
Gates open at 10am and the first demonstration is at 10.30am.
Tickets cost $65 and include a lunch of a lamb or ham roll, glass of bubbly and a piece of Christmas cake. Attendees can take their own picnic blanket and lunch. Also on offer will be a coffee cart, ice-cream truck and raffles.
‘‘Tickets are on sale now and are being snapped up as people buy an early Christmas present or groups plan their end of year functions,’’ Leech said. There are no gate sales. Take cash as not all stalls have eftpos.
The venue natural setting means limited wheelchair access. The day is on wet or fine.
Funds raised will be used to provide the services offered by Hospice Mid Canterbury at no cost to clients and their families.
– Hospice Mid Canterbury Jingle & Mingle on November 23 from 10am to 3pm at The Staveley Boutique Lodge, 12 Burgess Rd. Tickets $65 available from Kowhai House, 70 Havelock St, Ashburton.
