December has arrived!
We love this time of the year at the Big Foody! We are super busy, hosting all of you, our lovely guests, and Auckland really brings it on at this time of the year! With the weather warming up, the sun shining, Christmas decorations popping up everywhere, everyone is heading outdoors and its starting to feel like Christmas is just around the corner (and it is!)
Here are our top 6 favourite things to do in Auckland in December and around Christmas time.
Christmas in the Park
Pack yourself a picnic and venture out to the Auckland Domain for ‘Christmas in Park’ on Saturday 9th December. A free outdoor Christmas musical spectacular, a fabulous night out and of course the night ends with Santa arriving and fireworks extravaganza.
Go for Ice Cream!
There is always a good reason for an ice cream treat with the weather warming up and you are never far from getting your hands on one in Auckland. Whether it’s a traditional kiwi Tip Top favourite from the local Dairy freezer (newly launched L&P Frujus are a Kiwiana must!), fresh berry ice creams made to order on the side of many of our state highways (Strawberries, Raspberries and Blueberries) or for those real ice cream gourmets there are plenty of of exquisite gelato bars around. One of our favourites at the Big Foody is Giapo, where ice cream is not just ice cream but a work of art! Check out one of our earlier blogs on Giapo – a first-timers experience.
Strawberries, Strawberries, Strawberries
Christmas time in New Zealand & strawberries go hand-in-hand. You will not find a Christmas lunch or party without fresh, juicy strawberries being on offer. Whether it’s a delicious Pavlova covered in sweet strawberries, chocolate dipped strawberries or simply fresh sprinkled with some icing sugar or with a dolloping of cream.
The best thing after Christmas and before New Years is to go Strawberry picking! Most commercial strawberry fields open to the public from Boxing Day onwards and there is nothing better than warm juicy (dribbling down your chin juicy!) self-picked strawberries.
As one does, an excess is always picked!, so why not try out our Strawberry cocktail on our blog, perfect for New Years Eve!
Shop till you drop!
Auckland has plenty to offer for all those shopaholics out there. We at the Big Foody of course LOVE anything to do with FOOD! Our favourite foody shopping destinations include Scarecrow, Smith & Caugheys, Gourmet Heaven and of course Sababto. Looking for some special New Zealand products for the foodie in your life (or an extra special treat for yourself)? Head over to our blog, to find our top Christmas stocking fillers from Sabato.
Visit a Farmer’s Market
This is the perfect time to visit any of our Farmers Markets, with fresh produce being harvested daily (especially those big red strawberries) and Christmas delicacies on offer, our Big Foody Food Tours are just the place to taste, sample and get taste buds jumping for joy! The Farmers markets are also the perfect place to get your hands on any last minute or hard-to-buy-for Christmas gifts and goodies.
Enjoy our Parks and Beaches
Take your picnic and make yourself comfortable on anyone of our many parks and beaches. For some beautiful sunsets, make sure that you visit one of the west coast beaches at sunset. Other places to take you picnic basket include Auckland Councils Movie in the Parks starting later in the summer in January.
