Ōtautahi / Christchurch Daily Photo

Every Christmas the Ballantyne’s department store has Christmas-themed display in their window. This year, it has a very kiwi flavour, with Santa camping and having a barbecue. I think the next set of Christmas revelers have ‘gone bush’ for the holiday!  

Ferrymead Park with Castle Rock in the background.

It’s wonderful to see how great the newly re-opened Clock Tower building is looking at the Arts Centre – with a cafe back in residence (the Bunsen Cafe).

I’m not sure when this mini playground got installed in the Cashel Mall, but it is proving to be popular with the kids.

New Regent Street today – with a large ape statue (some discussion as to whether it is a gorilla or an Orangutan). It’s outside the new Gelato cafe. My friends and I had to sample the gelato and it was certainly delicious. The ape statue is a magnet for selfie…

Impressive huh! Would be pretty scary for me personally as I’m not a fan of heights.

It’s the little touches that count and these flowers sitting on the piano as you come into the shopping arcade are a lovely welcome.

My friend Emma baked and decorated this awesome pumpkin cake. Not only did it look the part, it was very delicious (almost a shame we had to cut into it). I also made these one-eyed red velvet cup cakes.

Thrill the World is a world-wide dance event where people dress up as Zombies and dance to Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’. Christchurch’s joined in and we had an interesting backdrop with the broken Cathedral. I actually participated in this event 7 years ago! It was a lot of fun, but today…

You can see this tree near the entrance to the Azalea pathway (not far from the Curator’s House restaurant). I think it’s a palm and it looks to be in flower. Please leave a comment if you know the variety and if the yellow appendages are indeed the flowers!