Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 49, 2025 i New Zealand Woman's Weekly

Mariah Carey fans received an early present last week as the chanteuse kicked off her special holiday residency Christmastime in Las Vegas. The show was a mix of classic carols and her non-holiday hits, before ending on a show-stopping rendition of All I Want for Christmas is You, accompanied by an eight-part choir. The mother of two’s enthusiasm for the holiday is no surprise as she reportedly earns an estimated $4.6-6.9 million in royalties each year from the smash-hit song alone. It could also be the year she finally claims the title of longest-leading number-one song on the US Hot 100 charts. It’s held the top spot for 18 weeks since its 1994 release, which is only one week behind the current record holders. Time to split!…

Great year, Christopher Luxon. Keep doing what you’re doing. The ship is turning. Enjoy the holidays and valuable time with loved ones. Merry Christmas to you and the family. Joanne Lovely family photo. Have a wonderful Christmas. Janice Love reading about the prime minister and his family. Sandy Wishing them well, it’s been a hard year. Looking forward to the new year. Be nice to all. Susan Meri Kirihimete, Luxon whānau. Enjoy the time with all your loved ones, as we shall also. Mary A gorgeous couple. Hayley…

Food writer, author, presenter and former cookery school dropout, Sophie Gray is the doyenne of cuisine on a budget. The 59-year-old knows what it’s like to struggle on a low family income. So through her popular Destitute Gourmet classes, she dishes up not only great-tasting meals but also tips to help the average Kiwi household. As the former editor of Food magazine, Sophie now manages the Good Works Trust food security hub on Auckland’s North Shore. It operates a social supermarket emergency food bank and provides a “hand-up not a handout”. At the heart of Sophie’s work is a simple ethos – breaking down the stigma around lack of money. As she talks about clients going through a vulnerable time in their lives, Sophie too has been dealing with her…

Sparkle is your secret weapon for a radiant, festive look – but it’s an art. Placed wrong, it can look messy, but layered thoughtfully, htfully, it goes from simple to spectacular. Here’s how to master it like a pro. LIGHT WHERE IT COUNTS Glitter works best where the light naturally hits. Apply shimmer to cheekbones, brow bones and inner-eye corners. For the body, highlight collarbones, shoulders or even the hair part for an elegant, unexpected touch. TEXTURE MATTERS Sparkle isn’t one-size-fits-all. Powders can migrate into fine lines, while cream or liquid highlighters blend seamlessly and last longer. Fingertips offer the best precision for small areas like the inner-eye corner or Cupid’s bow. LAYER FOR DEPTH Start with a cream or liquid highlighter, set with a fine powder shimmer, then finish…

What you need ● Sharp craft knife ● Metal ruler ● Natural twine (thin) ● Hot glue sticks and glue gun ● Resene paint testpots in your colour choice (we used Resene Snowy Mint, Resene Avalanche, Resene Fiji Green, Resene Refresh, Resene Picasso, Resene Blue Lagoon and Resene Lure) ● White ink pen ● 1 sheet 3mm balsa wood, 100mm x 915mm (makes about 8 tiny houses) Mix ’n’ match! Different designs and sizes look wonderful hung together. We experimented with tall and square shapes, and added tiny chimneys. 1 Measure and cut house pieces from balsa. Take your time. Make sure the blade is sharp to avoid unwanted splits and breaks. 2 Cut two sides 20mm x 35mm; two pieces for the roof 28mm x 35mm; two pieces for…

“What are you doing for Christmas?” It’s a simple enquiry that should come with an easy answer, but this year it feels like a question meant for someone else. No doubt by the time you read this, I will have a plan, but at the time of writing, I don’t have a definitive reply and in a world where everyone else seems to have a clear idea of venue, guest list and menu, I am weirdly relaxed about that. I grew up with the traditional family Christmas – my grandmother loved all that festive joy, so there’d be a tree at our place, hot lunch of roast chicken and a steamed pudding with coins in it, followed by afternoon naps. After Grandma died and my parents had moved to Auckland,…

I knew when I broached the subject of feral cats recently being classified as pests by the Department of Conservation that it was going to provoke a strong reaction. After all, cats are the most popular companion animal in New Zealand. An estimated 1.2 million felines are served by their loyal slaves in this country, compared to the 830,000 dogs that share a home with their people. We always had a cat in the house when I was growing up and we also had one when my daughter was little. For a long time, I was emphatically a cat person. I liked the fact cats are choosy and fickle when it comes to giving affection, and are able to entertain themselves and exercise on their own. If they find themselves…

It’s starting to look a lot like Christmas! My tree is up, the carols are playing and here is your special issue for 2025. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa – a woman I always think of as the closest we have to royalty here in New Zealand – graces our cover. At 81, she still has so much on the go, including one of New Zealand’s most prestigious opera competitions being renamed the Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest, as well as spending time with her lovely grandson Luther, who was such a delight on our photoshoot. It was a very special day indeed, where we photographed the pair at Pax in Auckland’s Remuera. The venue was stunning and our hosts couldn’t have been nicer, with everyone enjoying a glass of Champagne…

‘Life is good. What brings me the most joy is knowing people are happy’ Christmas has changed its tune these days for Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. Instead of the wintry celebrations she once knew overseas, with twinkling lights, roaring fires and roast goose featuring all the trimmings, she now hosts a relaxed seafood lunch at her Bay of Islands home − crayfish, salads and vegetables picked straight from her garden. Yet while the seasons have changed, the joy hasn’t, particularly with her excited seven-year-old grandson Luther sharing the day. “He’s such a lovely little boy – we have a lot of fun together,” enthuses Kiri, who moved back to Aotearoa in 2021 to be near him. And as the pair join the Weekly for a special festive photoshoot, there is…

Forget Titanic – Kate Winslet says the film her fans are most obsessed with is her Christmas romance The Holiday. “What’s so lovely is that mothers and daughters come up to me in the grocery store and say, ‘Oh, Kate, we just love The Holiday. It’s our little ritual at Christmas,’” says the Oscar winner, 50. “It’s something I would have never expected – this mother-daughter connection around a film like that. It’s so nice. It’s lovely.” In the 2006 movie, Kate and Cameron Diaz play strangers who swap houses – one in the English countryside and one in LA – over the Christmas-New Year season and unexpectedly find romance.…

It’s been a tough year for Kiwi Formula 1 racer Liam Lawson, but he’s ending the year on a high. It’s been confirmed that Hastings-born, Pukekohe-raised Liam, 23, will remain on the F1 grid in 2026 as senior driver of Red Bulls’ sister team Racing Bulls. “It’s an opportunity I’ll continue to be grateful for,” says Liam. “It’s going to be an exciting year.” Liam, whose parents Jared and Kristy sold their home to fund his racing career, experienced a devastating blow this year when he was dropped from Red Bulls’ top team after two races, but he’s rebuilt his reputation with Racing Bulls. Team principal Alan Permane says, “He excelled when conditions have been at their hardest and we look forward to building on this in 2026.” No doubt…

When it comes to Christmas, members of the royal family are sticklers for tradition. Some of their rituals date back generations – others have been introduced more recently. Here’s a look at what the King and co will be getting up to this festive season. Christmas is always celebrated at Sandringham The red-brick residence in Norfolk, two hours and 40 minutes from London, is where the monarch and his family spend the holidays. Owned personally by the sovereign rather than being Crown property, the house was bought in 1862 for the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, who began hosting Christmas there from the end of the century. Sandringham Palace was the setting of the first royal Christmas broadcast, made by George V in 1932, and Elizabeth II broadcast her…

It’s the greatest gift Kerry-Marie Callander has ever been given: the ability to communicate with the spirit world. And nothing brings the Kiwi psychic medium more joy than sharing it with others, especially at this time of year. “Christmas can be a really hard time for people who are mourning,” says Kerry-Marie. “Some of my customers don’t celebrate it because it’s just too sad. So I love it when I can give them a message from spirit, and they know it’s authentic because I use language that person would have used and I tell them things nobody else would know. “When you can give them evidence that their loved one still remains, just in a different place, it gives them faith and joy. They start believing and they start experiencing…

Across the country, countless caring volunteers quietly pour their time, skills and energy into helping others, without expecting anything in return. In this special feature, three inspiring women share how they make a difference... Bailee’s beads Shirlee Wilton will never forget the sheer joy when children on the cancer ward choose a beautifully handcrafted bead to mark each significant milestone on their health journey. It’s a moment she watched time and again when her daughter Bailee was battling stage-four Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a teen. Now she’s integral in keeping the magic alive for others as an artist and the Beads of Courage national volunteer coordinator. “Even though they’re incredibly sad, the beads are also inspirational,” shares Shirlee, 58. “They’re a record of how much kids have gone through and they’re…

If you don’t do the matching family PJs, that’s no reason not to treat yourself to some new sleepwear for the morning. It’ll make those candid snaps unwrapping gifts around the tree much cuter! Give over to the celebratory nature of the day by choosing something that has a frill, is a bright colour or has a print. For family lunch, keep things easy with a day dress. Crisp cotton is always a good idea and do keep the silhouette relatively loose for maximum comfort post-lunch but not so kaftan-like that you’ll look like a head in swathes of fabric. COMPILED BY FIONA HAWTIN.…

What most makes Christmas special? Is it the scent of a real tree with gifts underneath? Is it taking the kids to see Father Christmas? Is it the food, the glorious food? Is it that Kiwi pipe dream of a barbecue on the beach on a hot summer’s day, followed by cricket in the sand? Is it heading off to church to sing Christmas carols? We’ll all have different views and that, in itself, is to be celebrated. I reckon what makes Christmas special most is company. The person or the people you’re with. I could go without everything mentioned above yet enjoy a perfect Christmas if my adult family were to travel from afar for the day. For 24 hours, we could sit around home, laugh and chatter, recall…

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23 – Dec 22 This week marks the close of your solar year, bringing reflection and renewed energy. A personal goal comes full circle, revealing how much you’ve grown – you’re ready to explore fresh beginnings. Love feels warm and uplifting, with a gesture taking you by surprise. Rest, celebrate your progress and recharge before the next big leap. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher could be swapping her pinny for stilettos on December 8 when she turns 61. Meanwhile, we’re celebrating Jennifer Connelly’s Kiwi connection – she has starred with local legend Russell Crowe twice – first in A Beautiful Mind, then in Noah. She turns 55 on December 12. CAPRICORN Dec 23 – Jan 20 Quiet determination drives you as you prepare for new goals.…

WEEKLY STAFF EDITOR Marilynn McLachlan LIFESTYLE & BEAUTY EDITOR Anna Lee WRITER Rebekah Hebenton CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Denise Bowden SUB-EDITOR Darren Bevan ART DIRECTOR Mirella Monteiro DESIGNERS Anna Pétursdóttir, Béla Trussell-Cullen, Hayley Pearce, Shane Kelly PHOTO EDITOR Kellie Blizard CONTRIBUTORS Donna Fleming, Fleur Guthrie, Fiona Hawtin, Jenny Farrell, Julie O’Reilly, Kasia De Vydt-Jillings, Megan McChesney, Nicky Pellegrino, Sophie Neville ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Claire Chisholm claire.chisholm@aremedia.co.nz SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGERS Chloe Jordan, Amy Madden, Jacquie Fraser SENIOR COMMERCIAL BRAND MANAGER Angela Wei angela.wei@aremedia.co.nz COMMERCIAL BRAND MANAGER Georgia van Koningsveld DIRECTORY SALES MANAGER Kim Chapman 021 673133 classifieds@xtra.co.nz ARE MEDIA GROUP MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Jane Huxley GENERAL MANAGER Stuart Dick  EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Sarah Henry…

After 32 years, TVNZ newsreader Simon Dallow bowed out of the nation’s sitting rooms on November 28. “I’ve always firmly believed newsreaders should never be the news, but now I’m no longer one and that means I can say it’s been a genuine privilege to be on your screens and in your living rooms,” the longtime news anchor, 61, told viewers at the end of his final bulletin. “It’s something we never take for granted and I’m sincerely grateful.” From the moment Simon walked into TVNZ’s Auckland headquarters back in the early ’90s, he was noticed. As it happened, he wasn’t there asking for a job. His girlfriend and now ex-wife Alison Mau, 60, was a journalist and presenter at the national broadcaster. Simon had trained as a barrister, but…

Sienna Miller and Ellie Goulding swivelled heads when they announced their pregnancies on the red carpet at the Fashion Awards in London. The pair proudly debuted their baby bumps at the star-studded ceremony held at the Royal Albert Hall. Burn hitmaker Ellie, 38, is set to welcome her first child with actor boyfriend Beau Minniear, 28. She also shares four-year-old old son Arthur with her ex-husband Caspar Jopling, 33. Meanwhile, it’s not the first time Sienna has announced an imminent arrival on the red carpet. Back in 2023, she surprised fans by arriving at the Vogue World Show in London with a baby bump out front. The Alfie star, 43, and her actor/producer boyfriend Oli Green, 28, welcomed their first child together, a daughter, later that year and are now…

All Robert Scott ever wanted to do was be on the radio. And for four decades, he did just that. Interviewing his musical heroes, from Sir Rod Stewart to Sir Bob Geldof, he lived his dream behind the mic. His eyes light up when he talks about his role and the lifelong friendships he has made along the way. But after losing his beloved father and a surprising cancer diagnosis, Robert made the bold decision to step away from the mic and tune into something new: himself. “I got to my 40th anniversary at the start of the year and I thought, ‘I’ve done it!’” Robert tells the Weekly from his Auckland apartment. “But there was this perfect storm going on and I realised I really wanted to have a…

Recycled light bulb twine pears Old light bulbs Hot glue gun and glue sticks 1-2m jute garden twine (per bulb) Scissors Twigs cut into 2cm lengths Thin cardboard 1 Starting from rounded end of the bulb, add a small bead of hot glue. 2 Working quickly, glue the jute twine around the glass bulb. Continue in a spiral fashion down the bulb to the metal base. 3 Hold the twine down firmly until the glue just sets, then move on to the next section and repeat. 4 To finish, snip off the remaining twine and glue down the end neatly. 5 Cut out a cardboard leaf and fold it down centre crease. 6 Glue on twig as a stalk and attach leaf, if desired. FESTIVE FOUNDATIONS Six tips to wow…

How hard is it to throw out old photographs? The answer, I feel, starts with “im” and ends with “possible”, though I don’t know why there’s any suggestion that it’s actually possible at all. The other day, I was swithering (an old Scottish word for indecision) over ditching an ancient photo featuring two old ladies who were complete strangers to me. It was in the box among all the other old-school printed photos I inherited from my mother after she died. For some years now, I’ve been determined to go through all those photos and organise them into albums in case future generations should take an interest. Ages ago, I even bought some albums to organise them into, but otherwise never quite got round to the task, which seemed much…

Welcome back After a sad few months, Sharon, 73, and Kelly Osbourne, 41, supported each other as they made their first public appearance since the death of Ozzy in July. The pair looked fittingly festive at the Rebecca Vallance cocktail party in London. Under cover Sun safety is important, even in the happiest place on earth. New Girl star Zooey Deschanel, 45, rang in the holiday season with a family trip to Disneyland in California. Ahoy, there! Cindy Lou Who is all grown up! Twenty-five years after the release of the movie, Taylor Momsen, 32, returned to her Grinch roots and performed a rocking rendition of Where Are You Christmas at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. While Kiwi KJ Apa, 28, as his alter ego Mr Fantasy,…