Australia’s expert entertainer shares her Christmas tricks and tips, along with a few of her favourite images from the December issue of Donna Hay Magazine. 

My kind of Christmas is: Casual, relaxed, full of laughs, great food, glasses of bubbles and a couple of swims in the ocean.

Jars of silky dulche leche make a sweet gift.

My advice for pre-Christmas parties is: If you’re not organised, delegate (usually people really don’t mind lending a hand!), and, if you are organised, keep it simple.

On Christmas Day I’ll be: In and out of the kitchen all day – and that’s the way I like it!

A space-saving Christmas tree is made using sprigs of rosemary.

My top tip for Christmas decorating is: Choose a theme, a texture and a colour scheme, then stick with it across your tree, your home decor, table setting and wrapping, etc. It’s great when everything ties in together – people will notice!

This year I’m buying: An Aqua Lily Pad to float around the ocean (I’ll pretend to buy it for my boys, but I think I’ll be spending most of the time on it.

I secretly hope someone gives me: A ticket to Lapland to see the Northern Lights and sleep under the twinkling stars in a glass igloo. It’s on my bucket list!

Home-made gifts packaged with rustic details.

After Christmas I’ll be listening to: The sounds of the ocean and my music running tracks. 

My best #lifehack for Christmas time is: Using leftover panettone as the easy base for a Christmas trifle or simple dessert (use it to line the base of a dish, then add your layers of custard, fruit, liqueur, cream… whatever you like.)



Look out for the December issue of Donna Hay Magazine in stores, buy it for iPad or download it via Zinio.