Festive reminders of their travels

Louise Primrose, of Wanaka, has collected Christmas decorations from all over the world. Photo: Mark Price
Louise Primrose, of Wanaka, has collected Christmas decorations from all over the world. Photo: Mark Price
They are not the biggest, or the brightest or the most expensive Christmas decorations.

But, as she hangs them on her tree each year, Louise Primrose, of Wanaka, enjoys remembering where they came from and how she acquired them.

The decorations have been gathered from a dozen or more countries over several decades as Mrs Primrose and her husband Matthew moved for work or travelled on holiday.

Originally from England, Mr and Mrs Primrose have lived in Peru, the Netherlands, the United States, Malaysia, Eastern Europe and New Zealand while Mr Primrose worked for an oil company.

Along the way, Mrs Primrose had three children, and every Christmas a new decoration or two joined the collection.

Having been in Wanaka for 10 years, Mrs Primrose is firm about one thing.

''We don't move countries any more.

''We are here to stay.''

But, that does not mean to say there will not be more holidays, or more additions to the collection.

Those include a blue Royal Delft angel from the Hague, in the Netherlands, a wood-carved Christmas scene from a market in Lima in Peru, a decoration Mrs Primrose made at a Christmas decoration class soon after arriving in New Plymouth while expecting her third child, a mouse soft toy from the United States, designed to withstand the close attention of young children, a moose from a holiday in Whistler, Canada, and a ''genuine ancient kauri'' New Zealand ornament Mrs Primrose was amused to find in the North Island.

mark.price@odt.co.nz

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