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<strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong> Wednesday <strong>December</strong> 7 <strong>2022</strong><br />
8<br />
NEWS<br />
Gingerbread house<br />
ready to take centre stage after hiatus<br />
• By Susan Sandys<br />
THERE’S NO flashing lights,<br />
tinsel or santa bears at Diana<br />
Renwick’s Lincoln home.<br />
But once inside, the house<br />
screams Christmas nonetheless,<br />
as a classy range of ornaments,<br />
handcrafted decorations and two<br />
friendly cats take centre stage.<br />
Renwick will be opening her<br />
home, known as Gingerbread<br />
Christmas House, to the public<br />
earlier than ever before, on<br />
Friday.<br />
While she usually waits until<br />
the week before Christmas,<br />
this year she is responding to<br />
demand after people missed out<br />
last year following her diagnosis<br />
of the blood cancer multiple<br />
myeloma.<br />
“The diagnosis was rough, and<br />
it’s been a really hard 18 months.<br />
One year ago, I thought those<br />
boxes in the garage might never<br />
be opened again,” Renwick said,<br />
as she recalled not being able<br />
to run Gingerbread Christmas<br />
House last year.<br />
Renwick has since had six<br />
months of chemotherapy and a<br />
successful stem cell transplant,<br />
meaning she is now in relatively<br />
good health. She could not wait<br />
SPARKLING: Diana Renwick will once again open her home, known as Gingerbread Christmas House, with handcrafted<br />
ornaments and 12 full-size trees, each with at least 2000 twinkling lights.<br />
to get into those boxes of trees<br />
and ornaments, and did this as<br />
early as September.<br />
“The sense of elation that I can<br />
open them, and share this with<br />
the community . . . ” she said.<br />
Renwick began opening her<br />
home at Christmas in 20<strong>07</strong> when<br />
she lived in Timaru. The Gingerbread<br />
Christmas House, named<br />
after her first artificial Christmas<br />
tree which was ginger-themed,<br />
then moved to Wellington for a<br />
couple of years as Renwick lived<br />
there, before arriving in Lincoln<br />
four years ago.<br />
Renwick is an interior designer,<br />
and artist behind the booming<br />
HeartFelties business, where<br />
she makes replica miniature felt<br />
pets for clients around the world.<br />
Getting her home ready for<br />
Christmas is another creative<br />
outlet for the mum-of-five.<br />
Twelve full-size Christmas<br />
trees, each with at least 2000<br />
twinkling lights and decorations,<br />
such as ribbons, picks, foliage,<br />
baubles, flowers and organza,<br />
will await the several hundred<br />
people expected to turn up each<br />
evening.<br />
Ornaments abound, including<br />
a nutcracker collection from<br />
4 MARCH 2023 LINCOLN<br />
Germany and hard-carved collection<br />
by American artist Jim<br />
Shore.<br />
Half of funds raised from door<br />
takings go to charity. Over the<br />
years, Renwick has contributed<br />
about $20,000 to charity. This<br />
year the recipient will be Leukemia<br />
and Blood Cancer New<br />
Zealand.<br />
• Gingerbread Christmas<br />
House, 18 Matanui St,<br />
Lincoln, will open 6-10pm<br />
<strong>December</strong> 9, <strong>December</strong><br />
16, and <strong>December</strong> 19 to<br />
23. Admission is $5 adults,<br />
children free.<br />
TICKETS<br />
ON SALE<br />
selwynsounds.co.nz<br />
• Christmas in the domain,<br />
page 19<br />
Come along and<br />
enjoy the fun of the<br />
Lincoln Christmas<br />
Parade & Market<br />
Saturday 10th Dec<br />
9am – 12.30pm<br />
• Market stalls from 9am<br />
• PARADE STARTS 10.30am<br />
• Lincoln Farmers & Craft<br />
Market<br />
• Visit Santa at his Grotto<br />
from 11am – 12noon<br />
Face painting, Clowns, Float<br />
parade, Decorated Bikes,<br />
Raffles , Live bands & music,<br />
Food & Craft Stalls…<br />
Brass<br />
Band<br />
Balloon<br />
Tying<br />
Yummy<br />
Food<br />
Lincoln Christmas<br />
Parade & Market<br />
Saturday 10th <strong>December</strong> <strong>2022</strong><br />
Facepainting<br />
Market from 9am<br />
Parade Starts 10.30<br />
MEET SANTA<br />
11am in his grotto<br />
outside <strong>Selwyn</strong> Print, 13 Gerald Street<br />
DECORATED BIKES (no need to register)<br />
9.30am under the Oak Tree<br />
Details from Fiona 021 1423714<br />
Xmas Gift<br />
Ideas<br />
Bouncy<br />
Castle<br />
Clowns<br />
Pipe<br />
Band<br />
For a float in the parade email lincoln.xmasfloats@gmail.com<br />
For a stall in the market email lincolnxmas.stalls@gmail.com<br />
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