Up and away

Balloons over Waikato is a festival which takes place each year. This year it was at the beginning of April. Each morning the 31 balloons entered are inflated at Innes Common, Hamilton soon after dawn. Fantastic sight.

The first hot air balloon which carried passengers was launched in Septemebr 1783. The passengers were a duck, a sheep and a rooster. Within two month the first manned untethered balloon ride was made. The heat was generated by a fire of straw, kindling and rotton meat: although the balloon finally caught on fire the pilot had achieved his aim. Balloons were used in warfare from 1874 to 1945 as trasnfport, surveying and communication. Their biggest advantage was that they made no noise.

The altitude record for a hot air balloon is 65,000 feet set by Per Lindstrand in 1988. He was also the first to fly the Pacific when he flew with Richard Branson from Japan to Canada in 1991, at times reaching speeds of 245mph.

"There's something in a flying horse,
There's something in a huge balloon" - Williams Wordsworth in 'Peter Bell'

We will work on the flying horse another time.

Meanwhile Easter if not far away. Sending Easter Eggs by mail in dodgy as they can so easily break. But these Queen Anne Easter Eggs are less fragile. They are filled with dense delicious marshmallow and a big enough for the hungriest appetite.

Enjoy Easter.

Dione
Kiwigiftsonline

Christchurch Oh No

Oh, no, not again, Christchurch and so much worse this time.

The number of people killed is horrendous, especially for a country will a small population like New Zealand. Most New Zealanders have friends or family in or around Christchurch. We all feel for the loss of life, the loss and extensive samage of property and heritage, and the loss of trust in a place which always has a feeling of such security and permanence.

The emergency services were fantastic. Maybe they did have a dress rehearsal last September with the first 'quake, but they put it to good use. Fire Service, Police, Armed Forces, Civil Defence, the many Government Departments, Red Cross, Salvation Army and many commercial companies were just so quick to react, and reacted so efficiently.

Our sympathy goes to those who have lost so much, and our thanks to those from New Zealand and overseas who worked so hard to help during this first traumatic week.

New Year Quiz 2011

We hope you enjoyed Christmas whether there was snow or sun. To get 2011 under way we thought we would set a bit of a quiz. Good for a party and some good discussion. No apologies for a few of the questions being kiwi-orientated, anything to help kiwis get ahead.......



Kiwigiftsonline New Year quiz 2011.



Best wishes for a peaceful and prosperous year ahead.

Christmas is coming

Gifts, entertaining, family, friends, a bit of a holiday. It is time for fun.



But first there is the organisation. Gifts? The last of our new Christmas stock is on the website including some of the really popular and topical food books. Annabel Langbein 'The Free Range Cookbook', Jo Seagar's latest book 'It's Easier Than You Think', Al Brown's award winning 'Go Fish' and even Alison and Simon Holst's classic for parents of young children 'Baby Food and Beyond'. Does this solve some gift problems for you?



Postage within New Zealand is free, so you can order up, they come individually wrapped ready to give away on the day.



"Do give books - religious or otherwise - for Christmas. They are never fattening, seldom sinful, and permanently personal" - Leonore Hershey

The best skin cleanser

There was a review of skin cleansers in NZ Herald yesterday. This skin cleanser is just as good, and most think its better as it has won an award. It is also half the price of most of those reviewed. It is hard to get sometimes, but we have it in stock - and postage within New Zealand is free.

Manuka Honey

Manuka Honey is one of the items we have been trying to source for some time. We now have delicious eating manuka honey, and the more expensive but unique medicinal manuka honey. Perfect for sending overseas for Christmas - except to Western Australia as they dont allow it in.

New Zealand is now renowned for this honey and its healing properties, although for the last century the farmers have called it 'scrub' and cut it, burnt it, cleared it and tried their best to get rid of it. Fortunately it regenerates easily and they failed to get rid of it all.

Also added to the website are really tasty chocolate logs. Made by Wickely Gourmet, which sums them up nicely. Not expensive but very good.

Its time to start thinking about sending presents overseas for Christmas. The closing dates for posting are on the website. If you cant find what you want on the website, let us know and we can try and find it for you. But please dont leave it until the last moment. Order and if it is for Christmas we can hold and post it on the closing day so that it doesnt arrive too early.

Not just made in New Zealand

"Not just made in New Zealand but a reminder of New Zealand. For a friend who is going to live overseas. Oh, and not expensive"

This request prompted us to add a few items to the website, including these attractive tea towels. They have a coordinating apron too.

Quite a lot of items have been added over the past weeks, including Queen Anne Dark Originals, all with soft centres, as an alternative to the Queen Anne Originals. More to come by mid-November

"Giving opens the way to receiving" Frances Stovel Shinn