Ayrburn’s taking the concept of a midwinter Christmas to a completely different level.
From Monday till July 31, the hospitality precinct, which opened in December, is transforming into a Christmas wonderland, complete
with an outdoor ice skating rink, light displays and oversized ornaments, including towering Nutcrackers.
Developer Chris Meehan says the idea was sparked over lunch with a friend in Sydney.
‘‘He supplies all the decorations for huge activations in Australia through his business, Chas Clarkson, so I decided to take the opportunity and order eight container-loads of the biggest and best decorations he could find.’’
Inspired by the iconic light displays of London’s Oxford St, and the cosy charm of European apres-ski culture, Meehan says there’s a ‘‘natural urge’’ at Ayrburn to do things differently.
‘‘I have incredible memories of white Christmas in Europe and wanted to bring that festive spirit back home during the New Zealand winter.
‘‘Enjoying [the decorations] over winter makes so much sense — the days are shorter, it’s darker, and what’s better than enjoying a hot mulled wine and Christmas festivities?’’
Those festivities include elf hunts, mistletoe moments, fires, and a hearty dose of midwinter Christmas spirit (and, possibly, spirits).
‘‘The Ayrburn Christmas Wonderland is going to be unlike anything NZ has seen before, and we’re proud to bring that experience to locals and visitors.
‘‘This annual event is going to become recognised around the world,’’ Meehan says.
