There is something about Christmas at Kurland that feels both timeless and ever evolving. Each year, family members arrive from far and wide, filling the Homestead with laughter, new voices, and the comforting rhythm of traditions that have been lovingly carried forward across the generations.
Dad, at 93, is celebrating the season’s familiar rituals and joys, while the littlest family member, a mere 11 months old, is experiencing Christmas for the first time with wide eyes and fresh wonder.
This year, sisters Di, Nicky, Alex, and Glenda, are embracing a spirit of abundance, nostalgia, and togetherness. Mom’s handmade needlepoint stockings, bearing each sibling’s initials, are brought out, and the decor takes its cue from nature and tradition: combining deep reds and rich evergreens; pine cones gathered throughout the year; and fragrant branches clipped from the estate’s pine trees and ferns.
The Homestead’s mantelpiece shows off what Di describes as a ‘forest effect’, with greenery, amaryllis buds. Poinsettias and hydrangeas are arranged in big, joyful bunches around the house. The dining room table, too, is poised for celebration, with tall candles tied with red, green and white ribbons, ready for long, lingering meals. And finally, the Christmas tree is unapologetically full of lights and ornaments, giving a feeling of “more is more” in every direction.
Glenda is adding a whimsical touch to the season with her take on the Twelve Days of Christmas. Figurines of turtle-doves, French hens and pipers are playfully dotted in among the greenery and decor, delighting the youngest family members. It’s a gentle nod to childhood wonder, woven seamlessly into a home that welcomes new spouses, partners, and babies as the family tree extends its branches.
From the orchard to the oven
Food, as always, is at the heart of Christmas at Kurland. Alex has been paging through Mom and Glenda’s old cookbooks and handwritten recipes, taking inspiration from as far back as the 1970s and adding the likes of roasted glazed parsnips, traditional stuffing, and Christmas pudding to the season’s menus. At the same time, the sisters are bringing in fresh influences from their cooking course trip to Greece this year, adding European touches like pasta al forno (baked pasta) to the festive spread.
The estate itself provides much of the inspiration. Kumquats are at their best, destined to become a homemade jam glaze for the Christmas ham. Fresh fruit finds its way into everything, with berries, granadilla, and peaches (picked straight from the trees on the Estate) frozen into jewel-like ice cubes for Aperol spritzes with grapefruit slices and nostalgic brandy cocktails. A loving toast to Mom & Dad, who loved enjoying them on the veranda during the festive season.
The turkey will be especially indulgent this year, stuffed with chicken and duck, and flavoured with rosemary, sage, bacon, garlic, chestnuts and grated apple. And dessert, of course, promises equal extravagance: A stuffed panettone filled with nougat, Swiss chocolate, nuts and ice cream, decorated with naartjies, strawberries and shards of chocolate.
Rituals anchor the days
The Homestead Christmas rituals anchor the days at Kurland. Brisk walks start the day, followed by a swim in the dam. Breakfast unfolds in the farm kitchen, filled with the smell of homemade sourdough bread. Egg and toast soldiers for the little ones, and bubble and squeak topped with fried eggs and toasted brioche for the others.
As the sun sets the family reconvene on the ‘stoep’ for aperitivos of champagne cocktails, homemade cheese straws, marinated olives and smoked oysters on brown bread – proudly retro and deeply loved.
Feasts and festivities
The true presents are everyone’s presence at the Estate, together in one space, but Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a gift-giving ceremony for the kids. Every year, one family member dresses up in a gloriously ridiculous costume (snorkel, Wellington boots and all!) and is appointed to hand out presents. Bows and curtsies are mandatory thank you’s, and no one escapes without a good giggle.
Meals are hearty and comforting: salmon and scrambled eggs, a homemade steak and kidney pie with puff pastry, Parmesan mash and fresh dill, and, of course, home-made mince pies finished with a sugar-and-almond crumble topping.
True to the Southern Hemisphere’s summer Christmas, much of the festive season is spent outdoors. Some favourite traditions now include tables set under fever trees for a prawn braai by the dam. A sundowner evening happens at a makeshift drinks station on the Bern (the grass mound on the side of the polo fields), accessed via a ride in the trusted old green Land Rover. And a special supper is served in the vegetable garden, candles flickering as the evening cools, enjoying grilled lamb with fresh rosemary, rocket and tomatoes, picked straight from the garden just moments before.
As the days pass, the scents of summer linger strongly: gardenias in bloom, hydrangeas heavy with flowers, fir branches brought inside from the forest. These smells, like the rituals themselves, signal that Christmas has arrived once more at Kurland – a celebration not just of the season, but of family, continuity and the enduring joy of coming home.
Kurland in the summer is truly a magical experience, offering sun-kissed days and endless feasts and fun. We hope that you and your family can visit the estate in 2026 to experience it for yourselves.