20 | AUSTRALIAN HOUSE&GARDEN
R
aucouskookaburrasandnoisy
rainbowlorikeetsheraldthearrival
ofChristmasatthisholidayhouse
onSydney’sNorthernBeaches.As
thebirdsgreetthedawn,threelittle
girls– Astrid,seven,Elsa,five,andone-year-
oldClara– willlikelybeclimbingoutofbed
andwakingtheirparents,AnthonyandEmma
Spon-Smith,burstingwithexcitement at
whatthedayaheadholds.
“EmmaisSwedishandwefollowthe
Scandinaviantraditionofcelebratingon
ChristmasEve– thefoodEmmamakesis
absolutelydelicious,”saysAnthony.“Myside
ofthefamilyhasa traditionI thinkmightbe
fairlyunique:wejumpintothepoolin
pyjamasatChristmas.Thisis something that
I’venowpassedontoourgirls!”
ThisyearwillbethefirsttheSpon-Smith
kidswilltakea PJ-claddipinthisparticular
pool.ThehousewasboughtinAugust 2019
byAnthony’sparents,PaulandDale,withthe
intention that it be a place for all the family>CLOCKWISEFROMTOPLEFTThehomeutilisesnatural
materialsbeautifully.Emma,AstridandClaradecoratethe
Christmastree.Subtlebeachmotifsappearthroughthehome.
Sleepinginthecustom-builtbunksisoneofthethingsthegirls
loveaboutvisiting.OPPOSITEAstridtakesadvantageofthe
lightstreamingintotheopen-plandiningspace.Roxtonstools,
Bristol dining table and Miami chairs, all Coco Republic.