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A Christmas word from Tannie

– The New Age, 23 December 2011

 

Favourite festive destination in the country or in the province where you reside?

EVITA: Wherever my grandchildren are, which is usually where I am, which is always in Darling, where my mother Ouma Ossewania Kakebenia Poggenpoel lives in the old age home.

 

Where will tannie be spending Christmas this year?

EVITA: I am in Darling also to give daily presentations at Evita se Perron (www.evita.co.za ) where I hope to focus attention on optimism, hope and excitement for 2012 and find many laughs at the expense of Julius Malema.

 

Tell us of a hidden tourist gem/place of interest in a town you like that you would like to share with the readers.

EVITA: We have a bookshop in Darling called Book League and they have a special room for children and their books and to be there and watch five year olds read and laugh and enjoy books is a great treat. A rare treat.

 

Any important family tradition which you never leave out on Christmas day?

EVITA: Of course it used to be going to church, but I’m sorry to say, my house is more entertaining and so the dominee rushes through his Xmas sermon downtown and comes up to us for a drink and some Xmas songs.

 

What has been the very worst Christmas present you have ever been given?

EVITA: Not counting the many socks, handkerchiefs and scarves I got as a little girl, I think the worst one was an autographed photo of President PW Botha and his wife Tannie Elize on a lilac bath towel!

 

Have you ever received a newly-rewrapped present that the giver had recycled and given it to you or have you ever given to someone else an unwanted present?

EVITA: How did you know? One of the reasons we have Christmas in July at Evita se Perron every year is so that we give back the hideous things we got in December. The other reason is my friends in the ANC only turn up for Christmas in July thanks to African time.

 

Tell us of your best Christmas ever and what made it so special and your worst one and why you say it is the worst?

EVITA: My best was in 1990 when Nelson Mandela joined us for his first Xmas in freedom. And his enjoyment of the food I made, especially after his 27 years of bread and water once a day was wonderful.

 

The worst was when Margaret Thatcher invited me for Christmas in 10 Downing Street while she was Prime Minister of the UK. She did the cooking! Siestog! And never stopped talking all night. Horrible.

 

Tell us what are your big new year resolutions for 2012?

EVITA: Not to be scared of careless corrupt politics and to make sure that my glass is always half-full and never half-empty.

 

Are there any resolutions you make every year but never manage to keep — what are they?

EVITA: Yes, not to eat chocolate. I am a chokkoholic!

 

Has a past new year resolution actually worked out, what was it and how did it change your life?

EVITA: I promised myself that I would learn Xhosa and everyday I studied a page in the dictionary. Now I must learn to put the clicks in the right place because sometimes when I think I have said: “How are you today?” I am saying: “Go clean the toilet!”

 

What is your ideal way of spending New Year’s day and how are you planning to spend it this year?

EVITA: My ideal way is to have one day without TV news, newspapers, e-mails, twitters and just shut up and let other people talk. That is rare.

 

Follow me on @TannieEvita

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