New research has forecast that Australians will spend a staggering $1.2 billion this month on alcohol, a rise of 5 per cent over last year, making it an all-time high.
Those stats make Aussies among the biggest drinkers in the English-speaking world, averaging 10.61 litres of alcohol a person, compared to 10.58 litres in the UK and 8.42 in the US.
No doubt, we are up there with them as well.
The other interesting stat that caught my eye was how much per household will be spent this Christmas, based on all expenses, including gifts, food and decorations.
Again Australia leads the way with around $1055 each this December.
That is two-thirds more than Americans, with an average spend of $644 and us at $631.
The statistics, by CoreData research, went on to show that Australia was one of the most positive countries in the world relative to spending compared to last Christmas.
The reason I mentioned those figures is that I noticed an increase in shopping traffic around our malls and shopping centres over the past week, and that at least has to be good news for our retailers who I think would agree that it has been a particularly tough year.
It is easy to get caught up in the hype that is Christmas, but please spare a thought for the hundreds of families and individuals who will not be sitting down to a big Christmas dinner tomorrow and opening lots of presents.
I walked past Auckland's city mission on Wednesday and what I saw shocked me.
The queue went outside the building and around the corner and in that queue were children and mothers with babies.
It was truly heart-breaking. It was very sad.
And it wasn't just young people.
It's a stressful time for the likes of city missions and food banks at he moment.
So I guess whatever we can do to help would be much appreciated.
I know that every year the Radio Network and the Bay of Plenty Times run a toy appeal to help the children of families struggling at the moment, and the feedback that we receive from the agencies that collect and distribute the toys is quite gratifying.
It is something our family has done every year, and that's donating unwanted toys to the appeal.
Child abuse is another of the problems that plague our community at the moment.
New Zealand has the fifth worst child-abuse record out of 31 OECD countries.
On average one child is killed every five weeks, and the case this week of the severe abuse suffered by a young family at the hands of their mother was shocking.
Child abuse costs New Zealand around $2 billion every year. That's appalling.
So let's spare a thought for those not so well off this Christmas and do what we can to help.
I hope you have a very happy Christmas. Be kind to one another.
