Gift swap keeps festive fun alive

Christmas giving will be extended at Mount Maunganui this Christmas, with the Beach Base holding their first ever My Christmas Present Swap this Boxing day.

Tauranga City Council event design and delivery manager Michaela Blackman said the event would give giftees the opportunity to exchange unwanted or unneeded gifts with someone who may appreciate it.

"We want it to be fun," Ms Blackman said.

Ms Blackman said the idea was if you were gifted something you already had, or something you may not need, then there would be an opportunity to get something different.

"We'll make a game out of it."

She came up with the idea after reading an article and thought people of Tauranga and Mount Maunganui may appreciate the chance to swap their gifts.

"Christmas is so stressful, this is just a bit of light relief," Ms Blackman said.

Christmas elves and possibly Santa would be helping with the gift swap.

Tauranga City Council communication adviser Viktoria Ermes said it would be a good time to meet others in the area.

"Just if you've got something and you really don't need it, it'll be a really nice community thing," Ms Ermes said.

The unwanted gifts must come to the Beach Base new and re-wrapped.

The gift swap will begin at 10.30am and continue to 1.30pm.

Ms Blackman was expecting a few hundred presents to be swapped at the Beach Base, near Mount Drury.

The Beach Base had experienced a constant stream of people coming to get information and use the facilities, said Ms Blackman.

It provides shade, drinking water and free sunscreen for beach goers and holiday makers.

Ms Blackman said so far everyone had been supportive of the Beach Base.

"The best thing about Mount Maunganui and Tauranga, apart from the lovely visitors, is the locals who have been very supportive of what we do," Ms Blackman said. "It's fantastic."