Tommy Wilson: Here's to a happy Christmas for all

The pohutukawa, the Christmas tree of Aotearoa, is a welcome sight as it spreads its crimson korowai (cloak) in a spectacle of summer colour for all to enjoy.

Haere mai, Christmas, what took you so long?

I guess it was the winter not wanting to let go and as with the weather, many of us have found the festive season full of surprises - some good and some a little ordinary like presents purchased in a hurry.

Remember when we took time to write cards, lick stamps to send off to loved ones? For some reason all the promises of more time made by the i-world have amounted to less time for those who matter most.

So here we are on the eve of another Christmas and the only thing ringing louder than sleigh bells are the cash registers and the collect calls home to mum and dad for a top-up on the credit card.

Haere mai, Christmas, nau mai, holidays and happy days. It's been one hell of a year and now it's time to stop and flop.

Haere mai to crying less for others, laughing louder for myself and spending a lot less on presents, and more on time with my whanau.

Haere mai to Muslims. I'll ride with you for sure. Let's catch a bus together and honour the lives that were lost in Sydney last week. If there is one thing I will try to do in the coming year it is to get a better understanding of your culture and your beliefs.

Haere mai to mums who go without so their kids get a good kai on Christmas Day, while dad pats himself on the back down at the pub with all of the other dads who run away from responsibilities. I have seen a lot of this in the last few weeks.

But for the exceptional dads who stand up staunch for their offspring and say no to the waipiro (alcohol) - haere mai to you all, bros.

Haere mai to Hana Koko [Santa Claus]. There [are] only three more sleeps. For some, Christmas has come early as it did for the 80 families who were treated to a royal banquet courtesy of Mr and Mrs Santa Carrus last Friday at the Greerton Journey Church. To see so many, so happy for receiving what many of us take for granted was a very cool way to kick off Christmas; as it was for my staff who for the first time in eight years received a small bonus in their pay packets.

Haere mai to all the ika (fish) that are going to jump on my hook this summer and end up sizzling on a camp fire somewhere way out of cellphone reach, traffic signals and any other directional dictators who tell us where to go and when.

May I humbly take the advice of Elvis when you try calling and return your call to sender for the few precious weeks of summer.

Haere mai and welcome to all out-of-towners, overseasers, hitchhikers and happy campers.

Haere mai and hello to the sailors and surfers and ex-pats coming home for Christmas.

Haere mai to the safe anchorage of Tauranga, the name given by our ancestors, for the same reason then as the one you show up each Christmas. It's a safe anchorage to rest up, kick back and lax out.

Haere mai to all who pronounce what little of our language you know correctly. It works better both ways instead of pronouncing lots of what you don't know badly. It's cool to korero and remember Mauao is a man mountain with mana and abs, with an ingoa - a name that is pronounced "Mow-oh" not a pussycat paddle pop mountain that many pronounce Meow-ow.

Haere mai to every pohutukawa tree in Tauranga that lays down its crimson cloak for us to walk beneath and marvel at the beauty of Papatuanuku, our Earth Mother.

Haere mai to the purple petals of the jacaranda blessing tree, as it unwraps its colourful korowai, just in time for Christmas Day so we may feast on its breathtaking beauty.

Haere mai, Jesus. Merry Christmas and happy birthday on Thursday, Bro.

Nau mai haere mai, meri Kirimete to you all.

-Broblack@xtra.co.nz

Tommy Wilson is a local best-selling author, writer and columnist.