Christmas period gets shorter and more stressful

The Christmas period in New Zealand is getting shorter and more stressful, according to opinion poll results released yesterday.

But it remained the favourite time of the year, the Botany Town Centre Christmas Poll concluded.

The independent survey, commissioned by the shopping complex in east Auckland, looked at attitudes to the festive season.

It found that New Zealanders expected to be under more pressure this year, working closer to the holiday break and having less time to prepare for Christmas.

Poll researcher Rick Starr said the recent upturn in the New Zealand economy meant understaffing had become an issue. Many businesses could not find staff and that put extra pressure on employees, he said.

Looking back over the longer term, Mr Starr said the development of the New Zealand economy had also been a factor, making the once traditional long summer holiday now virtually a memory.

"In the old days, people used to head off to the beach and be there through January and into February," he said. "That's pretty much vanished now except for the retired and the idle rich."

The poll involved getting comments from focus groups and individuals, as well as conducting a nationwide telephone survey of 500 people during October and November.

Asked to list the aspects of Christmas that brought the most joy, respondents put seeing family and friends at the top by a long way (mentioned by 71 per cent). That was followed by special holiday foods and eating in general (29 per cent), giving gifts (18 per cent), receiving gifts (15 per cent) and barbecues (12 per cent).

The biggest bugbears were traffic and parking (32 per cent), followed by shopping (21 per cent) and crowds in shopping areas (19 per cent).

Next were financial pressures and rushing around through lack of time (both 17 per cent).

"The combination of joy and stress leads to an exquisite intensity," Mr Starr said.

- NZPA