Flaxmere's Henare O'Keefe says his first school uniform remains his favourite Christmas present.
The Hastings councillor chats to Mark Story two days out from another "full on" O'Keefe Christmas Day.
With your scores of foster children, how do you manage the logistics of an O'Keefe Christmas?
To be honest our Christmases are pretty full-on, focusing on those who wouldn't normally have a Christmas. It's how we have all chosen to spend the day. Everyone chips in from the oldest to the youngest. It's quite a sight to behold and we love it.
What's your most precious Christmas memory?
I'll never ever forget the looks on the faces of our foster children when they opened their presents in the morning. Pam [wife] and I would just sit there in our PJs and soak it all up. Though they weren't expensive gifts (most were from the $2 shop because that's all we could afford). You'd think they were unwrapping a zillion dollars. They were so grateful, humble and over-the-top happy. They literally screamed with delight when they opened each prezzie. They'd barely open one present than they'd quickly move on to the next. Made Pam and I feel like a zillion dollars.
Many claim Christmas has become too commercial – what say you?
I totally agree. We seem to be forgetting the real meaning behind Christmas, that being the birth of our lord and saviour Jesus Christ and what he stood for.