Last year Kiwis spent $5.3 billion in the month before Christmas, according to Paymark figures. Photo / Michael Craig
Last year Kiwis spent $5.3 billion in the month before Christmas, according to Paymark figures. Photo / Michael Craig
Is this the most expensive advent calendar in the country?
Retailing for a whopping $269, the "4 Piece Night before Christmas Advent", below, is flying off shelves - and there are 87 shopping days until Christmas.
The popular calendars are for sale in Christchurch's The Christmas Hut and only two are left, said store owner Christabel Blacklock.
"I got the stock in August," she said. "They are unique, beautiful items and people just buy them. They are for people who want nice things in their home."
Last year Kiwis spent $5.3 billion in the month before Christmas, according to Paymark figures. Christmas Eve was the biggest single spending day as we splashed out $263.5m.
But festive paraphernalia is in the shops a long time before December - and Blacklock said the busy season began in August.
She said shoppers were more than happy to shell out for the luxury advent calendar item, which would "last a lifetime" and was a favourite product alongside Christmas trees and a 1.8m Santa.
Unlike the traditional advent calendars however, these do not offer a daily chocolate treat for those counting down the days of the festive season.They have a brass hanger to mark off the days until Christmas.
For those with a sweet tooth, Devonport Chocolates is offering a $159 "Christmas Cheer Chocolate Gift Tower" containing more than 50 handmade treats, including chocolates, truffles and almond brittle.
Shoppers with smaller wallets who still like to splash out can try Smiggle stores, which have $45 advent calendars, with different stationery items to mark each day.
But if you really want to push the boat out - and you don't want a traditional advent calendar - you could always consider checking out luxury items by UK brand, Harrods.
A Harrods Vintage Port gift set could be the perfect Christmas gift, for $30,000. The crafted wooden gift box contains two Colheita ports from 1863 and 1896, accompanied by two crystal glasses and a decanter.
If port is not to your taste you can instead opt for 18-carat white gold Mythology Tsar feather earrings for $29,000.
Or you could deck out your home with luxury decorations.
The Christmas Hut offers the Mr Christmas Gold Label Nutcracker Ballet Suite, a $495 miniature theatre with the Nutcracker Ballet inside.
For $249 you could also own a 19cm handcrafted and hand-painted Christmas fairy.
Christmas gifts for the rich and famous
Mariah Carey, left, bought live reindeer and a sleigh, and Justin Bieber bought himself a jet. Photo / Supplied
• In 2012, Suri Cruise was given a $24,000 Victorian-style customised playhouse by parents Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, featuring an eat-in kitchen, a sunroom, electricity and running water.
• Mike Tyson bought his ex-wife Robin Givens a $2 million bathtub for Christmas one year.
