Emily Henderson: Two ideas for next Christmas/New Year season

The Toot For Tucker Parade campaign sees groups and businesses decorate cars and trucks - here a prisoner transport vehicle - for a tiki-tour all over town, gathering donations for food banks

It might be just that it's still school holidays so I'm still in "fun family activities" mode (the sort usually calculated to cause teens to groan loudly before they subside back behind their screens).

It might be because it's no longer grown-up holidays, and they say the best way to hold on to holiday spirit is to plan the next one. Whatever the reason, lately I've been thinking about two community projects we might get involved in for next Christmas and New Year.

The first is a Christmas one. There are already several fantastic groups locally which put together Christmas hampers for people in need, but elsewhere whole towns get behind this with a "Toot for Tucker" Parade.

One night in early December, groups and businesses decorate cars and trucks for a tiki-tour all over town, gathering up donations, which are given to organisations like the Salvation Army which organise the hampers. Friends who participate tell me whole families wait outside their gates to hand up their gifts.

There was a big response to the Toot For Tucker Parade campaign in Oamaru - Whangārei MP Emily Henderson would like to see the campaign running in Northland for next Christmas.

Would you or your group like to help? The local Lions Club has already said it's keen (in fact, when I suggested it to the Lions convention last year I even promised that if it's pulled off, I'll become a member, so there's that incentive … or not), but many hands make light work. I love the idea of our whole community getting together in this fun way to support our most needy.

My next thought is about next New Year's, specifically next New Year's Honours List.
We have some incredible people in this town, selflessly working away for others, and we really got a taste of that in this year's list with a grand total of eight outstanding locals recognised – and what a buzz it was to see them there, old friends, people admired from a distance and people who I had never encountered, quietly doing incredible work.

Next year I'd love to see some more of our as yet unsung heroes get their moment in the sun, and the recognition of a grateful community.

Personally, I have worked on four Honours applications, for two of my UK heroes and two local legends. While the fact that all the applications succeeded is of course entirely down to the quality of the people we were celebrating (one very modest lady became a Dame, much to her horror), it does mean I can definitely say that the process is very straightforward.

Fill out a form, which can be found online or picked up from your local MP's office (aka me at 66A Bank St), setting out your hero's achievements and then gather written references to back it up. And, as with all proper gifts, a nomination is supposed to be kept secret from the nominee.

As we face another challenging year, let's give ourselves the gift of celebrations to look forward to: Giving to those who need it, and celebrating those who give to us.