Christmas never fails. It weaves its magic on tired spirits at the end of another year. Shops can almost forget the hardships of competing with internet sales as Christmas rings the cash register. Office work winds down and restaurants are busy providing Christmas lunches. The hectic lead-up is largely over now. When Christmas falls on a Monday it can take over the weekend.
In fact Auckland's traffic was flowing more easily yesterday than a usual Friday. Obviously many had left the city early to beat the holiday rush. Families will be gathering over the weekend with still 48 hours to go. Two more sleeps until Santa calls.
No doubt the early start has been encouraged by the extremely fine weather the country has enjoyed for the past two months. Long may it continue. Monday is expected to be sunny over the north with 25C in Auckland and Northland, 26C in Waikato and a more gentle 23C in the Bay of Plenty.
It will herald the end of a happy year for most New Zealanders. The economy has had a fifth year of growth, in fact the first half was better than we knew when revised GDP figures were released.
Not all of us are sharing the prosperity. The queue outside the Auckland City Mission every morning this week was as long as ever at Christmas. A new Government has the task of helping them find work and independence.
