A quick-thinking 11-year-old boy and a computer chair saved precious time and quality of life when Vinnie Smith suffered a stroke on Christmas Eve.

An 82-year-old has drowned in the Bay of Islands today - at least the fourth drowning in this holiday period.

From the boring to the unusual and downright bizarre, unwanted Christmas gifts are flooding auction website Trade Me.

In Europe the daffodils are in bloom and ski fields are bare in the warmest December ever. John Vidal asks how worrying is the world's strange weather.

Dan Carter is missing his summer Christmas as he settles into a new life in Europe.

A little girl called the people she'd been taught to call in a true emergency after knocking her 'Elf on the Shelf' onto the floor.

Explore how people celebrate Christmas around the world.

Matt Heath shares how to make the most of the Kiwi summer.

While the last-minute shopping rush isn't over yet, Kiwis have already spent in excess of $147 million though the tills.

While deployed overseas, New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel do their best to celebrate Christmas without their families and friends back home.

Auckland Airport is the scene of thousands of welcomes as Kiwis return to spend time with their families at Christmas. We present some of these magic moments.

If Nurofen released a tablet specifically aimed at relieving 5pm-post-Christmas-lunch symptoms I'd have been an enthusiastic buyer, writes Shelley Bridgeman.

Again this year, I can say we are seeing the longest queues the City Mission has ever seen and that we will hand out the highest number of food parcels given to families, writes Dianne Robertson.

Last year Alofa Glas, Jason Goodall and their extended whanau organised a free lunch at Pukekohe's Lone Star for 100 guests.

Having given up his time free of charge for the Auckland City Mission Christmas lunch each year, Mr Mariassouce says it's no big deal.

Kiwis are flocking to the shops to spend up big. Figures released by Paymark show the electronic payments provider has had its biggest weekend this year.

The Te Ara Rangatu o te Iwi o Ngati Te Ata Waiohua Inc Society will receive $10,000 from Auckland Airport's 12 Days of Christmas campaign this year.

Do you think it's ethically okay to tell your children the Santa myth? Moral Psychology lecturer Jared Piazza writes the verdict.

Warwick Gilmour talks about being in the Christmas Tree business and gives a few tips for maintaining the tree this festive season.

Sooo. How's your Christmas sparkle?

It is four days to Christmas and the tills are ringing as last-minute shoppers dash to buy presents.

Knowing exactly what to do when an asthmatic person is having trouble breathing - and knowing not to panic - can help that person hugely and maybe even save their life.

For the perfect Christmas you will need; a massive tree, a dangerous amount of lights, cheese-ball movies and songs so bad you wouldn't listen to them any other time, writes Matt Heath.

Kiwi shoppers are spending up large in the lead-up to Christmas, new figures reveal.

There's still time to empty wallets and fill stockings, writes Russell Blackstock.

Just five more sleeps. Four working days. Christmas cannot come soon enough.

The New Zealand Breakers have helped slam dunk the Christmas blues for Kiwi families in need.

Christmas is my favourite holdiay and has been the most consistent good-time festival day I can remember, Kerre writes.

From mall to shining mall, Steve Braunias goes on a journey through seven Auckland malls in one day in search of the spirit of Christmas.