Kiwi kids have bombarded Santa with tens of thousands of letters, and high-tech toys top the list.

Can there be goodwill toward Islam? I believe there can be goodwill, but this will require us to look beyond the likes of Isis and al-Qaeda, writes Zain Ali.

Consumer New Zealand has looked at some of the pre-made desserts on our supermarket shelves.

You can host a Christmas to savour without leaving the comfort of your home with our ultimate online shopping guide for the festive season.

COMMENT: When Kerre McIvor heard woman in Britain decided to refuse breast cancer treatment for fear it would make her fat, it left her feeling sad.

An Auckland church has partnered with a host of sponsors to pack 10,000 food hampers for people in need this Christmas.

COMMENT: Do your children dream of receiving water balloons and unicorns for Christmas? Get real, Diana Clement writes.

Unless you're looking to one-up the Grinch, do not give these gifts for Christmas.

Hundreds of Santas decked out in shorts and running shoes made for a fun night out as they ran through the streets of Auckland.

The drones are yet to take over, but they're gaining popularity on the list of most-searched-for Christmas gift items on Trade Me.

Salvation Army volunteers are bracing themselves for a bumper Christmas - of assistance to families facing a struggle to keep afloat through the season of goodwill.

From 3 to 83, the Farmers Santa Parade delighted everyone who turned out on a sunny day in Auckland.

Christmas Day is less than four weeks away and the busy silly season is kicking in.

Christmas has come early for sick kids at Starship as Maria Tutaia delivered a special supply of New World's "Little Christmas" collectibles.

Kerre writes about NZ's reaction to the story about banning Christmas.

BIG DEBATE: Dame Susan Devoy says she isn't the Grinch while Bishop Ross Bay warns of the dangers of expunging "Christmas" from migrants' vocabulary.

It's really about the community coming together. Farmers' founder Robert Laidlaw was a Christian man but he never made the parade religious.

Danielle Wright finds out the best ways to avoid ruining your career.

Is this the most expensive advent calendar in the country?

Europe's Christmas markets usher in a world of magical toys, local delicacies, beautiful decorations and bags of good cheer. These are the best Christmas markets, as chosen by users of booking.com.

ODT Reporter Shawn McAvinue auditions to be one of Santa's helpers. Source: ODT/Youtube

It's only April, but toy retailers are already getting excited about Christmas.

When I arranged to eat miscellaneous offal at work on a Friday afternoon, it seemed like as good a time as any.

The benefits of city life come at a cost. Ask any ex-Aucklander and you'll hear that things began looking up as the reflection of the city disappeared from the rear-view mirror.

Christmas is the time of year when the British in New Zealand start to crack up. You'll see them pacing up and down, muttering: "But it just doesn't feel right ... "

An answering machine dubbed the "Marriage Destroyer" was the most-viewed item on Trade Me this year, ahead of Lorde lyrics and a "horrible" Michael Laws painting.

By the time you read this, Christmas will be done and dusted. The last of the ham sandwiches will have been made.