In her annual Christmas message Queen Elizabeth II calls upon people of faith to take time in the new year to pause for reflection and contemplation. She acknowledges the birth of a new child and the joy the occasion brings.
Shoppers will descend on the Boxing Day sales today - but NZers have already splurged nearly $500m more than they did four years ago on Christmas shopping.
Door procedures were tightened at the Auckland City Mission Christmas dinner yesterday after a group of Chinese tourists ate there for free last year.
A gold iPhone 5s, a $600 keyboard and an inflatable remote-controlled dolphin were some of the unwanted gifts that flooded Trade Me on Christmas Day.
Here's a round-up of some of the slightly more out-there Christmas customs.
Offenders who get locked up for Christmas can forget about a special meal from the cops on the big day.
Santa could find himself fighting gale force winds in some areas tonight before rain heralds in Christmas Day for much of the country.
Eftpos transactions reached record highs today as Kiwi shoppers, filled with "Christmas spirit'', packed out stores around the country.
Doctor Scott Waghorn, of DentalCare West in the Auckland suburb of Glen Eden, is offering about $25,000 worth of free dental work today - for the third year running.
Pilots over Australia will be doing their bit to keep clear of Santa this evening.
Danielle Wright meets Auckland families and hears about their Christmas traditions ‘back home’.
It's time everyone paid more attention to the words of Christmas songs. There's a wealth of hidden meaning in the festive season's soundtrack.
Traditions are comforting, but as Danielle Wright discovers, sometimes a break from tradition is what makes a day special. Here are alternative Christmas menus to consider.
Jana Gallagher, 16, and Rochelle Sanderson, 15, were making the most of the summer sun at Takapuna Beach yesterday.
Volunteers, good preparation and a cool head vital in getting Christmas Day meal to 2500 City Mission diners.
Sir Murray Halberg had a vision in 1963 of a New Zealand where all children could participate in sport - even if they were physically disabled.
Paymark figures show shoppers spending up large as malls brace for last-minute Christmas splurge.
$10,000 donation will be used to buy new bicycles and safety gear for Mangere resettlement centre project.
December has so far seen spending growth unseen for several years, Paymark says.
Safety shouldn't be thrown in the bin with all the used wrapping paper, warns ACC, after 3500 people were injured during last year's Christmas Day.