Christmas for many people is about spending at shopping malls and giving presents. But for other families it can be the hardest time of the year.

Shoppers descended on malls all over the country yesterday as the Christmas rush began.

Music, dancers and the jolly man in red attracted thousands of families into Wellington's inner city streets for the city's Santa Parade this afternoon.

According to Toyworld, the top 10 toys for Christmas include back-to-the-future Cabbage Patch Kids, Furby toys, LeapPad Ultras, and Robo Fish.

Dozens of online subscription businesses have popped up offering to ship boxes of different goodies within a given niche or theme.

Chris Schulz casts his eye over some of the silly season's Christmas releases.

What are the top toys for Christmas? 6-year-old Maya Satake can tell you - she's one of four official toy testers for The Warehouse.

An empty holiday season can hold painful memories of partners lost and families gone, writes Russell Hoban.

The traditional Kiwi Christmas is on the march as families dig deep to buy the ultimate cheer.

Santa is expected to gift sunny skies to much of NZ on Christmas Day but wise men will keep a brolly close at hand.

Mystery destinations, out of season celebrations and a company paying tribute to a former CEO who died in a plane accident are among Christmas parties planned by the country's biggest companies this year.

As the silly season draws ever closer, a survey has found New Zealanders are among the most prolific re-gifters in the Asia Pacific region.

Who would have thought - Santa Claus has a day job doing admin at the Auckland Chamber of Commerce.

Santa is prising open the purse strings at financially strapped Government departments and private firms to bring back some festive joy to office parties.

This year marks the 80th Farmers Santa Parade. Danielle Wright goes behind the scenes.

Employment expert Tom O'Neil will be chatting online to help you survive this silly season, having a blast without destroying your dignity.

The work Christmas do can be a minefield of alcohol-fuelled wit, drunken proposals, chronic boredom and stuffing yourself silly.

Christmas is meant to be a time of joy but many children around NZ go without. This year one dad has vowed to make a difference, pledging 100 gifts for kids.

Charities are bracing themselves for an influx of more than 40,000 struggling Kiwi families who can't afford to serve Christmas dinner or put presents under the tree this year.

The Christmas countdown is on, with just eight weeks until Santa checks his naughty and nice lists and decides which children deserve presents.

Christmas won't be the same in Henderson this year as its annual Santa parade moves - to Massey.

New Zealand will provide a further $6 million to help Samoa recover from its most devastating cyclone in 21 years.

Engineers have unveiled a plan which they say can allow for the restoration of the Christ Church Cathedral.

New Zealand shoppers spent more on their debit and credit cards last month, according to figures out today.