Theists, and perhaps some atheists too, might thank God for Dr Zain Ali's gracious and insightful comments about God and religion.

And so this is Christmas, and what have you done, New Zealand business?

Relatives can easily get on each other's nerves. Suzanne Masefield offers ways to head off any aggro.

People around the world are preparing to celebrate Christmas. Check out some of our favourite shots of the festivities.

What do the hard-working people who run some of our city's busiest and best kitchens do when their restaurant kitchen is given a final scrub-down for the year? Do they put their feet up and let others wait on them hand and foot?

A travel company has given 100 of its staff affected by the Christchurch earth-quakes a special Christmas bonus.

I never believed the world would suddenly end, but I liked the idea that it was possible.

Jockeys Opie Bosson and Danielle Johnson are partners at home - but not at work, where they regularly compete for victory.

The Mana Recovery Trust has spent the past 16 years helping people with mental health disabilities to develop the skills to work and live in the community.

A Christmas card from the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran wishes us a Merry Christmas. There is nothing unusual about that.

We're just a handful of sleeps away from one of the most exciting mornings to wake up on - Christmas Day!

If you've ever found yourself on the receiving end of a thoughtless gift you'll know it hurts. Here's some advice on dealing with a bad present.

The ten gifts you'd rather not find under your Christmas tree this year.

Superyachts and their millionaire owners are in port - and they're sharing the Christmas spirit. The locally-built 50m Ohana and the palatial 58.5m Ulysses are the big attractions around Auckland's Viaduct Basin.

I love Christmas. It's my favourite holiday of the year. Having family and friends around the table, putting on a lavish spread, coming up with thoughtful gifts for people I care about - it's a wonderful celebration.

Christmas isn't just about grabbing at a huge pile of presents, it's also a great time for giving, or buying "good" gifts - the sort that make the world a better place.

Northland is in for a drenching this weekend, as the remnants of Cyclone Evan brush the country.

Cyclone Evan's going to put a bit of a dampener on Christmas - it's likely to be wet, hot and humid. The remnants of the tropical cyclone which hit Samoa and Fiji are set to reach New Zealand around Christmas Eve.

This Christmas, more alleged criminals will be in jail awaiting trial than in any previous year on records supplied by our prisons. The number has steadily increased since this Government came to power, to a estimated 1671 this week.

Festive lights, Christmas trees, a jolly Santa waving you in and carols can be the magic formula for retailers trying to lure shoppers in and seal a deal.

Consumers cutting loose after a year of watching their wallets is one reason for a huge increase in Christmas spending, according to the Retailers Association. Paymark said just over $3.2 billion went through its network between Nov 30 and Dec 20.

Christmas always proves the adage: it is easier to give than to receive. Not that giving seemed easy this week as we searched the shops for something loved ones would like.