It's Hansel and Gretel's dream come true - a 1.8m-tall edible gingerbread house.

Christmas shopping made easy with Sam Judd's top ten gift ideas that are both easy on your wallet and on the planet.

Meet Carl and Maureen Seaward of Shands Rd, Prebbleton (Canterbury); they have spent the last four years collecting over 300,000 Christmas lights and have them on display for the folks of Christchurch to enjoy. With the city having a tough time over the past couple of years, they want to 'put the christmas spirit back into everyone'.

The nativity at Rotorua Hospital chapel has its most important member back - baby Jesus.

Members of the public attend the launch of the Telecom Christmas tree at Auckland's Victoria Park. The 27-metre high Christmas tree, made out of 375,000 lights will be lit from dusk 'til dawn, until Boxing Day.

From Christmas carols in a cave to stand-up paddle boarding Santas, Danielle Wright goes in search of some Christmas cheer.

It's different, it's fun and it's only three hours away, Peter Malcouronne looks at island festivities.

Kiwi shoppers are being enticed into the famed New York department stores of Macy's, Bloomingdale's, and Saks Fifth Avenue to do their Christmas shopping.

As the Christmas shopping season swings into gear, three in five people will trail from store to store to find the cheapest price.

Thousands of eager children lined the streets of Auckland to get a glimpse of the jolly man in red. It wasn't only Santa who delighted the crowd - the New Zealand Army Band, the Christmas Train, Willie Wonka floats and a giant inflated Cat in the Hat also took part in the 78th annual Farmers' Santa Parade.

Thousands of eager children lined the streets of Auckland yesterday to get a glimpse of the jolly man in red.

More than half of New Zealanders are intending to opt for convenience and do some of their Christmas shopping online this year, according to survey results.

Kaikohe could become a centre for religious tourism after lights on the town's Christmas tree appeared to show a Marian apparition - an image of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus - when switched on.

Giant calendar will be part of festive trail.

People wanting to serve New Zealand ham at their Christmas dinner should order early or they may miss out, the pork industry says.

When it comes to Christmas shopping, few countries can hold a candle to Germany. Its traditional Christmas markets have been creating the wow factor for more than six centuries.

Parade enthusiasts have welcomed an assurance from Auckland mayor Len Brown that lolly scrambles won't be chucked out of Santa parades.