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.

With the annual Farmers Santa Parade due to make its way down Queen Street tomorrow, we take a look back at some highlights from recent years.

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.

Fancy a lolly scramble this Christmas? You're out of luck in Auckland, where the tradition - along with squirting water at the crowd - is a strict no-no under new rules.

Photos from Coca-Cola Christmas In The Park in the Auckland Domain on Saturday, 8 December 2012.

An Eftpos outage has hit Pak 'N' Save and New World stores across the lower North Island this...

For the 19 years the residents of Franklin Road have been decorating their homes with lights in the countdown to Christmas.