The countdown is on to Christmas Day and some Whanganui residents are planning a day of celebrations with family and friends. Photo / Bevan Conley
That time of year has rolled around once again so Chronicle reporter Lucy Drake took to the streets of Whanganui to find out how prepared people were for the festivities and how they would be celebrating Christmas Day.
Donna Steer
I've spent $20 on all of my presents this year and most of them are second hand and from the Koha Shed as well. I will just be having a nice roast and probably going to the beach and relaxing.
Tristan Coffey
We're just doing some last-minute Christmas shopping and I've spent the morning cleaning the house, vacuumed and got the lounge all set up and rearranged. We'll be spending the day with family and friends.
Pat
I've got a tree up and that's about it. My daughter and son-in-law are coming over from Hastings in the afternoon and my son's coming down from Omori. My son and I will have lunch and daughter and son-in-law will be in later on. My sister and her husband are coming for tea and on Thursday my daughter-in-law and two grandsons are coming for lunch.
Boyd Mitchell
I'm celebrating Christmas here in Whanganui with some family. Today just finished wrapping the presents and chilling out really. I'm not a local - I'm from Tauranga but down visiting friends for Christmas.
Rhona
I haven't been doing any Christmas shopping yet but I'm going to. I was to be on my own but then evidently I'm supposed to be going to Levin for the day to visit my daughter and I'm minding a dog, Carlos. I've got a son coming from Canberra for Boxing Day but really he's coming over for the motorbikes actually.
Amelia Buchan
I'm going to be with my family here in Whanganui. I did my Christmas shopping the other day, we were early with it all. I'm looking forward to spending time with them really because we don't get to see some of them much.
'We do our best but we are in extremely difficult times.'