Christmas cards showing a different reality from the traditionally peaceful Nativity scene are on offer from Doctors of the World. In one scene, a missile flies over the Holy Family. The humanitarian group’s website says they want the cards “to remind people that war has forced millions from their homes this year, and they need Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Christmas’
Giving Christmas to Christchurch
Tuesday, December 6th, 2016Come December 25, the creators of the Christmas Grotto at South West Baptist Church in Christchurch will be exhausted, but they’ll be enjoying a great sense of achievement, knowing they’ve brought Christmas joy to thousands of people. Siblings Linda Hills and Edward Warrington, now in their 60s, admit they never really grew up properly, but Read more
Bah, humbug’: Atheists radio show is replaced by 24/7 Christmas music
Friday, November 25th, 2016Dan Barker tuned his radio to 92.1 FM (“the Mic”) in Madison, Wis., on Nov. 12 — just as he’s done almost every Saturday for a decade. Usually, he hears his own voice waxing philosophically about issues important to atheists and other “cultural outsiders.” But on that day, he heard something else: Elvis Presley crooning Read more
Santa goes user pays at upmarket department store.
Friday, November 25th, 2016It’s that time of year – when parents are bracing themselves to take the kids to see Santa. And it seems plenty are willing to pay for the privilege of skipping long queues. Tickets to do just that at Auckland department store Smith & Caughey’s cost $30 and are selling fast. continue reading
NZ Children cheer up Sailor’s Christmas
Tuesday, February 2nd, 2016
International seafarers at the port of Auckland had some special Kiwi Christmas cheer last year thanks to four Catholic schools. The schools – St Leo’s, Devonport; St Joseph’s, Otahuhu; St Joseph’s, Orakei and St Mary’s, Ellerslie – made hundreds of hand-crafted Christmas cards for seafarers. These were given out on ships berthed in Auckland just Read more
Exercising our religious imagination this Christmas
Friday, December 18th, 2015
The Nativity scene is what comes to mind for many of us when we think about Christmas. There is the manger with Mary kneeling by the infant Jesus with Joseph by her side. Often there are shepherds and a few sheep as well as some angels hovering in the sky. When St. Francis of Assisi Read more
59 % say Kiwi Christmas too commercial
Friday, December 18th, 2015According to Colmar Brunton’s annual Christmas survey, 59 out of 100 New Zealanders think the Kiwi Christmas is too commercial Colmar Brunton CEO Jacqueline Farman believes the findings are the result of consumers feeling bombarded with straight sales-driven messages that fail to capture the “true” spirit of festivities. Continue reading
Christmas, where are you?
Tuesday, December 15th, 2015
There’s a commercial that I see everywhere lately. A little girl and her dad are working on a volcano for her science fair. But something goes wrong and at the last minute the volcano doesn’t explode (as a fellow procrastinator, I feel her pain). Her dad’s solution: a $1,000 flat screen television! She can just Read more
All children deserve new presents on Christmas Day
Tuesday, December 15th, 2015
The Salvation Army toy appeal co-ordinator says all children deserve new presents on Christmas Day. This has drawn widespread condemnation from detractors shocked at the Salvation Army’s consumer-driven stance, with many saying they will not be supporting their appeal. The Salvation Army’s territorial social services secretary, Pam Waugh, said for many children this would be the Read more
Billboard – it’s time be shocked again
Friday, December 11th, 2015
St Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Remuera has put up a billboard showing Mary and Joseph as refugees on a leaky boat being turned away from the European coast. Minister Reverend Glynn Cardy had previously been behind controversial billboards at St Matthew-in-the-city – including one showing Mary and Joseph in bed with the caption, “Poor Joseph, Read more