Journal

Christmas is different in New Zealand. Due to the country's heritage and roots (especially British), many traditions are observed, however, the climate makes the Kiwi Christmas something unique to a northern hemisphere Christmas. December is the middle of summer in New Zealand so a barbie on the beach for Christmas dinner is common. Christmas also marks the beginning of the summer holidays for most Kiwis, so many Christmas activities revolve around holidays. New Zealand is quite a diverse society, and many of the cultures represented do not recognize Christmas in the same way however it is a special time for...

To call one of our staff  a Christmas Grinch would be harsh. She is certainly not a grumpy person who spoils the pleasure of others or a killjoy, or a spoilsport which a Grinch is. She just thinks people don’t wear Christmas T-shirts with Christmas trees on them, it is not cool in her mind. So in response we have created three T-shirts, two women’s Christmas Tees and one men’s.  To be fair the women’s Christmas Tree t-shirt is me being stubborn and trying to prove a point that people will buy a nicely designed Christmas Tree t-shirt.  So we...

They tell us self-isolation involves following simple, common-sense steps to avoid close contact with other people. Doing so will help protect you and your family from spreading infectious diseases. There must be other benefits. The holiday season is coming, we get to spend time with family, passing presents around eating, drinking, playing together and there is no escape. Don’t get me wrong; I love my family. I really do. But after a lot of “together time" my energy is sapped, my brain becomes mush, and my body demands a quieter, less stimulating space. Taking more time for yourself has the ironic effect of...

Black Friday is considered the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. The term "Black Friday" was first used in the 1950s, when huge crowds of shoppers and tourists went to Philadelphia to shop before a game of American football between the Army and Navy. The sale and name has spread worldwide. It is fair to say hysteria takes over in some countries. We are a bit like black sheep in a way we wanted to do something a bit different. We did think of just discounting sheep prints on black tees. In the end common sense prevails and we are...