Editor’s note — Main Street Mission is again sponsoring its annual Christmas Wish program, designed to help families in need provide a traditional Christmas for their children. To adopt a family, call 264-1209. All items or gifts for adopted families are due back to the mission by Dec. 17.

A candlelit Silent Night, special Christmas crackers, stunning soprano Jenny Wollerman and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra make for a magical combination for the APO's annual Lion Foundation Celebrate Christmas concerts in December.

The organizer of the "Christmas Village" event at City Hall says he won't delete "Christmas" from his event's name, but he will take down signs about the event to comply with a city request.

This festive season is set be a time of celebration for shoppers and anguish for retailers, analysts say.

Christmas should be cheaper this year as retailers go on sale early in a bid to entice sluggish shoppers, according to retailers an analysts.