My first reaction on learning that only a third of primary schools now stage a traditional nativity play was to reach for the phrase “political correctness gone mad”. After all, it must be because Left-wing teachers are worried about offending non-Christians. One in 14 schools apparently doesn’t even use the word “Christmas” to describe the Read more
Before I became a Jesuit, I was a diocesan seminarian, and during the Christmas holidays, I worked in the pastoral care department of a big Catholic public hospital. At a Christmas party, I met the charge nurse of the maternity ward. Pleading that because I was a celibate I would never be at a birth, Read more
The annual South West Baptist Church Christmas Grotto has once again drawn big crowds of wide-eyed children and festive parents. The grotto, a walk through a series of Christmas-themed rooms, started 14 years ago and gets bigger every year. This year there are some new windows for children to peep through at the Spreydon Christmas Read more
Wartime Nazi Christmas decorations have sparked outrage after appearing on an online auction site. The four Christmas tree baubles, described as “fancy,” are red with the Nazi Swastika painted in the centre of a white circle. For sale on the Czech Republic website Aukro, the seller – who identifies himself as Anti95 and is from Read more
With the festive season upon us, and as a service to our readers, The Press is providing this cut-out-and-keep song sheet of contemporary Christmas carols. Enjoy! Good Kim Dotcom Good Kim Dotcom once looked out Shocked and disbelievin’ FBI men all about, helicopters even So began a tale of cash, Parties, spies and drama But Read more
The Chapel of St Peter and St Paul at the Old Royal Naval College (ORNC), in Greenwich, UK commissioned designer Sebastian Bergne to create a Christmas crib. This crib set “makes use of our learned experience from exposure to thousands of images, toys and Christmas cards over the years,” according to Bergne. “Set in the Read more
Kiwi Christmas traditions such as putting up a real pine tree and sending festive cards via post are becoming ghosts of Christmas past, a survey says. The Colmar Bruton research found that while 93 per cent of New Zealanders celebrated Christmas, many of the traditions associated with the festive season were disappearing. Two out of Read more
Christmas cheer will be coming to Russell once again this year at the annual Carols @ Pompallier concert at Pompallier Mission, the Heritage New Zealand property in Russell, Bay of Islands. Local groups and soloists will perform traditional festive favourites as well as modern Christmas songs as part of the show, which takes place on Read more
Catholics in England and Wales are allowed to eat meat on Boxing Day this year, even though it falls on a Friday, their bishops say. In England and Wales, Catholics are usually required to abstain from meat on Fridays. A spokesman for the bishops noted that Boxing Day, or St Stephen’s Day, falls within the Read more