"Christmas Day in prison will be a day of routine and reflection," said Corrections Commissioner Jeremy Lightfoot.
"For many prisoners, it will be a day spent thinking of friends and families in different parts of the country. As such, the day will be marked in an appropriate way."
Mr Lightfoot said allowing inmates to get involved with the Christmas Day meal preparation was beneficial.
"The opportunity to actively participate ... makes the prisoners feel proud they are making a positive contribution to the day's celebrations," he said.
"Working in the kitchen also gives the prisoners a set of skills they can use to gain employment when they are released. Many prisoners who work in the kitchens are achieving national qualifications in hospitality and catering."
Mr Lightfoot said 1300 Corrections staff would be on duty on Christmas Day, "protecting public safety and ensuring that the day runs smoothly".
BAD GUYS GIVE BACK
Around the country different prisons were also making a community contribution this Christmas.
• Auckland Prison at Paremoremo is donating produce to food banks. Up to 280kg of mixed vegetables will be supplied to Women's Refuge and Salvation Army in Albany and Birkenhead.
• Whangarei Community Corrections has been delivering between two to four boxes a week of fresh vegetables to the Food for Life programme. The deliveries include tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, silverbeet, cabbage and lettuce, which are grown from seedlings at prisons throughout the northern region. Food for Life uses this produce to provide hot, nutritious lunches to schools in the Whangarei region and the Community Cafe, where those who are struggling financially can enjoy a wholesome meal for the price of a donation.
• Waikeria Prison has partnered with the Love Soup kitchen in Tokoroa and Te Whakaruruhau Women's Refuge in Hamilton, donating fresh vegetables, grown in the unit gardens, to low decile schools and the underprivileged in the community. With schools finishing for the year, these fresh vegetables will be donated to a project providing food packages to families in need around Hamilton over the Christmas period.
• Offenders from Te Awamutu have been picking tangelos from Waikeria Prison's orchard and delivering boxes of the fruit to local schools. Since late October, 70 boxes have been delivered.
• Staff from Tauranga Community Corrections organised a food drive which resulted in a full car-load of food being donated to the Tauranga Community Foodbank.
• At Arohata Prison, inmates, Corrections staff and guest performers teamed up with the Kapiti Gospel Choir and put on two community concerts, raising more than $1400 as well as a collection of canned food that was donated to the Women's Refuge.
• Community Corrections staff from Southland and Central Otago are taking part in the Salvation Army's Adopt a Family programme. Staff will be holding a mufti day every Friday until Christmas where staff can give a donation to purchase gifts and groceries to help a family celebrate Christmas.
• Christchurch Men's Prison is assisting Pillars, a charity which supports the children of prisoners, to host a children's Christmas party for prisoners and their families. Prisoners can make gifts for their children or purchase them through their prison account.
