Tauranga parents welcome Christmas Day baby: 'She wanted to be here for Christmas'

Tauranga's Elise and Ken Macfarlane were holidaying in Waihi when their baby girl decided to come early - on Christmas Day.

The Macfarlanes welcomed their second daughter into the world three and a half weeks early at 3.40am on December 25.

Weighing 5 pounds 9 ounces, she was the first baby born at Tauranga Hospital on Christmas Day.

"It was a bit of a surprise; we weren't expecting it. She wasn't due until January," Mum Elise said. "She wanted to be here for Christmas."

Elise said the family were staying at her parents in Waihi when she was starting having contractions.

"We were worried we weren't going to get back because of all the flooding," she said.

More than 100mm of rain was recorded over parts of the Coromandel overnight on December 24 and about 150 campers were forced to evacuate the Waihi holiday resort because of rising floodwaters.

But the couple arrived at their Tauranga home about 12.30pm on Christmas Day with enough time to pack a bag and leave for Tauranga Hospital.

Elise gave birth to baby Macfarlane, who is yet to be named, about three hours later.

A present was left anonymously in baby Macfarlane's bassinet signed by the mother of the first baby born on Christmas Day 24 years ago.

"She's pretty spoilt already," Elise said.

Baby Macfarlane was yet to meet her 18-month-old big sister Evie when the Bay of Plenty Times visited yesterday.

But she was due to visit yesterday afternoon, along with the rest of the family who planned to cut Christmas festivities short to meet the newest member of the Macfarlanes.