Latest from Holidays

Holidays start with a 25km traffic block

Thousands of motorists spent hours stewing in traffic jams between Auckland's Northern Gateway toll road and Warkworth yesterday.

Christmas spending record set today

NZ town named among world's top spots

A global travel magazine highlights Kaikoura as a place to have a whale of a time over Christmas.

Xmas traffic exodus 'absolute bedlam'

The Christmas exodus of people leaving Wellington has created a state of "absolute bedlam" on roads leading out of the city, police say.

Post standoff

Govt defends proposed changes to Holidays Act

Acting Prime Minister Bill English says the changes make calculating holiday pay rates more transparent.

Xmas forecast: Mostly dry with winds further south

Christmas will be warm and mostly dry in the north, wet in parts of the south and windy between.

<i>Wendyl Nissen:</i> Bach to the future

Surge in Eftpos, credit card purchases up to Christmas

A surge of Eftpos and credit card transactions shows New Zealanders are picking up the purchasing pace in the lead-up to Christmas.

Layby holidays take off

<i>That Guy:</i> How to get your kids on board - on a budget

How not to get ripped off this Christmas

Police say many people take their eye off the ball over Christmas, giving crooks an open invite to their presents.

Starship lives up to its name

Pitch your lifestyle in a tent

Spring: a time of joyful cleaning

You start out with the intention of doing one thing ... but in the process ... a whole lot of other things come to light.

<i>That Guy</i>: Gone troppo for timeshares and partner swaps

Sales jump at Briscoes Group, profits heading up also

Briscoes Group, which owns Rebel Sport, Urban Loft and the Living and Giving chains, says sales are up and second half profits will be "well ahead" of last year.

Summer's coming, but keep brolly