Editorial: Holiday season is here... for most of us

Today the working year ends for a large chunk of the working population.

The Christmas parties are over, the out-of-office messages are on and many will down tools early and head off to the beach or pub or home with a couple of weeks' holiday to look forward too.

The festive season is a chance to slow down, spend some time with family, get out of town and relax and recharge for 2018.

But for many the idea of a 9-5 job that shuts down over summer is a fantasy and a decent break will have to wait for later next year.

If you're lucky enough to have a break spare a thought for these people.

For many such as emergency service workers, doctors, care workers, farmers, pilots and lifeguards the important work just carries on while everyone else enjoys the sun.

And for others in hospitality, tourism and retail it's probably one of the busiest times of the year.

On that note the Chronicle as always will continue to come out six days a week and 24-hours a day online.

News never really takes a break but the silly season does see a drop off in the more traditional news stories.

To that end we've been working on a number of summer series that will be of interest to readers which we will be running over the next few weeks.

We've sent reporters out to small and sometimes out of the way places we don't often get to to ask locals about what makes their village, settlement or township special.

We've written about many Whanganui people who have gone on to fame and fortune.

There will be a series on people who have lived in their house for more than 50 years.

The gorgeous gardens series returns, we look at some of Whanganui's more interesting infrastructure and there will also be our usual look back at the year that was 2017.

Happy holidays.