Looking forward to your next copy of NZ Gardener?
I am (very) pleased to tell you that now that the country is in Level Three, the May issue of NZ Gardener will be sent to our printers, and the magazine will be on sale from May 7. And believe me the May issue is packed with the good stuff, with ideas of what you can sow, plant, pick and preserve to make the most of your garden right now, plus Lynda Hallinan reflects on 60 lessons for gardeners from the lockdown, a bumper gardening quiz, and you can visit a spectacular Taupō garden alive with birds, a whimsical wonderland in Glenorchy in full bloom and meet the clever and resourceful gardeners of the Chatham Islands... all without leaving your bubble. And thanks so much to everyone who has been in touch to offer their support to the NZ Gardener team, especially those who have subscribed or renewed or purchased a subscription as a gift (an NZ Gardener subscription is a great Mother's Day idea, just sayin'!) We are so grateful to you all, and it's your support that allows us to keep inspiring and informing gardeners from all around New Zealand as we have been doing now for more than 75 years. Please share this message with your gardening groups on social too. We’re looking forward to the many more years of celebrating the amazing gardens and gardeners of New Zealand that lie ahead.
Christmas Eve busiest shopping day of the year with more than 500,000 sales
Busiest shopping day of the year
Peak time 12 noon-1 pm - 563,303 transactions
Per second peak - 167 transactions
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Number of sales beats Black Friday, but lowest Christmas Eve in six years
Christmas Eve has been the busiest shopping day of the year with 9,745 sales a minute at its peak.
Payments company Worldline says noon to 1pm saw 563,303 sales recorded on its network, down by about 7 percent on a year ago.
The company's network covers about three-quarters of the electronic terminals in operation.
Worldline did not have a dollar value for spending, but the peak number of transactions was the lowest for the past six years and well shy of the record 679,436 in 2019, before the pandemic.
Earlier this month it noted rising sales in the first three weeks of the month, but they remained 1.3 percent lower than 2024, with most parts of the country trailing the previous year's spending.
Official data from Stats NZ to the end of November showed a small rise in spending on the previous month, to 1.6 percent higher for the year.
Retail spending has been subdued as households have remained cautious because of high prices and a slow benefit from lower interest rates, and as well as concerns about the soft labour market.
However, recent surveys have shown improving consumer sentiment with ANZ bank's monthly report showing confidence at its highest level in four years.
Boxing Day is traditionally the country's favourite shopping day, but with Black Friday spending also softer this year the amount going through retailers' terminals may also be down on a year ago.
Adding a dampener to consumer spending may be the recent rises in longer term fixed mortgage rates because of higher wholesale rates.
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Poll: Is it ok to regift something that you have been given?
🎁 Holiday Gift Chat!
Do you ever regift?
What’s your take on asking for a receipt if a gift doesn’t fit?
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79.1% Yes! It's better to regift what I don't need
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20.9% No. It's the thought and effort that matters
Exclusive Christmas Sleep Deals - Up to 65% OFF Beds!
Hi neighbours,
This coming Christmas, why not treat yourself to better sleep? For one day only, we’re offering an extra 5% OFF on top of our already reduced Boxing Day Bed Sale prices!
With up to 65% OFF on selected beds and FREE delivery, there’s never been a better time to upgrade your sleep. But hurry, these deals are moving fast, and once stock is gone, it’s gone!
If you’d like to see what’s available:
Find your nearest Beds4U store: beds4u.co.nz/store-locator
Browse all Boxing Day deals: beds4u.co.nz/boxing-day
Don’t miss out, give yourself the gift of quality sleep this Christmas!
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