7 December 2016

Watching to see who’s naughty and nice

‘Tis the season and for thousands of New Zealanders it’s time to party, have a few drinks, let loose and celebrate the coming holidays.

Behind the scenes in the nation’s biggest city, there’s a small team of unsung “Santa’s helpers” looking out for public safety and keeping the peace between neighbours and revellers. They’re the people who clean up the parks and streets, intervene over excessive noise and ensure party venues are operating responsibly.

And their verdict? Aucklanders are, overall, pretty well behaved and considerate, putting them on Santa’s “nice” list.

“Auckland is a great place to celebrate Christmas, and as we live closer together we’re learning to extend some tolerance for occasional party noise and exuberance,” says Auckland Council’s General Manager of Licensing and Compliance Services, Grant Barnes.

“At the same time, a bit of consideration on the part of revellers goes a long way towards keeping Christmas happy for everybody.”

Santa’s helpers’ guidelines for a more joyful Christmas

1. If you’re having a party, keep the noise to a level your neighbours can live with, particularly if they have children who need to get to sleep. Better yet, invite them to join you!

2. Make sure your guests drink safely and don’t drive half-way home (before being caught by breath testing or having an accident).

3. Move the party indoors later in the evening and minimise noise by reducing the bass and keeping doors and windows closed.

4. If your neighbours are having a festive party, show tolerance before calling noise control, but do let them know if you have children trying to get to sleep.

5. If you’re celebrating in a public place, clean up after yourselves – dispose of rubbish, be thoughtful about your environment and the people around you who are trying to have their own party without yours spilling over into theirs.

6. If you’re driving take extra care. Other road users are as distracted and preoccupied as you this month, and there may be more merry revellers walking around with unpredictable movements.

7. It’s not always about you. Christmas is a special time for children – please keep the magic of Christmas alive by not spoiling the Santa story and keeping noise levels reasonable near sleeping kids.

ENDS

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