Nice, if you can afford it

I am drooling after reading the indulgent Christmas menu of oysters, Champagne risotto and truffles in James Fuller's report today on the relative costs of festive food.

The budget version of bulk dry biscuits and chicken drumsticks left me comparatively underwhelmed.

However, with the luxury version at $200 a head, who in Tauranga can afford it?

Maybe Councillor Rick Curach, who lists his interests on the Tauranga City Council website as cooking, and spending time with his children, both of which he must get to do a lot of given the ladies' hours he works coupled with his silly salary.

The rest of us in Tauranga are likely to have to watch our budgets even on the 25th, unless we are lucky enough to own a home in the Mount to rent out for Christmas, which I was staggered to learn can fetch up to $8000 a week at this time of year.

Still as the budget advisers in James' story point out, Christmas is about the fun, not the money, although I challenge the budget advisers who tell us that children have more fun playing with the wrapping paper than the Xbox - really?

Which kids are these?

Still I may not have oysters on the table, but will definitely be taking the kids to the new ice rink.

We might just bump into Mr Curach, who some people have decided this week is definitely on thin ice.