A little slice of Kiwiana will light up Christmas Day this year for 140 New Zealand Defence Force personnel serving overseas.
For 85 years the Royal New Zealand Returned Services Association (RNZRSA) have been packaging up boxes of Christmas treats.
This year the parcels have gone to the Middle East, the Sinai Peninsula, the Republic of Korea, Antarctic and South Sudan.
The number of boxes being packed is down on previous years as there are less people deployed.
Brent Austin from Mayfield was 21 when he deployed to East Timor in 2001 as a Reservist Force driver.
He said on Christmas Day there were duties they still had to carry out like delivering water to other New Zealand defence teams.
The day did begin with time to open the RSA parcels all piled up under the Christmas tree.
‘‘Receiving the parcel was uplifting,’’ Austin said.
‘‘I do remember what we had for Christmas dinner, it was KFC. The air force flew in large platters of KFC from Darwin. It was cold, but boy it was good,’’ Austin said.
Among those undertaking packing of the boxes was The Ashburton Courier’s own Dellwyn Moylan.
She was among volunteers helping defence force personnel, veterans, RNZRSA staff and the Minister of Veterans Affairs Hon Chris Penk at Trentham Army Camp in September.
‘‘Being able to assist with the packaging of the parcels was rewarding. Christmas is a time for connecting, and while defence personnel can celebrate with their comrades, they miss out on the time with those who are special to them,’’ Moylan said.
This year’s boxes, sponsored by Pams, include lollies, chocolates, cookies, mixed roasted and salted nuts, popcorn, pretzels, soap, facial wipes, toothbrush, toothpaste, and Christmas cards from the RSA, the defence force, Pams and Trentham primary schools.
