Hello, my dear Frankies!

Christmas has well and truly hit us here in this beautiful corner of the world! And so we've put together an extra events list this week, full of all the big Christmas events popping up. Make the whole of December feel magical instead of stressing out and only getting to enjoy the Christmas spirit on the 25th!

(That's the idea anyway - we all know we're going to be stressing no matter what!)

This past week, we've been lucky enough to attend two amazing workshops - a Christmas candle-making workshop with Little Batch Wax Co (I made a Cinnamon-Coffee-Sugar-and-Spice fragranced candle that smells like Christmas morning 🥰), and a pottery class with the amazingly talented Bex from R Ceramics.

Both were such beautiful experiences (especially in the busyness of this season!), and it made me think - how cool would it be to gift our loved ones experiences with locals, rather than buying more stuff. (Although I'm also very into buying more stuff 🤭🤭).

I'm thinking workshops, photography sessions, wellness sessions...what other ideas do you have? Next week, we'll put together a list of cool local experiences you can gift to loved ones, so let me know all your favourites!

Until then!

R. and the Frankie Team xx

🎁 Franklin’s big sparkly Christmas line-up

Have you noticed how December has a habit of sneaking up, and suddenly every spare square on the calendar has something scribbled in it?!

If you want to add some more magic to make the whole month feel more Christmassy (is that a word?) this is your time to pick your nights out, book the tickets, and circle a few easy, feel-good local events ♥ Here’s what’s on around Franklin this Christmas so you can start plotting your festive fun.

🎄 Counties Energy Christmas Lights – Trains at Night (Glenbrook)​
Auckland’s biggest Christmas lights display, steam trains, Santa’s grotto, food trucks, markets and music – all at Glenbrook Vintage Railway. Your ticket gets you one return train ride plus entry, with trains running all evening. There’s also a special sensory-friendly night for those who need a quieter, gentler experience.
​Dates & time: 5–7 and 11–23 December 2025, 6–11pm (trains from 6.30pm)
​Tickets & info: https://www.gvr.org.nz/trips-events/xmas-lights/​

✨ Christmas Wonderland Waiuku (War Memorial Hall)​
A twinkly, walk-through Christmas wonderland filled with decorated trees from local schools, groups and businesses. Wander the displays, vote for your favourite, soak up the cosy vibes and support the community – entry is by donation, with proceeds going back into local causes.
​Dates & time: 17–24 December 2025, 3–9.30 pm
​More info here!​

🎅 Waiuku Christmas Festival & Santa Parade (Waiuku Town Centre)​
An old-school, small-town Christmas evening: markets, music and the classic Santa parade rolling out from Rugby Park. Expect kids on floats, plenty of tinsel and that “everyone knows everyone” energy.
​Date & time: Saturday 6 December 2025, 4–8pm (parade from 5pm)
​More info here!​

🏰 Christmas at Buckland Hall (Logan Rd, Buckland)​
A Frozen-style winter wonderland in the middle of Franklin – think icy grotto vibes, meeting Elsa and Anna, Santa photos and loads of stalls for a spot of Christmas shopping inside historic Buckland Hall.
​Date & time: Saturday 6 December 2025, 10am–4pm
​Tickets & info:

🛍️ Pukekohe Christmas Fair (Pukekohe Showgrounds)​
A big festive market day with artisan stalls, NZ-made gifts, treats, kids’ fun and Santa appearances. Perfect for smashing out a chunk of your Christmas shopping while the kids burn energy.
​Date & time: Saturday 13 December 2025, 10am–4pm

🌟 Franklin Christmas Lights Trail (DIY Nights Out)​
Do a self-guided lights crawl – pack the kids into the car in PJs, grab drive-through hot chocolates and cruise Waiuku, Tuakau, Pukekohe and surrounds spotting the best houses.
​Dates & times: All nights through December – from dark onwards!
​More info: Check the local Facebook groups by searching “Franklin Christmas light trail / displays” and keep an eye on community pages for this year’s must-see streets!

Make sure your December is full of magic Frankies!

Frankie Favourite: The Magician Who Left the Boardroom for Card Tricks

While some people leave the corporate world and buy a campervan, Andy Kean picked up a deck of cards and started blowing people’s minds instead.

Andy is a local magician with a serious “past life” as a senior manager and business consultant, having worked in venues and boardrooms across New Zealand and the UK. These days, his business Kean Kreations is all about taking that experience and turning it into unforgettable entertainment - whether that’s a kids’ birthday in Waiuku or a corporate evening in Pukekohe.

For families, Andy specialises in children’s magic shows where the birthday kid is the star. Think laughter, audience participation, and a few take-home tricks so the magic doesn’t end when the cake does. He’s performed shows for preschools, schools, clubs and community groups, and can even weave in big topics like confidence, safety, or “saying no” in a fun, age-appropriate way.

Grown-ups don’t miss out either. Andy’s close-up magic and mind-reading style is perfect for weddings, work do’s, and “we really should do something fun for the team this year” events. Because he’s spent years in senior leadership roles, he’s especially good at tailoring corporate entertainment to real-world themes like teamwork, resilience and change - making your message shine while everyone’s still talking about how on earth he did that.

Kean Kreations is based locally and regularly works across Auckland, South Auckland, Clarks Beach, Pukekohe, Takanini, Waiuku and down to Hamilton - he's a local so he actually knows where your venue is without needing a GPS and a prayer!

If you’ve got a birthday, school event, Christmas party or corporate function coming up and you want it to feel a little less “another sausage roll on a trestle table” and a little more how did he do that?!, Andy’s your guy.

You can check out his packages and make an enquiry at www.keankreations.co.nz or look up Kean Kreations on social media to see what he’s been up to lately.

Consider this your sign to add a bit of actual magic to the calendar this year.

atmes intra

Unscramble the letters above to find the Franklin-related phrase! Answer at the bottom of the newsletter!

🥒 Pukekohe Pickleball Club Open Day - Pukekohe’s brand new Pickleball Club is celebrating with an open day at the Pukekohe Netball Courts, Saturday 6 December, 11am–3pm – just turn up, paddles are provided. Come try the world’s fastest-growing sport… but fair warning, it’s highly addictive.

🎄 Toys and food Christmas Collection - Waiuku Barfoot & Thompson and Tuwhera Trust are now collecting new, unwrapped toys and non-perishable food items for their Christmas collection. Help create magical holiday memories for the families in Franklin this year. Drop in to Barfoot & Thompson at 16-18 Queen St, Waiuku before December 19th.

☕ Have you read Coffee News this week? - Pick up a copy in your favourite café or scan the QR code to read on your device

👉 Want a featured note on the notice board? - Simply book your feature here, or just send us a quick email and we'll help you out!

Thursday

🌙 Luna Bites Night Market – Pukekohe​
Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe — 5–9pm
Street eats, sweet treats, retail stalls and live entertainment with free entry and plenty of parking.

🎅 Paerata Rise Christmas Fun Run​
Rise & Shine Café, Paerata Rise — .30pm onwards
Christmas-themed fun run at Paerata Rise – dress up in your best festive gear, free entry and all ages welcome.

🧠 The Invisible Backspace – Christmas Edition​
5 Percy-Graham Drive, Tuakau — 6.30pm
Gentle, practical workshop unpacking the hidden stress that shows up as “behaviour” in kids and adults over Christmas. Book or ask questions via donna@therelationshipfacilitator.com or 021 234 1783.

🍹 Thursday Cocktail Happy Hour at Little Ed​
Little Ed, Pukekohe — 6–7pm
All your favourite cocktails for a little bit less – the perfect start to a Thursday night in town.

🎨 Y Studio After-School Art Club​
Waiuku Library & Pukekohe Library — 3.30–4.30pm (term time)
Drop-in creative space for teens (13+) to experiment with different art mediums, build critical thinking skills and work on projects together.

🧩 Thursday Quiz Night at Blue Ox Babe​
Blue Ox Babe, Pukekohe — 7pm
General knowledge trivia, cold drinks and good banter – grab some mates and test your brains.

🚚 Thursday Night Food Trucks at Pukekohe Park​
Pukekohe Park Country Racetrack — 4.30–8.30pm
Weekly street food line-up with Thai, Asian, Mexican, Indian, Greek/Turkish, hangi and gourmet burgers at competitive prices. Details: www.franklinmarkets.com​

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Friday

🫙 Clay Date at Ed Street​
Ed Street Bar & Restaurant, 27 Edinburgh Street — 6–10pm
Hands-on pottery workshop with Madison Cowper where you’ll make hand-built mugs, vases and more, with Ed Street on hand for food and drinks. More info​

🕯️ Glass Jar Painting – Christmas Lanterns​
Waiuku Library — 3–4pm
Decorate a glass jar for Christmas and take home a tealight candle to see your designs glow; bring your own jar if you like.

✂️ Christmas Crafts at Pukekohe Library​
Pukekohe Library — 3.30–4.30pm
Make your own festive decorations in this relaxed Christmas craft session for all ages.

🍔 Friday Night Food Trucks – Roulston Street​
Roulston Street Carpark, Pukekohe — 4.30–8.30pm
Big Friday food truck line-up with international street food, sweet treats and easy dinner options

🎄 Counties Energy Christmas Lights – Trains at Night​
Glenbrook Vintage Railway, Glenbrook Station — 6–11pm
Award-winning Christmas lights experience with illuminated trains, Santa visits, markets and food; trains run about every 30 minutes. Tickets and sensory-friendly night info​

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Saturday

✨ Te Oho – The Awakening Exhibition​
Franklin Arts Centre, 12 Massey Avenue, Pukekohe — 9.30am–2.30pm
Immersive, multi-sensory exhibition by Maaori artist Mike Tupaea exploring creation, identity and healing, running through summer.

💻 Coding Makerspace for Kids​
Pukekohe Library, 12 Massey Avenue — 9.30–11.30am
Drop-in coding club for ages 7+ to build games in Scratch or Python; bring your own device if you can.

🏉 Career Day at Pukekohe Rugby Club​
Pukekohe Rugby Club — 9–11am
Wander the stalls, meet local employers, enjoy games and giveaways, then tour the facilities and chat with Steelers players.

🖌️ Family Workshop – Kiwi Christmas Watercolour​
117 Valley Road, Pukekohe — 9.30am–12pm
Multi-generational painting workshop where each of you creates a Kiwi-style Christmas artwork; $80 for two places including all materials. Book here!​

🎁 Ararimu Christmas Market​
Ararimu Hall — 10am–2pm
Festive village-style market with coffee, BBQ, baking, produce, plants, honey, candles, skincare and handmade gifts from local makers.

🎅 Christmas at Buckland Hall​
Buckland Hall, 18 Logan Road, Buckland — 10am
Step into Santa’s Frozen Winter Wonderland, meet Elsa, Anna, Olaf and Santa, enjoy games, bouncy castles, obstacle courses and lunchtime entertainment. Tickets and details!​

🪴 Massive Indoor Plant Garage Sale​
ARA Home, 16 Tom Keven Way, Pukekohe — 10am–1pm
Clearance-style plant and pot sale with statement Monsteras, lush Alocasias, easy-care options and ceramics at great prices.

🛠️ Pukekohe Repair Café​
Franklin: The Centre (Pukekohe Library), 12 Massey Avenue — 10am–1pm
Bring broken bikes, small furniture, toys, clothes, small appliances and more for free repairs by local volunteers. Info and concept​

🏇 Bonecrusher Stakes Day at Pukekohe Park​
Pukekohe Park, Manukau Road — from 12pm
Summer raceday with Group 3 racing, kids’ entertainment, a visit from Santa, free general admission and hospitality options. Tickets​

🌊 Karioitahi Beach Clean – Dirty Diesel Initiative​
Karioitahi Beach — 12–4pm
Community beach clean-up supporting Surf Life Saving Karioitahi with BBQ, raffles and good yarns – bring buckets, gloves and sun protection.

🐎 Auckland Show Hunter – Pukekohe Show​
Pukekohe Showgrounds — 7am Saturday–5pm Sunday
Two days of Show Hunter competition with ponies and hacks, series and rising star classes, top footing and great prizes; entries via Evo Events. More info​

🎉 Red Trinity Christmas Party​
Glenbrook Beach — 12–7pm
Big Christmas gathering with specials, spot prizes, raffles and nibbles – bring a friend and your favourite drink for an all-day hangout.

🎨 Art Tutoring at Secret Waterfall Gardens​
Secret Waterfall Gardens — 4-hour session (time by arrangement)
Intimate art class with Thomas Lukac including all materials and food; small groups in a lush garden setting. Bookings: www.traditionalartnz.com​

🛍️ Franklin Market at Pukekohe Park​
Pukekohe Park Raceway — from 8am
Upmarket-style market with fresh produce, handmade crafts, antiques, car boot bargains, food trucks and live music. Info​

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Sunday

🎄 Pukekohe Farmers & Artisans Christmas Market​
Pukekohe Town Square, King Street — 9am–12.30pm
Festive edition of the monthly market with fresh produce, gourmet treats, local crafts, live music and free kids’ face painting.

🌾 Pollok Market​
Pollok Hall — 9am–1pm
Monthly country hall market with local produce, baking, crafts and community stalls.

🎁 Paerata Rise Christmas Market​
Paerata School, 32 Jonah Lomu Drive — 9am–1pm
Big Christmas market with handmade gifts, food trucks, coffee, decorations and family-friendly vibes across the school hall and grounds.

🍕 Pizzata Italian Long Lunch – Christmas Edition​
Pizzata, Pukekohe — 12–3pm
Laid-back Italian long lunch with a festive twist – perfect for a cosy afternoon of shared plates, wine and good company. Book via Pizzata.

🫓 Pottery Evening & Dinner at Queen’s Café​
Queen’s Café, 78 Queen Street, Waiuku — 4–8pm
Pottery workshop with Madison Cowper and optional dinner, creating hand-built vessels in a relaxed café setting. Book here​

🔔 Sacred Sound Journey at Hilltop Haven​
Hilltop Haven, 473 Whiriwhiri Road, Otaua — 4–5.15pm
Immersive sound healing session with singing bowls, gong, flute and more in a stunning garden setting. Tickets​

🧘 Festive Flow Pilates with Kind Pilates​
Little Batch Wax Co, Pukekohe — 3pm
Light-hearted pre-Christmas mat class with Kelly, glasses provided and BYO drink – move, laugh and celebrate together.

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monday

☕ Yoga + Coffee at the Park​
Seddon Park (beside Your Local Coffee Roasters, 3A West Street, Pukekohe) — 6.15am
Morning yoga in the park followed by your favourite drink from Your Local Coffee Roasters, included in your ticket.

🥗 Love Food Hate Waste – Summer Leftovers Workshop​
Hamilton Estate Community Hall, Waiuku — 2.30–4pm
Free workshop on turning leftovers into easy snacks and meals, saving money and cutting food waste. Bookings​

🎲 Monday Board Game Night at Otakumart​
Otakumart — from 6pm
Casual board game evening with a shared library of games; bring your own favourites or learn something new. Free entry.

🧠 Monday Quiz Night at Appetite​
Appetite — 7pm
Classic Monday night pub quiz with plenty of laughs and friendly competition.

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Tuesday

📚 Christmas Storytime at Waiuku Library​
Waiuku Library, 10 King Street — 10.30–11am
Christmas-themed stories, rhymes, singing and dancing for little ones to build early literacy and a love of books.

💬 Empower Her Networking – Gratitude & Reflections​
Little Batch Wax Co, Manukau Road — from 11am
End-of-year Empower Her meet-up focused on gratitude, reflections and connection, complete with Christmas crackers. Tickets via DM to @nobuttercups on Instagram.

🎨 Tuesday Painting Club​
Franklin Arts Centre — 6–8pm
Bring whatever you’re working on for two hours of dedicated painting time and low-key hangs with other local artists (term time only).

👟 STRIDE TRIBE Run Club – Waiuku​
Waiuku — 6pm
Free, friendly 3km walk/run for all paces – zero pressure, big community vibes. Details!​

❓ Tuesday Quiz Night at Ed Street​
Ed Street Bar & Restaurant, 27 Edinburgh Street — evening
Weekly quiz night with prizes, laughs and classic Ed Street atmosphere.

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Wednesday

🍻 Malt N Steel Quiz Night​
Malt N Steel, Waiuku — 7pm
Popular Wednesday pub quiz for teams of 2–8 with prizes up for grabs. Bookings​

😂 Comedy Quiz Night at The Village Bar​
The Village Bar, Patumahoe — evening
Crack-Up Quiz Nights bring a free comedy-style quiz with quiz master Jim and plenty of banter. Call 09 236 3571 to book.

🧸 Anti-Social Social Club for Teens​
Pukekohe Library, 12 Massey Avenue — 3.30pm
New after-school club for teens of all stripes – introverts, extroverts and everyone in between – with chill activities and a safe, inclusive vibe.

🏆 Wednesday Quiz Night at Ed Street​
Ed Street Bar & Restaurant, 27 Edinburgh Street — evening
Midweek general knowledge quiz with prizes and a lively crowd.

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Word Scramble answer: Steam train

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