My Christmas Wishlist

My social media is overflowing with Elf-on-the-Shelf antics, Silver Bells echoing through every mall, and the supermarket looks like Santa threw up. Christmas is definitely on its way.

With the holiday season comes the annual rush: “Let’s get this done before Christmas!” and “Before you head off for the holidays, could you just… [insert task that could probably wait until January].” Even governments aren’t immune, scrambling to release documents for public consultation before the year ends—hoping, perhaps, that everyone’s too busy with festivities to respond. Democracy in action!

As the late nights pile up, reviewing endless documents and racing to meet deadlines, I find myself wishing Santa could swoop in and sort out all our problems. But what would success even look like if we could just wave a magic wand?

For me, I see farmers standing tall, proud of the food they produce, and a country buzzing with excitement to share our best with the world. Our systems are set up to enable our farmers to get on with things. Communities would be lively, young people would return home, seeing a bright future here. Clean water would flow from my well, my kids would splash in the Selwyn River, and native birds would sing in every garden.

But do we really need Santa? Or is it up to us to shape the future we want? As tempting as it is to wish away our challenges, it’s our choices and habits that move us closer (or further) from our dreams. As we enter 2026, we can reflect on our actions and make the choices needed to create the future we want for our children and grandchildren. What better gift could we give them?

So, here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, along with my own Christmas wishlist!

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…

 Twelve Consents Granted

 Eleven Sampling Wells

 Ten Big Wigs Shaking

 Nine Ladies Shopping

 Eight Cows a Milking

 Seven Kids a Swimming

 Six Bushes Growing

 Five Clean Streams

 Four Native Birds

 Three MAR Sites

 Two Protests Crushed

 And a Long-Term RMA Reform!

Eva Harris is Principal Environmental Advisor at Enviro Collective