After a hectic year at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium, the turf is now being ripped up and re-sown, hopefully creating a lush field of grass by February.

The re-turfing was scheduled for the end of next year, but has been brought forward to fit into a break between events over the next two months.

Taieri Beach School pupils made an expedition to the local river mouth for the annual whitebaiting trip recently.

The event gave the children the chance to see first hand what they've been learning in the classroom regarding the life cycle of the tiny native fish.

With less than a month to go before Christmas, towns and cities around Otago and Southland have already started holding their annual Santa parades.

This weekend saw the streets of Oamaru, Dunedin and Invercargill filled with floats, in a celebration of both Christmas and the local communities.

Black Friday sales are a North American tradition where retailers have big specials on the day after Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday in November.

The South Today took to the street to ask people if they knew what Black Friday was, what they were planning to buy and whether it was a good idea to adopt American traditions.