Did you know we have nine mistletoes native to New Zealand? Meet Peraxilla tetrapetala, the endemic red mistletoe! They are especially slow growing and rely on birds such as tui and bellbirds for pollination and seed dispersal. The flowers have an explosive bud opening mechanism triggered by birds when they try to get to the nectar inside. Unlike its overseas cousins, this mistletoe is endangered due to possum browsing, habitat decline and low bird numbers and should not be collected!

Weekend stuff with Lynda Hallinan

Manager of Auckland Council's Kitchen Project Connie Clarkson joins me now with a divine sounding dish. The recipe is here

Our critic Dom Corry shares his picks from the latest crop of new releases. Avatar: Fire and Ash, released in theaters this week. The Housemaid, which is in theaters Christmas Day.

On Monday we spoke with the director of 'The Age Of Disclosure' about his new documentary on UFO's .. which are now officially known as UAP's or Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena. Loads of you got in touch with your own theories, and stories. Including Peter Hassall, he's the author of 'The NZ Files' - a history of UFO sightings in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The irony of course is that despite it being the season when people come together to break bread and party, it's also an increasingly stressful time for many. And what do you do when you're stressed? You call Chris Parker. Chris is withe Jesse to share his Christmas survival guide.

Could human tears be the key to diagnosing Parkinson's disease? Well, that's what some New Zealander researchers are trying to find out. Parkinson's disease affects more than 12,000 New Zealanders and is the fastest-growing chronic neurological disorder in the world. New Zealander researchers are leading a world-first study looking at tears and the role they might play in early diagnosis of Parkinson's. Dr Victor Dieriks Senior Research Fellow at University of Auckland and the lead researcher for this study.

It's been a huge week in New Zealand sport - but not so much for action on the field. This morning news broke of the resignation of New Zealand Cricket chief executive Scott Weenick, which comes less than 24 hours after Netball New Zealand announced CEO Jennie Wyllie has quit. RNZ sports reporter Dana Johannsen has been across it all and joins Jesse in the studio to discuss.

Time to talk money matters now, personal financial whizz Mary Holm is with Jesse and today she's looking at mortgages and whether it is better to pay them down or invest.

It's time for A-Z of Aotearoa, where we take you through a subject that plays a huge role in New Zealand life. We're working our way down the Alphabet from A for Aviation to Z. This week we officially cross the halfway point with the 14th letter of the alphabet - N We considered Nuclear Free, The Nikau Pine, and the NZX, but we landed on N for Northland or Te Reo Maori Te Tai Tokerau. Home to just over 200,000 of us, or 16 people per square kilometer, as well as places like Ninety Mile Beach, Kai Iwi Lakes, Bay of Islands, and our tallest tree Tane Mahuta. Sometimes referred to as the Birthplace of the nation, its history stretches all the way back to the 13th century. Ralph Johnson and Peter De Graaf chat to Jesse.