After 25 days of nail biting, speculating and pontificating, Christmas has finally come for politically minded Kiwis.
Across the country New Zealanders tuned in on TVs, radios and smartphones ready to rip open the present they'd been waiting almost a month for.
And at the bottom of the lifts of Bowen House, Newshub political reporter Lloyd Burr tried to catch Santa coming down the chimney.
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Anticipation had been building throughout the day as information started to slip through from reporters stationed around the Beehive.
"Two witnesses Newshub has agreed not to identify say they have seen Winston Peters sneaking around the Labour Party offices," one report read.
"New Zealand First staffer has been overheard whispering '6pm news'," claimed another.
"Two rounds of applause heard in the Labour offices one floor up," a third said.
As deadlines came and went, a game of "elevator roulette" was playing out on Newshub Live at 6pm as reporters tried to catch Mr Peters on his way to the Beehive theatrette.
For a montage of Thursday's night's media circus, watch the video.
