Is this the country's most curious - and charming - Christmas tradition?

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Nigel Copson and his daughters, Natalie, left, and Liberty.

This Christmas, as part of a tradition dating back more than 130 years, hundreds of patients at Dunedin Hospital will be handed an envelope containing cash.

The tradition is known as the ‘Richmond Shilling’, and was coined – so to speak – by a former Dunedin publican: James Adair Lawrie Richmond who wanted patients to receive a shilling.

The former publican of Dunedin’s Scotia Hotel died on May 10, 1881, but his legacy lives on every Christmas at the hospital.

A death notice from the Otago Witness said Richmond died after a ‘short illness” while living at the Junction Hotel, in Green Island.

That is because Richmond directed that income from part of his estate, some £25 should be divided among the patients of Dunedin, Queen Mary and Wakari Hospitals.

And the amount? Initially a single shilling, which was to enable those in-patients to buy a beer.

Te Whatu Ora Southern planned care district manager Nigel Copson said the original single shilling was used as a “kind of an index”.

”He always wanted to give those in the hospital just enough to buy one glass of beer, which I always thought was a wonderful tradition”.

The trust continued to perform well and “had enough money in the kitty” to keep the tradition alive, Copson said.

Thanks to inflation, the annual gift for the estimated 220 patients who would be at Dunedin Hospital on Christmas Day was $10.

It was the job of senior managers to hand out the envelopes to the patients, a job Copson enjoyed doing for the last two years.

Stuff/Stuff

While the original intent was for patients to buy a beer, “things have moved on a bit”, Copson said.

That included dressing-up in Christmas themed attire and accompanied by his two teen daughters.

“They loved it, and have volunteered again this year.”

Copson said when one of his daughters was younger she was in hospital around Christmas, and was a recipient of a ‘Richmond Shilling’ – in her case about $5 – as well as receiving a visit from carollers, another Christmas tradition.

“It was just really nice, to have a little token like that. So I was really keen to get involved.”

That involved going around the hospital on the evening of Christmas Eve to check who would be an in-patient the next day.

“You spend quite a lot of time explaining to people what it is. But it is nice having a chat.”

He estimated about half of the inpatients had heard of it, and “it is a very unique tradition”.

“The people that we give it to are usually thrilled.”

Robyn Edie

The entrance to Dunedin Hospita.

Copson said some patients, apart from checks from medical staff, may have had no visitors and “People are just kind of thrilled that you walk in dressed-up as Santa and give them money”.

There was quite a process behind the ‘Richmond Shilling’, which involved staff from finance and security, and included envelope-giving visits to the likes of ED and ICU.

While the original intent was for patients to buy a beer, “things have moved on a bit”, Copson said.

A 1931 report in the Evening Post noted that in addition to patients given the ‘Richmond Shilling’, female patients were given a box of chocolates and the men a cigar.

Regardless of Richmond’s original intentions, his Christmas wish continues to provide continuous festive cheer for many.

That’s worth raising a glass for.