This Christmas, as has been the tradition for over 30 years, our local Church will serve lunch on Christmas Day for the ‘homeless’. All are welcome as it caters for anyone who is lonely or in need of family, friendship or a place that feels like home. Every year those volunteering can out-number the guests at least two to one as people say they struggle to find a place that needs them on the day. What is it about Christmas that brings out the best in people?
In a diverse area in Sydney, this is a rare opportunity to experience community spirit at its best. For some, it’s the only period of the year when they have the time to give something to the community – whether it’s gifts, their time, lovingly decorated Christmas cakes, their Granny’s precious recipe for sago plum pudding or just the simple need to do something nice for somebody else – and there’s no harm in that either!
Volunteering, it turns out, it actually really good for you and your health. It builds social connection, reduces isolation, keeps your brain active and helps with depression – not to mention the wonderful difference it makes to the community!
My work for the big day starts as early as October, when I meet the Annual Christmas Lunch Committee. High on the discussion agenda this year was whether or not to hold the Christmas lunch at all. Thankfully common sense prevailed and we set about arranging a COVID-19 safe feast, which turned out to be quite a challenge.
I organise the volunteer activities each year and, with restrictions on attendance this year due to the coronavirus, I’m using a bit of technology to assign volunteers to everything from decorating the hall, acting as a COVID Marshall, setting the tables, preparing and serving the meals to meeting and greeting our guests.
When I first started volunteering to look after the volunteers, I didn’t realise that sometimes there’s not a lot that divides them from the guests. We all just want to feel needed, useful and have somewhere meaningful to go on a day that we all think is filled with happy, festive families, all with places to go and people to see. In fact, it’s not like that at all. If your children spend some Christmas days with an ex, for example, it can be quite lonely – but you don’t need charity, just some festive spirit. What better way to stave off depression, than by helping others in need of the festive cheer that will also benefit you!
By November, donations from businesses and households throughout the area start to fill the hampers with great foodstuffs and gifts for under the tree. It never ceases to amaze me how deep the well of human kindness is in our communities at this time of year. I can only imagine the quality of life we would have in this country, if this happened throughout the whole year.
Our family helps ‘deck the halls’ on Christmas Eve. My hubby turns into a mad elf for the evening, rushing around madly, festooning everything that’s not moving with tinsel and baubles. It’s lovely to see him and the kids stand back and admire their handy work, God bless ‘em.
"The day itself is truly magical... Helping out and seeing people happy really sets the mood that stays with you well into the new year and beyond."
The day itself is truly magical. Some guests arrive early, as there are very few free venues open in Sydney for Christmas Day. Everybody chats over tea and cakes outside, while waiting for the doors to open and the festivities to begin. When the name tags are being handed out to those volunteering and the gas for the balloons arrive, along with the ice from the petrol station around the corner, you know things are well and truly kicking off. It’s a strange sensation, but we get a bit of a high out of the whole occasion. Helping out and seeing people happy really sets the mood that stays with you well into the new year and beyond.
I see my kids talk to people they would never normally meet – the man from the inner city with his dogs, looking over his shoulder all the time, very excited, can’t believe the size of the Christmas hampers, or that somebody is talking to him; the family of five newly arrived from Shanghai, smiling at everybody, wanting to be part of the day; the lad you mistook for homeless because of his mismatching clothes who turns out to be an Irish backpacker here to volunteer his services, missing home, can’t believe it’s Christmas in the heat; and the old woman with the bags of plastic bags, getting ready for the hampers. Some are lonely, some are poor, but all are here to enjoy the day. These scenes open your eyes and help you realise what is really happening outside the cocoons we live in during the year.
As a family we find the whole experience of volunteering gives us a sense of appreciation and purpose. We get so much joy from it.
The doors finally open and the festivities begin in earnest. MKR(1) has nothing on the chaos in the kitchens, as the food is plated and served to over 200 guests and volunteers. There’s a buzz of people talking and laughing, and then everyone greets Santa with cheers and whistles of excitement. We hand out gifts to the men, women and children – tinned goods, chocolates and hampers to take home, along with take away containers of leftovers – dinner for Boxing Day!
Suddenly it’s over and the next group of volunteers arrive to clear up the plates, take down the decorations and clean up the hall and kitchens. Volunteers often come up to me during the day and say how much they love coming, asking to be on Santa’s ‘good list’ for next year. Not many say why they do it – in fact many can’t say why, but when I see the tear in their eye I know exactly why.