Some people can't find a moment on Christmas where they aren't constantly in the company of a member of their family, but for those who end up alone at this time of year without actually deciding to be so, it can be a difficult day.
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That's where St John's Care Canberra's Christmas community lunch comes in, with about 400 people welcomed through the doors in Reid on Christmas Day for a full lunch, carols, gifts and even face painting.
St John's has been holding the lunch for years, but numbers have grown again this year, with programs manager Jason Haines saying demand for services had risen in the weeks before Christmas.
"In 10 days we saw 520 families which is 200 more than we would probably normally see. We normally see 392 per month and we saw 520 in 10 days so we're expecting a lot of people today," Mr Haines said.
The lunch is available to anyone and everyone, but the offer is mostly taken up by those facing disadvantage, and many who would otherwise spend the day alone.
"[The lunch gives] a sense of community, hope, so people are aware that there is someone here to help them. A lot of people who have been calling up saying they want to come to lunch, they're lonely, they have no family, they have no friends, so for us it's all about having a sense of community and hope," Mr Haines said.
It's harder to be lonely at Christmas, Mr Haines said, due to the high expectations surrounding the day.
"I think there's a lot of expectation of Christmas presents, and one thing is that people can't afford Christmas presents, so when they come in here on Christmas day it's a sense that everyone's the same, regardless of who's here, who's not, everyone's the same."
The hall was bursting at the seams on Tuesday, with tables and picnic areas outside as well so everyone could have a feed.
There were 62 volunteers helping make the lunch happen, with so many offering a hand some were even turned away.
"Which is amazing and it's really humbling, to know that we do have support out here in Canberra which is really nice," Mr Haines said.
The lunch is funded through donations, as well as through donated food and drink. St John's doesn't receive much government funding, Mr Haines said, and was always grateful for donations from the public throughout the year, especially at Christmas.
Mr Haines was concerned about the increasing number of people calling on St John's, showing increasingly difficult circumstances, with big bills to pay and the stagnant rate of Centrelink payments contributing to people finding themselves facing tough times.
"We give food, we give hope, we try and give a little bit of money," Mr Haines said.
"Everyone thinks that we're in Canberra we're in this amazing glass bubble where we all drive around in Porsches but in actual fact it's not that. Regardless of where you live the struggle for a lot of people is real and they live it day to day."
