As her six adult children, three grandchildren and extended family tuck into the enormous feast, Eileen Fahey constantly glances out the front window hoping to see her son Anthony walking up the driveway.

Anthony Fahey has been missing since 2013, when he boarded a bus at the Jolimont Centre bound for Sydney and was never heard from again.

Christmas was Anthony's favourite time of year, Mrs Fahey said, he loved being with his siblings eating prawns and pizzas on Christmas Eve, sitting around the fire playing cards, darts and having a good laugh.

"I thought he'd be gone for a few months, would get his head right and I was dead set he would come walking down that driveway for Christmas," Mrs Fahey said.

"I was so shocked when he didn't.

"But I'll always remain hopeful until I have a reason not to be."

Sunday marks the start of Missing Persons Week. The Australian Federal Police has launched a video that explores the theme of hope and the impact on a family left behind when a person goes missing.

In the short clip a father and daughter are left stranded by the side of the road because their old car has broken down, when the child complains about the car the girl's father explains they are holding onto it in case her missing sister ever spots it and knows it's them.

AFP deputy commissioner Neil Gaughan said the video was inspired by the real impacts on families holding onto the hope of their loved one returning.

Mrs Fahey said the video struck a chord with her as she had purposefully left aspects of the family home untouched in case Anthony returned.

However Mrs Fahey and her husband Neil are now faced with the difficult decision of wanting to downsize from their large home and perhaps move to a warmer climate in their retirement but are worried what would happen if their son ever returned to the home he knew.

"It's a balance and it's all wrapped up in emotion," Mrs Fahey said.

"It's hard to make a clear decision with your head when you're so used to making these decisions with your heart."

She also has concerns she may lose her memories of Anthony that are so deeply connected to the family home.

"I can picture Anthony sitting on the end of the kitchen bench and he'd come up with some harebrained scheme," she said.

"Will I lose those when we're away from here?"

But Mrs Fahey said she also understands the importance of moving forward with life and taking care of herself and her family.

"I still have six kids and three grandkids, I still have to be there for them as the best person I can be," she said.

Support groups such as Families and Friends of Missing Persons Unit have helped, Mrs Fahey said, and she encouraged anyone in a similar situation to reach out. She also credited the work of the not-for-profit Australian Missing Persons Register.

For the 30th year of National Missing Persons Week the AFP is profiling 30 long time missing persons, deputy commissioner Gaughan said.

“If you recognise any of the missing people profiled this week, or indeed any of the 2600 long-term missing persons on the public register, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000,” he said.

“You might just have a piece of information that could help bring them home.”

With Anthony's case now suspended from an active search by the police Mrs Fahey said the family needed the "community to be our eyes and ears".

She said if Anthony didn't want to be with the family or wanted to live a different life she was ok with that, but if she could get one message to her son it would be a simple one.

"We love you. We miss you. We just want to know that you're ok. Please contact us."