Hi all. I'm travelling over to Melbourne with my partner over the Xmas period. Just wanted to see if anyone has any recommendations for what to do on Christmas day? We're interested in doing some volunteering, but a Google search hasn't led to anything.
Any suggestions?
Cheers
Get out of.Melbourne?
Most places are shut on Christmas day. So you might want to plan for something outdoor. You can travel around the entire Victoria on public transport free of charge on Christmas day.
A few years ago, I realised I couldn't go home for Christmas and I'd have nothing to do. I wrote out 50 cards and put $20 in each one. On Christmas Day I went for a walk in the morning and handed them out to the homeless people hoping they'd go by themselves a decent meal with it.
Admittedly, it was an expensive exercise, but I would've spent that much if I went home anyway.
That's just the kindest thing. Must have felt wonderful. 😊
Perhaps regulated volunteer work will require police checks and would take time to be accepted, put on a roster etc.
It reminds me..one year, my daughter and I visited nursing homes on Christmas morning. We asked to see people who weren't getting visitors that day. Daughter was dressed as a fairy (she was an adult fairy) and granted the oldies 3 wishes each. The night before we had made up little packages to give out to people.
When we'd finished, we arrived at my brother's house for Xmas lunch,15 minutes late.. they had started eating without us. Guess which was the richest experience for us that day!
Perhaps regulated volunteer work will require police checks and would take time to be accepted, put on a roster etc
That's what happened to me. By the time I got around to looking for something to register for, it was too late.
Guess which was the richest experience for us that day!
Good work! And you are absolutely right! It was a great experience and one that was very new to me. Made me realise a few things myself.
Lovely can u just turn up?
I would. Each place would be different tho. Also, this was in Adelaide some time ago. Adelaide is fairly relaxed.
Could always phone up and ask a couple days beforehand.
hoping they'd go by themselves a decent meal with it.
Dan Murphy sales spiked in Melbourne CBD on Dec 26. Sorry to upset you but the truth hurts. Your gesture was very noble.
Sorry to upset you but the truth hurts
haha! The thought of that occurred to me before I went out. I hoped that they would go get some food that might make a little but of a difference for this special day, but then again, whatever makes them happy!
The thought was still there and not all homeless people are alcoholics. It was very good thing to do.
@oscargamer: I wouldn't take sandwiches from some random person I met in the street. I wouldn't expect anyone else to either.
The charities usually get a lot of people volunteering on Christmas day, you might want to see if there is another day you could volunteer for when there are less people available.
There are "Christmas meals" but the prices tend to be jacked up compared to the rest of the year. (Might be worth looking at China Town as there tends to be a lot of places open). If the weather is nice I would just go for a walk through the various public gardens, we have a pretty good range near the city. If you don't want to spend much money then make yourselves up a picnic lunch and sit under the trees.
The Shrine of Rememberance is closed on Christmas Day but it is worth visting on another day whilst you are here. We went the day after Rememberance day to look at the knitted and crocheted poppies and wandered through the exhibitions underneath. It is very interesting and respectful.
It sounds tacky but we often go look at the Myers windows on Christmas day. We don't have kids but the windows are usually interesting and less crowded on Christmas day.
Not sure if you are into Zoos but both Melbourne Zoo and Healesville are, apparently, open Christmas Day. You can get to both by public transport but Healesville is a tad trickier. You probably want to ring the zoo to confirm opening hours for the day.
Have a great stay in our fair city.
Username checks out
I wouldn't be surprised if some places in Melbourne try to ban Christmas day in the future, just like they have done to Australia day. 1 school even attempted to ban mothers day!
https://myaccount.news.com.au/theaustralian/subscribe?pkgDef…
Google "Food not bombs melbourne" and get in touch with them for volunteering with food distribution and other worthwhile causes.
Christmas Day, what to do?
stuff one's face with all manner of food, then hit the gym on boxing day.
stuff one's face with all manner of food, then watch telly on boxing day (with a few craft beers or wines…..not too many, given the day before)
Vline is free, I hear it's a veritable party on the train to certain places as all the non-Christians take advantage for a free day trip! Hindus, Muslims etc all enjoying the free train trips :)
One Xmas Day we drove west along the coast from Melbourne to Apollo Bay. All the beaches had many Indian and Pakistani families playing beach cricket and many East Asians having family lunches on the beach. We thought it was great.
Our theory was that they worked in family run restaurants and Xmas Day was the only chance they had to get away together.
The "Sitdown Big Family Xmas Lunchers" started to appear at about 1500.
On another Xmas Day we were in Sydney (We always travel over Xmas to avoid the "Sitdown Big Family Xmas Lunch" - we'll be in Madrid this year - any suggestions on activities?)
In passing we mentioned to a friend home in Perth that we didn't know anyone in Sydney so we would probably have a kebab for lunch.
An hour later the phone rang and the person on the other end said "You don't know me but I'm a friend of xxx. She has told me that you don't know anyone in Sydney for Xmas lunch. Would you like to come to our place for lunch?" A very generous offer. We had a great time - even if it rained heavily all day curtailing the planned BBQ.
The following year I phoned xxx and told her we would be in the middle of the Nullarbor Plain for Xmas. I bet her that she didn't know anyone there. I was correct.
We had Ryvita biscuits with sun dried tomatoes and bread and butter cucumbers for lunch sitting under one of the last trees just to the east of the treeless plain to get some relief from the 40C temperature. That was a really great lunch - dinkum, not sarcasm.
The year before last we had Xmas lunch on the grass on the north side of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra looking out over the lake. Another fantastic place to have lunch.
Last year we had a BBQ lunch on the foreshore in Port Lincoln in South Australia. It was a very pleasant 30C. In the afternoon we drove up the east coast of the Eyre Peninsular to Whyalla where it was 44C. We chose the right spot for lunch.
Well its obvious. Got to church in the morning then have a feast somewhere.
There are quite few asian restaurants that will be open on Christmas Day in the CBD area. Yum Cha on Christmas Day was one of my favorites.
Call Red Cross, salvation army etc to register to volunteer your time.