Anyone is welcome to share a Christmas meal with us. This includes — but is not exclusive to — local community members who have a connection with the Salvos, people who don’t have family around and want someone to share a meal with, people who don't have the means or ability to make a Christmas meal of their own, people experiencing homelessness, and people who have been helped by the Salvos in the past and currently. You may come on your own or with your children.

Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus, we can experience unconditional love, hope and meaning for our lives. We think this is good news and it gives us a reason to celebrate. That’s why the Salvos have so much joy at Christmas time — and always!

The Bible says that those who have God in their lives are joyful and hopeful (Psalm chapter 146, verse 5, NIV Bible). We host Christmas meals because we want to extend this gift of hope and joy to other people by sharing a delicious meal and meaningful connection. We don’t want people to be lonely, especially at Christmas.

You will find our Christmas meals are full of fun, laughter and friendship.

Locate your nearest Salvos that is hosting a Christmas meal. It may not be on Christmas Day but at some point in the days leading up to it.

Not all of The Salvation Army centres offer a Christmas meal. Many host Christmas church services and carols events, and you are welcome to those, too.

These events are usually free of charge, though some may have a nominal fee if it is part of a larger community fun day. Please speak to the organiser of your local Salvos event if payment is of concern.

Contact your local Salvation Army to find out if you can volunteer at a Christmas meal or in other ways this Christmas. We have other volunteer opportunities.

Thank you for your kindness and generosity. You can donate, organise your own food and gift drive, or fundraise to make Christmas Wishes come true. Find out more at get involved this Christmas.

If you are a small business and want to support your local community, contact your nearest Salvos. If you are a corporate business keen to get involved, contact our corporate partnerships team.

We do our best to cater to people with a wide variety of food allergies, intolerances and other dietary requirements, as we want to ensure our Christmas celebrations are accessible to all. If you have any questions or concerns, speak to your local Salvos at the time of booking so they can do their best to accommodate your food requirements.

Every Salvo centre will host their Christmas meal differently. Some may do a turkey and ham with all the trimmings. Others may offer a simpler event such as a barbecue at the local park. The aim of all events is to provide a sense of community and joy at Christmas for all people — regardless of their circumstances.  

We believe God gave the world an abundance of delicious and nutritious food options. We love serving up fruit and vegetables at our meals, whenever possible, as this helps people feel good inside and out! We rely on donations to fund our Christmas meals, but we aim to provide healthy food options to people experiencing homelessness or who are facing other difficulties as this promotes wellness and quality of life.