THE TRADITIONS of Christmas may have begun thousands of years ago, but the Bathurst community Christmas has only been around for about 30, and there is plenty of hope that it will continue for many more.
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Beginning with Neil ("Barney") Rumble three decades ago, the Christmas lunch started as a means to provide hot meals and community spirit to those with nowhere to go for a festive feast.
And since recently stepping down as the father of community Christmas, the tradition needed a new "St Neil."
Cue HopeCare Bathurst.
"We are just continuing on that tradition of a community Christmas Day lunch, and it's our hope that people can just come and celebrate as a community family," said HopeCare senior manager Cheryl Blackwell.
"It will just be a lovely family atmosphere of just enjoying a Christmas Day lunch, and it's really important to us that people can feel as if they are a part of something."
The lunch will take place from 11am on Christmas Day, from the Hope Church on the corner of Gilmour and Hereford Streets.
Approximately 250 people have already registered to take part in the festivities, which will see a two-course meal provided for those in attendance.
And these meals can all be consumed amongst the spirit of Christmas, which will be created by festive table-settings, decorations, and even Christmas crackers.
The classic Christmas staples of ham, turkey and baked vegetables will all be available on the day, and have been generously donated by Bernardi's Marketplace.
"We've also had quite a few other businesses that have jumped on board to help so that everybody will all get a gift and so that everybody feels like they belong to an amazing community," Ms Blackwell said.
To be a part of the Christmas lunch, all people need to do is register at the Neighbourhood Centre by Wednesday, December 20, so a final catering tally can be created.
But if anyone finds themselves with nowhere to go on Christmas Day, Ms Blackwell assured that there will always be a seat at the HopeCare table.
"I don't ever want people to feel like they're going to miss out, so please, if you can't get there to register, it's okay to drop in and come in for lunch," she said.
In order to ensure that all 250 people can be served with a smile on Christmas Day, the agency has called for a number of volunteers.
And one family, the Ulbricht family, have put their hands up for the job, and will be there with bells on.
According to Nathan Ulbricht, this is all to continue the traditions of Christmas that were instilled in him as a child.
"When I was a kid, we sort of had half a dozen people come around at home and do it at home," he said.
"It's a big thing that we used to do years ago as a family, and now that HopeCare do it ... I thought that as a family, why not serve other families and have other people feel like family on Christmas Day."
Ms Blackwell urged anybody looking to volunteer on the day to contact HopeCare.
