Right: PHOTOS: DAVID BRUCE
Attendence at Oamaru's annual community Christmas dinner was one of the biggest in the seven years it has been run, while Waimate staged its first, which attracted more than 50 diners.
Run by the Orwell St Church, Oamaru's dinner yesterday had about 20 volunteers, including three families and their total of 12 children, helping to prepare and serve traditional Christmas fare to about 100 people.
For co-ordinator and ''chief cook'' Amanda Acheson, it was her first time overseeing the event, but years of practice helping organise the dinner had honed skills, so it went without a major hitch.
Diners enjoyed ham and turkey, new potatoes, peas and a selection of salads, followed by dessert of trifle with fruit and then tea and coffee with cake and Christmas pies.
Mrs Acheson said the large number attending - in the past it had usually been 60 to 70 people - was an indication many families were constrained by tight finances. It also showed folk who did not want to be alone had come to help, eat, or both.
The idea of a free community Christmas dinner in Waimate originated with St Augustine's Church, intended to display what Christmas was all about. With help from other churches and about 25 volunteers yesterday, a meal was provided for 53 diners.
St Augustine's vicar, the Rev Indrea Alexander, said all the food was either donated or bought with donated money.
For the main course there was turkey, ham and lamb with new potatoes, peas and a big selection of salads. Dessert was strawberries, raspberries, pavlova, custard cream and Christmas pies.
Planning for the dinner started about three months ago, but had really picked up in recent weeks.
''We had to do this one from scratch, but next year should be easier,'' the Rev Alexander said.
When people arrived from noon they made Christmas crackers for themselves, played games and sang carols, then at 1pm sat down to a communal dinner, which was followed by other entertainment until 3pm.
