Carol singing, festive jumpers, tree decorations; we all have our own Christmas traditions. At Glasgow City Mission, preparations are underway for our annual Christmas dinner tradition on 23 December, when we will serve 170 guests experiencing homelessness, poverty, isolation and addiction. Staff and volunteers will spend the day preparing and then serving a banquet of food for our guests as they sit, chat and laugh together. They are also invited to reflect on the Christmas story and finally, they are greeted by a special guest from the North Pole and gifted with sweet treats.
Riley* initially came to our Christmas dinner as a guest, and now volunteers at the Mission. In the same way that a family gathers at Christmas, Riley values the opportunity for everyone at Glasgow City Mission to come together at our Christmas dinner. He smiled as he told me about how special it is to see people from around the world, facing such a wide range of challenges sit alongside each other in unity and celebration. Every year he looks forward to meeting, listening and sharing stories with people from all walks of life to discuss each other’s Christmas traditions, and explore what this festive time means to them.
This year, we are excited to welcome guests into our Glasgow City Mission family and enjoy a tradition that means so much to all of us.
*Name changed to preserve anonymity
