KEY POINTS:
Thousands of people were treated to Christmas lunch today at city missions across New Zealand.
More than 1500 people attended the Auckland lunch, at the Auckland Town Hall today.
Missioner Diane Robertson had been working with volunteers since 6am this morning to put on dinner for the hungry horde.
"This is the 12th year for this dinner. It started with homeless people, and grew to incorporate others, including families and the elderly," she said.
Over the last decade, she numbers had increased 40 people to the present number, with the event growing bigger every year.
The mission had collected 250kg of potatoes, 220kg of kumara, 100 kg of green beans and 50kg of carrots, as well as 200kg of ham and turkey for the lunch.
In Christchurch, a hundred more people than expected meant volunteers had to find more room and fill extra stomachs, Christchurch missioner Michael Gorman said.
"It was a bit like the miracle of the 5000 - the loaves and fishes story," he said.
"But it was a spectacular success."
Organisers expected to feed 550, with over 650 turning up. However, the unplanned-for 100 dined on tables set up outside the lunch marquee on the grounds of Christchurch East Primary school.
People came either because they can not afford to put together a Christmas meal, or do not have the skills necessary to prepare one, Mr Gorman said.
Some came to the event because they are lonely and want to be in the company of other people.
"There was a great spectrum of people. There were old people on walking frames, through to babes in arms," he said.
- NZPA
