Filling the gap on Christmas Day

It’s not often you can say you spent Christmas Day in a radio station unless you’re pulling a shift.

However, four listeners to Adelaide’s FIVEaa, did exactly that.

radioinfo reporter and FIVEaa announcer Kim Napier tells the story.

When I realised I was rostered on for Christmas Day from 1pm until 4 and would miss lunch with my husband and his family, I invited four people into the studio who would be otherwise spending the day alone to join me and my producer Josh Sampson for lunch.

Bernard Booth Real Estate put up their hand to donate the food after hearing me solicit for guests and demanded no expense was to be spared.

It was to be a Christmas lunch with all the trimmings.

Chris was first to arrive. Normally he would spend the day with his Mum, but she is in a nursing home suffering dementia and after spending last year alone for the first time he jumped at the chance to take his seat at the table.

“Last year I was alone with my two cats,” says Chris. “This year was totally different.”

78-year-old Arthur was also going to be spending the day alone with his family interstate.

While rounding out the four were Ryan and his girlfriend Mandy. Ryan’s Mother is terminally ill and always catered for Christmas, but in hospital recovering from surgery Ursula was desperate for her son to have something to smile about on Christmas Day.

The guests feasted on prawns, chicken, turkey and several different salads.

I made a punch using my Grandma’s punch bowl, which took pride of place in the centre of the table.

My friend Michelle and her husband volunteered to serve the guests while I was on-air, with Michelle even making meringue wreaths topped with raspberries, pomegranate and cream.

Arthur insisted on supplying the Christmas pudding and homemade custard.

We had Christmas crackers and I invited my guests to join me in the studio to crack them and share the usually lame but must read jokes with the listeners.

It was the first time any of them had been into a radio station let alone into a studio to speak into a microphone.

The smiles on their faces were akin to kids opening their presents from Santa.

It was absolutely fantastic, “said Chris.

And it was.

My guests left with a box of chocolates each and a Christmas Day story they can dine out on for years.


        Kim Napier
 

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