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The Go Green bottle depot is closed December 25 and 26 this year -- like usual.[/caption]
For many "homed" people -- and homeless -- Christmas retains it's deeply religious meaning: marking the birth of Jesus, as Easter marks his death and resurrection. For people living on the streets, Christmas also marks the annual death and resurrection of their city and all it's services -- both public and private -- libraries and restaurants. Almost everything shut down on December 25th -- actually doors close early on the evening of the 24th.
The city shows a slight pulse on the 26th and consciousness returns on the 27th. But the Body Civic doesn't fully come back to life until January 2nd.
Christmas itself is very much a celebration behind closed doors with friends and family. If you're homeless, living out-of-doors, then this is the one holiday that really leaves you out in the cold because Christmas Day is the one day of the entire year when city life truly takes a back seat to home life.
To a person living on the street the city is home. Christmas for them is a little like when the power goes out in someone's home or apartment. And the city is also, very often, a homeless person's home-based business.
Christmas and Boxing Day are the two days a year when a homeless person can't earn money from collecting bottles, because all but one of the bottle depots that I know of are closed. I've just been told that the Regional There aren't a lot of free meals Christmas Day. And never mind if a homeless person has some money put aside, there aren't a lot of restaurants open. Umm... so what looks good at the 24-hour convenience store?
Basically for a few days over the impending Christmas holidays a homeless person has to live off their hump, and even if things have been lean and they don't have much surplus, we can all take heart from the fact that it's virtually impossible to starve to death in two days. Click the image to enlarge.
The Go Green bottle depot is closed December 25 and 26 this year -- like usual.[/caption]For many "homed" people -- and homeless -- Christmas retains it's deeply religious meaning: marking the birth of Jesus, as Easter marks his death and resurrection. For people living on the streets, Christmas also marks the annual death and resurrection of their city and all it's services -- both public and private -- libraries and restaurants. Almost everything shut down on December 25th -- actually doors close early on the evening of the 24th.
The city shows a slight pulse on the 26th and consciousness returns on the 27th. But the Body Civic doesn't fully come back to life until January 2nd.
Christmas itself is very much a celebration behind closed doors with friends and family. If you're homeless, living out-of-doors, then this is the one holiday that really leaves you out in the cold because Christmas Day is the one day of the entire year when city life truly takes a back seat to home life.
To a person living on the street the city is home. Christmas for them is a little like when the power goes out in someone's home or apartment. And the city is also, very often, a homeless person's home-based business.
Christmas and Boxing Day are the two days a year when a homeless person can't earn money from collecting bottles, because all but one of the bottle depots that I know of are closed. I've just been told that the Regional There aren't a lot of free meals Christmas Day. And never mind if a homeless person has some money put aside, there aren't a lot of restaurants open. Umm... so what looks good at the 24-hour convenience store?
Basically for a few days over the impending Christmas holidays a homeless person has to live off their hump, and even if things have been lean and they don't have much surplus, we can all take heart from the fact that it's virtually impossible to starve to death in two days. Click the image to enlarge.
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Just up the street from where I am there's an old public toilet block and bus shelter. By old I mean the kind that was built in more civilised times - out of stone - and it actually does keep the rain off. Anyway the bus shelter part hasn't served that purpose in decades and now it's a combination bedsit/cafe/loungebar for a handful of our homeless population. I'm reminded of those guys because they have a nice little festive setup going on right now with some folding beach chairs and a xmas tree.
When I do my shopping this afternoon I'll drop them off a couple of litres of cider. I know I'd appreciate it.
I'm bah humbug about xmas in the malls and suburbs - but not about everything.
That's so sweet! And I'm not referring to the cider. As for the toilet block/bus shelter is it like this "Symonds St. Tram stop toilets" -- if so a man's homeless spot can be his castle -- in Aukland! Is it antipodal springtime/early summer?
Hey Sqwabb, I'm sitting at home killing silverfish, playing solitaire, and watching Home Alone 2 that day. Wanna come over
That's exactly the one :D
And yes it's the oppopsite season to where you lot are in what a local Canadan friend of mine calls Canuckistan.
Sadly while the festive lounge was set up when I went past the patrons were elsewhere. Thursday is a busy social day for those of us on the government payroll. So I'm holding that thought for next time I'm getting some groceries.
And speaking of "sweet" - the al fresco beverage of choice round these parts is "bourbon" and "cola" premixed and sold by the can. Of course the gubmint has cranked the taxes sky high on that and on things like high ABV beer and cask wine. Cheap fortified wines used to be available in whacking big 2l glass flagons but that's gone completely.
Cider however is more of a poor student's poison and it's retail price and availablity hasn't changed in nearly twenty years. The local stuff is actually pretty good - medium to dry and a nice drop for relaxing in one's springtide castle.
Also good for beaches and for hiding under long coats for moonlit graveyard goth picnics. Ahh - nostalgia :D
I've added Timespanner to my blogroll by the way. Your research-fu is impressive!
When I was younger I spend many hot summer nights one year banging out reams of editorial copy at home. First I went to 7-11 (like NZ's Night ‘n Day stores) bought a "Super Big Gulp" of Orange Crush; took it home, drank half and topped it back up with bourbon -- it didn't need to be good editorial copy.
HAHAHA. That sounds much too familiar.