By Sian Brain and Rachel Clun
From the Wiggles to beach outings and street parties, there were plenty of different Christmas celebrations around Sydney on Wednesday.
The Christmas cheer coming from the Wayside chapel could be heard from streets away as the community tucked into the annual Christmas lunch in Kings Cross.
A group of people dance at the Wayside Chapel Christmas lunch.Credit: Getty Images
More than 200 Wayside volunteers put on Christmas lunch and festivities, including a visit from Santa, for about 800 people.
Claire Hitchon, accompanied by her rescue dog Olive, said she decided to come this year after her husband passed away.
"I brought the dog because she brings a smile to everyone's face, a lot of people stop and talk to her. A lot of homeless people don't have that connection."
Pastor Jon Owen thanked the whole of Australia for making the event possible and allowing the Wayside to keep its doors open to the homeless throughout the festive season.
A very Wiggly Christmas for sick kids
A hospital is not a place children or their families want to be on Christmas Day, but for about 350 sick and injured children that was their reality.
More than 240 children were being cared for over Christmas at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, while about 100 children spent Christmas at Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick.
Emma Wiggle meeting one of the tiny patients at the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, on Christmas Day.
Each child received a present, and both hospitals received special visits from Santa. Children at Randwick were also treated to a visit from The Wiggles, who sung carols and some of their own hits to the little patients.
"We are so grateful to The Wiggles for the joy they bring to the children and families spending Christmas Day in hospital," Chief executive of Sydney Children's Hospitals Network Associate Professor Cheryl McCullagh said.
Bondi Beach the perfect Australian Christmas for tourists
For travellers far away from home, there was nowhere better to spend Christmas Day than Sydney's famous Bondi Beach.
One group of about 30 from the United Kingdom, who met while working on Australian farms, celebrated the day on the beach with a boom box.
Twenty-four-year-old Abbie Gould from Essex said they were enjoying the weather but she's "going to turn out like a lobster."
"At home its currently raining," she said, "but nothing's going to rain on our parade here."
A group of French travellers including 22-year-olds Alina Truc and Anthony Leveau were also spending Christmas on Bondi Beach.
While Ms Truc is missing a white Christmas, Mr Leveau could think of nothing better than the Australian summer.
"Summer in Winter, can you imagine?" he said.
French tourists Louis Duverger, Alina Truc, Cassandre Agostene and Anthony Leveau on Christmas Day at Bondi Beach.Credit: AAP
Festive cheer on the menu for animals too
At Taronga Zoo long-nosed potoroos Chip, Alba, and Zyggie enjoyed little parcels of corn fig and apple, and koala joey Natteo enjoyed sniffing flower decorations with his mum Wattle.
Zoo keeper Freya Stromsvag said it was great to see all the animals having a good morning, but enrichment is more than just a tasty treat on Christmas.
Giving the animals activities like foraging for food, playing or different smells is an important part of their lives at Taronga Zoo, Ms Stromsvag said, and "a present from us to them".