Charities such as the Salvation Army and the Australian Red Cross are stepping in to make life a little easier for Australians who will turn to charities for help during this holiday season.
The Salvation Army say they are preparing for the hardest Christmas in their 140-year history in Australia.
Their research showed that 6.3 million Australians could not afford a home this year, with almost one in four worried their children would miss out on gifts and another 2.5 million worried their children would miss out on food.
An estimated 1.2 million people won't even talk about Christmas with their children -- because they can't afford it.
