At the Children's Hospital in Westmead, Santa did the rounds, delivering presents to 160 sick children who are not well enough to enjoy the day at home. It was a busy morning for Father Christmas, who at the same time miraculously appeared in Randwick, where he visited the wards of Sydney Children's Hospital with fellow festive friends, the Wiggles.

The homeless, poor and disadvantaged were welcomed with open arms by 400 Exodus Foundation volunteers who served lunch to a record-breaking turnout of close to 3000 people.  Joe, 79, met Kevin, 64, and Trevor, 59, in the queue for the celebration, complete with ham, turkey and all the trimmings. The three men ate lunch together, raising a happy thanks to Father Bill Crews, founder of the charity to help disadvantaged.

"I always come here every year, I enjoy it very, very much," said Joe, a retiree from Fairfield. None of the men have family in Sydney, and all make the annual pilgrimage to the charity's Ashfield headquarters to enjoy the cheer and "beautiful food".

"We all appreciate it very much - the food is beautiful, it's a good day out," he said.

On Sydney's beaches festivities were in full swing by mid-morning. Bondi's surf lifesavers inflated a giant Santa and snowman next to a decked Christmas tree. They weren't alone in their headgear, switching Santa hats for their usual caps, as hundreds of families and celebrating tourists made the most of the bright sunshine, wearing tinsel bikinis and Santa beards with board shorts.

In Coogee, a lone Christmas tree decorated the pool at Wylies Baths, its branches hung with buckets and spades.

In irreverent style, not-for-profit charity Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia raised over $100,000 by selling tickets to a Christmas non-event.

"You are invited to not attend our Christmas party," goes the charity's fundraising spiel. In good humour, thousands of Australians bought tickets to the waste-free alternative to a merry knees-up,  funds from which will provide food for the charity's African patients for the year ahead.