Volunteering at Christmas: how a solidarity dinner for lonely people is prepared from autumn

To become a Christmas volunteer, get in touch as early as September or October with a local charity that organises a solidarity meal on 24 December: teams are put together in autumn, through a series of preparation meetings. It's at these meetings that each person's role and time slot are decided.

How to become a Christmas volunteer near you

The quickest way in is usually your local community centre or town social services office: these organisations know who's running a solidarity Christmas Eve event in the area, whether it's a neighbourhood association, an outreach group or an informal collective.

• Call as early as September-October, before the first preparation meetings take place.
• Attend a preparation meeting, often held on a Friday evening: that's where time slots and roles are handed out, not by email.
• Ask for a specific time slot rather than offering to help "for the whole day". Setting up the room in the afternoon, serving at table or clearing up after dinner don't take the same energy or effort.
• Also mention what you're not able to do, and ask which roles still need filling: the kitchen often attracts more volunteers than welcoming guests or washing up.
• Let the team know as early as possible if something comes up. In a small group, a last-minute dropout is noticed straight away.

These groups rely on one-off helpers, with no membership or year-round commitment required.

In Lons-le-Saunier, Noël Ensemble is looking for extra hands

In the Jura, the charity Noël Ensemble offers a festive afternoon and a solidarity meal every 24 December to people who are alone and isolated, at the Salle du Puits Salé in Lons-le-Saunier. In the edition listed by Jura Tourisme, guests were welcomed from 3pm to 10pm, with cooperative games, an afternoon snack and dinner offered in the evening.

According to actu.fr, the charity has been active since 2007 and opens its preparation meetings to volunteers: Friday 13 November and Friday 11 December at 7pm, at the Lons-le-Saunier community centre, room 311. To sign up: 06 46 54 72 10 or noel.ensemble.asso@gmail.com, details to be confirmed with the charity. A similarly named group also exists in Sélestat, in Alsace, so make sure you've got the right town before writing in.

Why these Christmas Eve gatherings matter

The third "Loneliness and isolation among the over-60s" barometer, published on 30 September 2025 by Petits Frères des Pauvres, counts 750,000 older people in a situation of extreme isolation, a rise of 150% in under ten years. The same charity reports welcoming 26,000 older people in 2025, supported by 15,000 volunteers. These are exactly the kind of evenings that 24 December meals are meant for: a few hours of noise, dishes being passed around, faces you'll later recognise at the market.

If you can't be there on Christmas Eve itself

Other gestures can also be prepared in advance. Drop off toys in good condition at a collection point, invite an elderly neighbour to share dessert with you, drive someone to church or to the village hall. On the budget side, a second-hand gift or a donation to a local charity is often worth more than a last-minute purchase.

To free up time in December, the most effective approach is to sort out family gifts well in advance. Gathering everyone's wish lists with a guide to organising the family Christmas list, applying the duplicate-free method and browsing Christmas gift ideas saves you from last-minute shop runs on the evening of the 23rd: you can create your Christmas list in just a few minutes. Then call your local community centre and ask who's organising the 24 December table, and whether there are still spots going in the kitchen.