What should go in a Christmas hamper from the Salvos?
BY LAUREN MARTIN
With The Salvation Army’s ‘Christmas Cheer’ drawing closer, corps around the Australia Territory are gearing up to distribute thousands of toy and food hampers to families in need across the country.
This year, the Intercultural and Disability Inclusion Team is encouraging organisers to consider offering culturally inclusive food hampers.
Nuria Gonsalves, CALD Community Engagement National Lead, says tailoring the contents of Christmas food hampers to reflect the cultural and festive preferences of the communities the Salvos serve sends a powerful message of understanding and respect.
“Imagine receiving a Christmas hamper that contains items you cannot use or do not recognise. Such a gift, while given with good intentions, can inadvertently communicate a lack of understanding or connection with the recipient’s cultural background,” Nuria said.
“On the other hand, a grocery bag filled with items that are familiar, culturally significant or celebratory in nature can evoke a sense of belonging, care and appreciation. It shows that the giver has taken the time to truly understand the cultural fabric of the community.”
Other churches are already taking this approach. Springfield Community Church in Brisbane introduced culturally relevant grocery bags last year.
“When we included traditional items like basmati rice and spices for our South Asian neighbours, the gratitude and joy were overwhelming,” Pastor Rachel Smith said.
“It made us realise that our act of giving was not just about food but about affirming their place in our community and respecting their traditions.”
Nuria has developed a list of suggestions for specific foods that can be included in bags for people of different cultural backgrounds.
She says that by being more intentional about what is included in a corps’ Christmas hampers, we move from simply giving to truly connecting.
“It’s a gesture that says, ‘We see you. We value your culture and traditions. We want you to feel welcomed and included.’”
Nuria’s Thoughtful Selection - Celebrating Diversity Through Food
Suggestions for including culturally relevant items in their grocery bags:
Middle Eastern Communities (Lebanese, Iraqi, Syrian): Consider including couscous, lentils, tahini, baklava, or ma’amoul. These staples and sweets resonate with festive occasions like Eid and Christmas in many Middle Eastern households.
South Asian Communities (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan): Include basmati rice, lentils, spices like garam masala, and sweets like gulab jamun and barfi, which hold a special place in celebrations like Diwali and Eid.
East Asian Communities (Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean): Opt for jasmine rice, rice noodles, tofu, mooncakes, or tangyuan – items enjoyed during festivals such as the Mid-Autumn Festival or the Lantern Festival.
African Communities (Ethiopian, Sudanese, Somali): Consider teff flour, chickpeas, berbere spice, basbousa (a semolina cake), or sweetened sambusa, which are often enjoyed during Eid celebrations.
Latin American Communities (Mexican, Salvadoran, Colombian): Corn flour (masa), black beans, and dulce de leche are staples that bring joy and familiarity during Christmas and other festive gatherings.
Pacific Islander Communities (Fijian, Samoan, Tongan): Taro, cassava, coconut cream, and pineapple pie are essentials for festive feasts and family gatherings.
European Communities (Italian, Greek, Eastern European): Include Italian panettone, Greek kourabiedes, or Polish paczki – these sweets are cherished during Orthodox Christmas and festive family meals.
