It's Christmas morning. Santa has been and gone, your Bing Crosby playlist is pumping, and you're preparing for the arrival of the rellies, when all of a sudden ... elves above! ... you realise there's no ice. Or milk. Or batteries for the toys. Or gas for the barbecue.
It's a festive fiasco! What are you going to do? Here are some suggestions:
Milk, ice, gas...
Forget the big supermarkets. They will be closed. But some smaller grocery stores will be open, and you can always head down to your local Shell service station. All Shell Coles Express outlets follow their regular trading hours on Christmas Day, and most are open throughout the entire holiday period. So, as well as stopping into Shell for your fuel, you can replenish your supplies of groceries, ice, barbecue gas and more.
Alcohol
Beer fridge empty? You might struggle to find a bottle shop. In NSW and Queensland, forget it; it's illegal to sell takeaway alcohol on Christmas Day. Elsewhere, you may have more luck; try your local independents.
A feed
Burnt the turkey? Fear not! Plenty of restaurants, bars and fast food outlets choose to open on Christmas Day, serving anything from breakfast to dinner. They will even do the washing-up.
A last-minute gift
Forgot to get something for Aunty Olive? Your options are going to be limited, but one possibility might be a chemist. Check local media to find one that's open; you'll surely be able to find something gift-worthy. Otherwise, Shell Coles Express always has something interesting (including many desirable 'chocolate-y' things).
A movie
Nothing good on Netflix? Can't wait for the big Boxing Day movie releases? Pre-Christmas releases include slasher flick Black Christmas, cartoon The Queen's Corgi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 3D (AKA Episode 9). Big movie chains and independent movie houses nationwide will be cranking up the projectors and popping the corn.
A family day out
Instead of sitting around pulling crackers and putting on paper hats, there's always the option of getting out and about. You'll find plenty of open attractions, from Taronga Zoo in Sydney to the Melbourne Star observation wheel. Plus, of course, beaches, parks and bushwalks are always open, and free for all.