There’s no denying that ANZAC Day 2020 (25th April) will be one that we all remember – perhaps not for the reasons we should!
Whilst we aren’t able to show our support in the form of traditional gatherings such as the iconic dawn services… silent contemplation and reflection has never been more at the forefront of everyday life. We as a community can still show our support to our servicemen and women in a number of other ways; and make this ANZAC day an extra special memory for all the right reasons.
Here are our top 10 family friendly ANZAC Day hacks for an enjoyable weekend for all:
1. Light Up the Dawn at 6:00AM – head down your driveway, stand outside your front door, or just stand out on your balcony and face east at 6:00AM with a candle (or virtual candle). Together, stand in silence for 1 minute to remember those who sacrificed their lives and freedoms for ours.
2. If you’re an early riser, tune into the live commemorative services broadcast on the ABC with a 5:30am memorial in Canberra, and a closed service from Sydney at 10:00AM – Click here for the order of service.
3. Create your own ANZAC poppies and wear them with pride! Follow our simple step by step guide on How to Create Your Own ANZAC Poppies at home – simple and creative, plus it will keep the kids busy and content… for a little while anyway!
4. Donate to the ANZAC Appeal online, or to any veteran’s charity that you see fit – no amount too small – every little helps! Here is a guide to a few worthy causes.
5. Check in on a veteran that might be spending this day alone. Whilst we are all in this isolation together, for some, this day can bring challenging emotions and feelings of isolation or loneliness. Perhaps pick up the phone for a quick chat, or drop off a special delivery of homemade ANZAC biscuits (whilst adhering to social distancing!).
6. Which brings us on to one of our favourite activities – Baking ANZAC Biscuits! With simple and easy to find ingredients, ANZAC biscuits are a great sweet treat and a fun activity for all the family to join in. Why not change it up and try and ANZAC Slice? Our Camp Blue chefs have even made a video tutorial to help!
7. Ku-ring-gai Council in Sydney is asking all children in the Ku-ring-gai region to show support to the our service people currently on deployment. They would like children to send messages to all of the soldiers, sailors, airmen and women – those that are currently serving or have returned from service missions. Ku-ring-gai is encouraging kids to get creative and make something that they enjoy making – whether it’s a letter, a drawing, a poem or even an ANZAC college. Create something unique and upload onto Instagram using the hastag #ANZACKURINGGAI and #ANZACSPIRIT – or you can email it to events@kmc.nsw.gov.au. These awesome ANZAC creations will then be sent to the Australian Defence Force and your messages circulated to deployed personnel from all three services and veteran communities.
8. For those history buffs amongst us, why not take a virtual walk around the ANZAC battlefields in Gallipoli with the Australian Government’s 1-Day Audio Tour? Or read about soldiers experiences on the Australian War Memorial website (Note, this content and images are for an older audience, and may contain war references that some people find upsetting).
9. Perhaps you could record a family message, reciting the ode or sharing a general message of support to our veterans; upload onto social media with the #ANZACSpirit hashtag, and join the official RSL Facebook Event for ‘Light Up the Dawn’ to see the shared posts from other families.
10. Finish the day watching the ANZAC day concert ‘Music from the Home Front’ starting at 7:30pm Saturday on The Nine Network:
