They say it is the most wonderful time of the year, but try telling that to Jim Collins.
Partially paralysed and unable to work, Jim is forced to survive on little over £70-a-week.
Most days he has to rely on charity to eat. Sadly, Christmas is often no exception.
"In the 1980s I was working off-shore and paying £1,000-a-month just in tax.
"Now I'm on Universal Credit which they've knocked down from £125 to £72-a-week," said Jim, who suffered a paralysed arm at the hands of a drink driver 30 years ago.
On Christmas Eve, he joined over 100 others at Newcastle's Central Station for turkey and all the trimmings.
There were laughs, carols - and even a celebrity or two - but for those like Jim, it was a rare treat when money is usually too tight to even eat.
"At one point, I was struggling to afford to eat so much, I was down to 7st something - I was just bones," admitted Jim.
However, thanks to organisations like North East Homeless, Jim is now back over 10st.
The charity currently stages three outreaches a week in the North East, two of those in Newcastle, serving the city's most needy.
Hot food and drinks, hats and cloves and, just as importantly, support are offered at the outreaches to help folk turn their lives around.
Dad-of-four Brian Burridge launched the organisation five years ago, juggling it with a full-time council job as well as caring for his kids.
"This is not just street homeless we are dealing with, there are people with mental health issues and those who are just struggling and caught in the Universal Credit nightmare," adds the 46-year-old.
He admits staging outreaches can often be a "logistical nightmare" but what he is determined to keep with, due to the overwhelming demand for the service for people whose stories will break your heart.
"I gave a pair of Nike Air Max to one person and he refused them, because he said last time he had a pair of shoes like it someone said 'You aren't homeless, you have better shoes than me' and spat on him," added Brian.
His charity needs a small fortune just to survive, while an army of volunteers help out.
On Christmas Eve, many showed their Christmas spirit by mucking in to feed those who had turned up for a warm meal and a chat.
Patrons of the charity, including Tim Healy, were also present with the Auf Wiedersehen star even posing for selfies.
Some of those receiving support, like 34-year-old Lee Hetherington, had spent Christmas Day itself on the streets.
"It isn't nice at any time of the year, but Christmas is horrible," said Lee, who now has accomodation.
"You just feel the most emotional, but every day is hard - you just wake up every morning feeling like you have no energy."
For another patron, Viz founder Simon Donald, the event was a sobering reality of how hard times are.
"When I left school in the summer of 1980, I was on benefits for five years and I only had two job interviews in that whole time," said the comedian.
"But there never used to be this level of hopelessness and desperation. You look at the trappings of wealth that are in this city and others, and there is just no excuse for that."
He, and others at the event, said it should be the Government helping those in need - not the public.
However, for Jim, he is just glad someone is, adding: "If it wasn't for the likes of (North East Homeless), I'm not sure how I would even manage."
