ATHENS, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Christmas day is a time to spend with family and friends, exchanging gifts and having traditional dishes. The reality, however, can be very different for thousands of people sleeping rough in this special time of the year.

For all those citizens who struggle through the festive season, the municipality of Athens hosted a Christmas lunch at the Reception and Solidarity Centre (KYADA).

About 2,000 homeless and deprived people gathered at the indoors stadium in the center of the city and enjoyed turkeys, salads, soft drinks and desserts.

With the support of a supermarket chain which donated all the ingredients for the meal, 12,000 extra food portions were also offered to citizens in need on Christmas Eve at the garden of the reception centre.

"Today we are at the indoor stadium along with the people we feed in KYADA to exchange wishes and smiles and spend time together in a friendly and homely atmosphere," Eleni Katsouli, president of the City of Athens Reception and Solidarity Center, said at the event.

With the mobilization of central and local governments, volunteers, charities and donors, free meals are distributed throughout the country during festive days.

In Athens, as well as many cities across Greece, the Christmas meal has become a tradition, especially during the eight-year financial crisis which degraded the lives of citizens and fueled poverty rates.