Nobody wants to end up sick or injured at Christmas, but the staff at the ACT's walk-in centres will be on stand-by for anything over the festive season.
And they will also be doing their best to keep things as merry as they can be.
Canberra Health Services Walk-in Centres are open from 7.30am to 10pm every day including Christmas and New Year's Day providing free treatment for non-life threatening injuries and illnesses to anyone who is over one year of age.
Among the staff who will be on deck over Christmas is advance practice nurse Karen Butcher who will be working at the Belconnen walk-in centre.
The former public servant has been a nurse for 16 years after re-retraining at the University of Canberra.
Ms Butcher joined the walk-in centre more than three years ago.
"What I love most about working at the walk-in centre is you just never know what you're going to get," she said.
"Anyone can walk through the door with anything. It's always interesting. It's never boring. I get to meet people from all different walks of life and I get to help them when they're at a vulnerable point in their life and that makes me feel really special and privileged."
It's her turn to work Christmas, with the staff sharing the duty year by year.
"Especially here in walk-in centre, it's a small group of people so it's about looking after each other as well," she said.
"So if you have had the previous Christmas off, you're kind of expected to put your hand up to work the following Christmas and we're always happy to do so because it means your colleagues get to have time off as well."
Ms Butcher says her 14-year-old daughter Rebecca and 20-year-old son Oscar will spend time with her husband's family on Christmas day while she does the morning shift at the walk-in centre, working from 7.30am to 4pm.
"And then when I'm finished here, I'll jump in the car and meet them there and then we'll go home," she said.
"We're just going to keep it simple. We've already planned something like burgers and presents."
Christmas Day at the walk-in centre could be busy. Or not. It just depends on the day.
"What I've found on Christmas Day is there's a lot of dressing changes and maybe people who are little bit more sick than an average day. Because I don't think you want to come to health services unless you absolutely have to on Christmas Day," she said.
"We get muscular things, skeletal things. Christmas Day things like lacerations or children who come off their skateboard and hit their heads. It's minor illness or injury but we also assess those patients who of a higher acuity. We will redirect them as appropriate if they're not in the right place here with us but we do our best to help everyone who comes to the centres."
And the patients usually appreciate the staff's efforts working on Christmas Day.
"Most people are lovely. I can't remember anyone who hasn't been not nice. They're grateful that there's somewhere to go," Ms Butcher said.
"No one wants to seek medical treatment on Christmas Day, so we want to make it a positive experience when they come. We've got the decorations, we've got Christmas scrubs, we put hats and antlers on.
"The Hospital Foundation donates toys so we can give the kids a toy when they come in. We just try to make it pleasant for everyone. And for us as well. We all bring a plate of food to share with each other."
The ACT Health also app shows the wait times for all the walk-in centres to see which are busier than others in real time.
