Matt Shirvington laments the end of one very Australian Christmas tradition and calls its cancellation ‘grinchy’: ‘I used to do this as a kid’

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By Mary Mrad For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

Matt Shirvington has slammed the end of an Australian Christmas tradition of gifting beer to garbage collectors.

The Sunrise host, 45, recalled how he used to gift local garbage collectors a six-pack of beer as a child before revealing how a waste management company has warned that leaving gifts is a ‘health and safety concern’.

‘For generations residents would place a six-pack of beer on top of their wheelie bin to say thank you to their garbos,’ Matt said.

‘I used to do this as a kid, I used to go out and personally give it to the garbos. But now one of the country’s largest waste management companies says the tradition is a thing of the past, citing health and safety concerns.’

The presenter went on to say that the cancellation of the tradition is a ‘grinchy’ move.

‘This is a bit of a grinchy thing, isn’t it?’ he added.

It comes after it was revealed Matt and his co-host Natalie Barr are set to embark on their next TV challenge: prime-time.

The Sunrise duo will host this year’s Carols In The Domain, broadcast nationally on Seven on Saturday, 23 December from 7.30pm.

In a statement, Shirvo said he’d watched Carols in the Domain ‘with my family since I was a boy, so to now be on stage hosting for the first time is quite surreal.’

Matt Shirvington has slammed the end of one very Australian Christmas tradition and called its cancellation ‘grinchy’

The Sunrise host, 45, recalled how he used to gift local garbage collectors a six-pack of beer as a child before revealing how a waste management company has warned that leaving gifts is a 'health and safety concern'

The Sunrise host, 45, recalled how he used to gift local garbage collectors a six-pack of beer as a child before revealing how a waste management company has warned that leaving gifts is a ‘health and safety concern’

‘It’s pure joy and that’s why Australians have loved it for so many years. I can’t wait,’ Natalie added.

Among the onstage talent on show this year are The Wiggles, Dami Im, Lucy Durack, Casey Donovan and Silvia Colloca. 

Carols In The Domain will be broadcast nationally on Channel 7 and 7plus. 

'I used to do this as a kid, I used to go out and personally give it to the garbos. But now one of the country's largest waste management companies says the tradition is a thing of the past, signing health and safety concerns. This is a bit of a grinchy thing, isn't it?' he said

‘I used to do this as a kid, I used to go out and personally give it to the garbos. But now one of the country’s largest waste management companies says the tradition is a thing of the past, signing health and safety concerns. This is a bit of a grinchy thing, isn’t it?’ he said