For Australians, the 25th of April is a date of incredible significance. A day of national pride and where we honour those who sacrificed everything for freedom and way of life we enjoy today.

The ANZAC spirit is the epitome of all great acts of courage, endurance, resilience, discipline and mateship displayed by our return services veterans and those who continue to serve within the Australian Defence Force.

It’s day we commemorate en masse. Whether it’s getting up to attend a dawn service, two-up at your local, attending one of the annual AFL or NRL Anzac Day clashes, or maybe a combination of them all, it’s an incredible day. And one we usually celebrate together.

This year will be a little different. But fear not. There’s a number of great initiatives and ways that we can still celebrate the spirit of ANZAC in the world of isolation.

1. Light up at dawn

At 6am on ANZAC Day, make the pledge to stand at the end of your driveway or balcony and listen to a brief commemorative service to remember those who served and sacrificed.

RSLs around Australia have created a Facebook Event for you to join.

2. Tune into live commemorative services

Tune into the ABC for live broadcasts of ceremonies from the Australian War Memorial from 5:30am.

3. Reach out to a mate who might be alone

Connect with friends or loved ones during this time of isolation. It’s an opportunity to invoke the ANZAC spirit of mateship to check in and see how those around you are doing.

4. Donate to the ANZAC Appeal

Support Australian veterans and their families who are in need by donating to anzacappeal.com.au.

5. Bake ANZAC Cookies

Care packages in WWI often included home-made biscuits of rolled oats, golden syrup and flour. Once dawn has come to pass, fill your house with the smell of freshly baked ANZAC cookies. Share with the loved ones at home with you.

6. The AFL ANZAC Day Ceremony

The AFL will go ahead with their annual ANZAC Day Ceremony by reciting the Ode of Remembrance and by having lone bugler playing Last Post to an empty MCG. They will be broadcasting this on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App.

7. Ancestry Deep Dive

Free till Sunday, Ancestry are opening their services for Australians and New Zealanders to explore their family’s military records. Feel closer to the person in your family who served or discover a whole story you didn’t know was there.

The ANZAC Spirit is well and truly alive even in these uncertain times.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

Lest we forget