It’s Christmas!! So first of all, a very happy one to you! To stick with the merry spirit, I have compiled a little holiday treat for you. Sure, it is summer here in Australia with no signs of snow any time soon. But to get into the holiday mood, the Melbourne has set up decorations all over the city and I just want to show them to you.
Christmas Events
There are lots of events taking place around Victoria’s capital, such as meeting Santa Clause in the Christmas Square or in the David Stones shopping centre. Melbourne has set up quite the musical entertainment also. To name just a few, from Nativity Scene Blessing over to an organ concert by the Air Force and Händel’s Messiah to a fully fledged highlights of opera presentation in the park with famous singers and popular songs, Melbourne has not spared costs to chime in classical tunes. Enjoying these in the warmth of the Australian summer (even though the Melbourne summer is not always too kind) definitely beats standing in the cold of the Northern hemisphere.
Christmas Hangouts
The city square has been transformed from a hangout for coffee lovers to a festive plaza with a huge living Christmas tree, Santa’s house and huge nutcrackers. Not to forget Pleiades of kids playing among the magical candy cane forest or sneaking in the gingerbread house to see Santa up close and take a photo. You can even post a wishlist in the post box and have it answered by the man himself. Well, now it’s too late but I presume you have already sent off your mail to the North Pole. Australia is pretty far away from that so the fact that Santa has made an appearance here is quite convenient. For all those who have never seen snow in real life, an installation of snow has been set up on Federation Square, where generally lots of things happen – whether it is Christmas or any other day of the year.
Shopping Craze
Big Several crafty Christmas markets took place all over the city with handmade and unique items for sale as well as yummy food. The biggest one of them all was at the Queen Victoria Market with foods from all over the world, including Spanish chorizos, German pretzels and Chinese dim sim. Lots to choose from and many things to behold. Unique tree hangers, wooden roses and even massages, it is really surprising to see what the market has on offer. Not at all like the traditional German Christmas markets I am used to.
Get Decorative
It wouldn’t look like Christmas if there weren’t decorations to match, now would it. So Melbourne has pulled out the big guns and hung up jingle bells over the central part of Bourke Street. A little bit like the umbrella canopy in Portugal, only more Christmasy. To highlight the season of giving, the Town Hall has been wrapped up prettily in a red ribbon with a gift tag on top and a supersized calendar has been set up on Christmas Square. Both places do not stop giving even after dark when they suddenly get illuminated in a million colours. The projections were created by world-class projection designers and light up Melbourne’s dark so that the sparkly spirit never fades.
Have you ever celebrated Christmas outside of home? How did you find it? Comment below.
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