It’s December 1, so who’s excited? Santa Claus is coming!
Millie – one of the luckiest one-year-olds in Melbourne – was one of the VIP guests at the City of Melbourne’s Christmas launch on Friday.
Millie was mesmerised by all the Christmas cheer in the CBD
Having Millie has renewed my love for the festive season (we escaped the ‘fuss’ back home and travelled to New York for Christmas two years ago). This year we’ve put our stockings up, bought a tree & hubby has switched on the outdoor fairy lights.
We’re reading Millie some Christmas-themed books and she now says “cinta” when she sees the bearded man in the red suit.
So you can imagine how much she loved the decorations, music and lights of the CBD at Christmas.
First stop was the Gingerbread Village by Epicure at the Melbourne Town Hall (enter corner Little Collins & Swanston streets).
The gingerbread Luna Park at the Gingerbread Village by Epicure
More than 2000 hours have been spent creating the intricate display which features Melbourne’s landmarks in gingerbread.
The detail is amazing, the smell is even better.
Millie is a spectator at a mini gingerbread MCG
Entry is via gold coin donation, with proceeds going to Make-A-Wish Australia.
The Gingerbread Village is open December 1-12, 10am-6pm and December 12-24, 10am-8.30pm.
The City Square has been transformed into Christmas Square with a magical forest, nutcracker soldiers, interactive candy canes and free photos with Santa. Santa photos are 10am-noon & 1-3pm (also 4-7pm Fridays) every day to December 24.
Get a happy snap with Santa at Christmas Square
Christmas buskers will be performing and sound and light shows are on at night, 9pm to 11pm.
The City Square has transformed into Christmas Square
Write a letter to Santa (include a stamped, self-addressed envelope) to get a reply from the big man himself. Santa’s post box is on the corner of Swanston & Collins streets until December 19.
A nativity scene blessing and a performance by the Australian Youth Choir is on at Christmas Square at 10.30am, December 3.
The Melbourne Town Hall is gift-wrapped for Christmas by day and at night becomes the backdrop for a very impressive animated projection from dusk to 11pm. Until December 25.
Toy soldiers stand guard outside the Melbourne Town Hall
The Myer Christmas Windows, Bourke St, tells the tale of Santa Claus and the Three Bears. The story and animation is on loop from 7.30am-1am until January 5.
The Myer Christmas Windows have been a delight for children for 59 years, attracting an estimated 1.2 million visitors every year
The free Santaland Express Train is on level 6 of Myer.
Crown’s Christmas Spectacular always draws a big crowd. The Atrium at Crown Towers comes to life with an animatronic, musical display every 30 minutes from 10am-midnight to Sunday, January 4.
Giant baubles pop open to reveal Santa’s friends and a 15m Christmas tree stays fully-lit 24/7.
Until December 25 Federation Square has a free snow installation called Whiteout, with huge interactive white spheres decorating the space.
Do you have a favourite family Christmas activity? Share it with us below