By Mike CrooksFriday 15 Dec 2023ChristmasReading Time: 3 minutes
Deck the Pitt Street Mall with boughs of holly – the most festive time of the year has arrived in Sydney’s CBD.
As Christmas draws closer, Hope 103.2 guides you through the main events and sights in the heart of Australia’s biggest city.
NSW’s tallest tree
As always, Sydney’s Christmas centrepiece is found in Martin Place.
Between Pitt and George streets is the tallest Christmas tree in NSW, decorated with more than 110,000 lights.
But look closer and there are plenty of other things to spot on the 24m-tall tree.
Within the branches there are 15,000 flowers that represent Australian native fauna such as the banksia, waratah, bottlebrush, and kangaroo paw.
Angels sing
If you time your trip to the tree right, you could be treated to more Christmas magic at Martin Place.
From 6pm to 8pm every night until Christmas Eve, a different choir will sing carols.
The guide to the choir performances is listed here.
“Thanks to Santa and the Australian Girls Choir for helping us launch this year’s Sydney Christmas program, which is bigger and better than ever,” Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said during the lighting of the Martin Place tree on November 30.
“We have a month of decorations and lights, free concerts, roving choirs, markets, and of course, Santa!”
Santa’s workshop
Speaking of the jolly one, Santa’s Workshop Photo Booth is also found at Martin Place. There, kids (and their pets) can visit for a “magical photo session.”
It’s open from 9am to 9pm every day until Christmas Eve and the cost starts at $29.95. Funds will be donated to Sydney Children’s Hospital.
“Canopy of light”
Afterwards, if you find yourself Christmas shopping in the Pitt Street Mall, don’t forget to look up.
Decked out above the pedestrian thoroughfare is a “canopy of light”, involving 80,000 LED lights and ten 2m-high stars.
Darling Harbour
A little further west is Darling Harbour’s Harbour Village.
There are singalongs for the kids with The Beanies and Jayden Rodriguez, and DJs for dancing.
There’s also a workshop for kids to get creative, or to write their own letter to Santa.
And of course, Santa will make an appearance.
Live actually
Also in Darling Harbour, at the ICC’s Darling Harbour Theatre, is a special screening of the much-loved Christmas movie Love Actually.
On December 16, a live orchestra will perform the soundtrack as the film is being projected onto a screen.
For more information, visit here.
Christmas market
From December 15, the forecourt of Customs House at Circular Quay will transform into a slice of wintry Europe, bringing the magic of European Christmas markets to Sydney.
Le Jolly Markets run from 5pm to 10.30pm every day for one week.
The markets include “authentic wood hut chalets”, Christmas lights, falling snow, fresh oysters and melted cheese stations.
Christmas at the Cathedral
Meanwhile, St Mary’s Cathedral will host its much-loved light show on the church’s facade.
The projections begin from December 14, and will be live streamed on its YouTube channel.
There are also nightly performances. Entertainment runs from 5.30pm to 10.30pm each day until December 25.
For church services at St Mary’s Cathedral on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, visit here.
Carols in the Domain
And don’t forget the Carols in the Domain, on Saturday December 16.
Arrive from 11am to throw down your picnic blanket, or watch it on Channel Seven on Saturday, December 23 at 7.30pm.
This year’s performers include the Wiggles, Casey Donovan, Dami Im, Mahalia Barnes, Rejoice Gospel Choir and the Salvation Army Choir.
The Salvos have been part of the Carols in the Domain since 1983 and have raised more than $3.5 million through the sale of candles and candle bags “to help support Australians experiencing homelessness,” read a Salvation Army statement.
“Make sure you come and visit one of our Salvos stalls to get your candle bag.”
For more information on Sydney’s Christmas visit here.
Feature image: Photo by Praveesh Palakeel on Unsplash