Orchard Road’s Christmas Market & lights are back

It seems a little early to be singing ‘Jingle Bell’ while enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, but seeing the Christmas decorations going up across the country has really gotten me into the mood. And when it comes to Christmas in Singapore, there is no place like Orchard Road, where Christmas villages and dazzling installations have taken over the iconic street.

The Great Christmas Village (Ngee Ann City)

Some of us recently dropped by to check out this year’s festive offerings at Orchard Road. The first thing we noticed is the 14-metre-tall Mastercard Christmas Tree at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza, the central location of this year’s Great Christmas Village. This centrepiece of the Christmas village is already a popular photo spot, so try to catch a good moment to take your photos when there are fewer people around.

Within the Christmas Village, you will find a myriad of Carnival Games by Kiztopia. This includes Bucket Ball, Mini Bowling, Sling Shot and Throw Hoops. There are also rides like a mini Ferris wheel and a 6-seater Holiday Carousel. If you have kids or younger relatives who are more active, they can also jump on an inflatable castle here. 

In order to participate in these activities, you will first need to purchase a membership card (minimum S$20 with 20 credits) and top it up with credits. Different activities will require spending different amounts of credits, so take a walk in the Kiztopia Christmas Carnival and see what you want to play. 

On the other side of the Christmas Village, you will find a Christmas Market. Here, there are food & beverage vendors, as well as retail booths. There are also seating areas for you to dine in if you’d like. Some vendors you might recognise are Kebab’s Faktory, Ministry of Spuds and Miniso. 

But there are also other unique vendors selling special Christmas-themed goodies, such as handmade accessories, crochet decorations and cookies. The booths are not all completely filled yet, though, as some of the vendors will only operate from 1 Dec onwards. So make sure to visit the Christmas Market again in December for the complete experience.

Kiztopia Christmas Carnival (Shaw House)

If you thought that was all for the Christmas fun, it isn’t! The Kiztopia Christmas Carnival continues at Shaw House Urban Plaza, with more games and rides. There are also rows of claw machines here if you’re into that sort of thing. Over here, you can play games like Ring Toss and Shooting Balloon, and ride on Rudolph’s Express and Turbo Twisters. 

The Turbo Twisters definitely caught my attention with their bright LED lights and neon glow, reminding me of sci-fi movies like ‘Tron’. If you’re up for more fun & games after exploring the Ngee Ann City side of things, take a nice leisurely walk down to Shaw House for more.

Christmas Light-up & Installations

And honestly, walking along Orchard Road this month ain’t such a bad idea after all, as you would spot beautiful lights and festive installations along the way. The yearly Christmas light-up is already in full swing, and this year’s theme features colours in gold, rose gold and silvery white. You can also catch the usual Outdoor Projection show on the side of Hilton Singapore Orchard, complete with music played through speakers near you.   

A pop-up installation I found interesting is The Winter Garden by Van Cleef & Arpels, outside Ion Orchard. Visitors are invited to find the hidden four-leaf clovers here and claim a free Christmas cookie afterwards. There is also a gigantic installation that you can walk through and explore. This is definitely one of my favourite parts of Orchard Road this year, as the dark forest vibes add a different layer to the bright surrounding atmosphere.

Bring your friends and cameras, and have a nice evening at Orchard Road this Christmas season!

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