It’s the time of the year again when we celebrate the jolly festive season of Christmas! If you’re thinking of saving money while celebrating the occasion, here’s our list of 10 awesome free things to do in Singapore this Christmas!
1) Shower in the snow!
If you don’t already know, the snow shower outside Tanglin Mall has been a yearly festive tradition to embrace Christmas together. In a tropical country that does not snow at all, this is an absolute favourite for Singaporeans especially the kids!
What better way is there to celebrate Christmas than to soak up in the snow with your family and friends? From 14 November 2015 to 03 January 2016, enjoy the free snow shower at the following timings outside Tanglin Mall.
Address: 163 Tanglin Road
Weekdays:
Avalanche: 7:30pm to 7:45pm
Snow: 7:45pm to 8:00pm
Weekends/Public Holidays
Avalanche: 7:30pm to 7:45pm and 8.30pm to 8:45pm
Snow: 7:45pm to 8.00pm and 8:45pm to 9.00pm
While the snow is artificial, do note that for their avalanche it comes in foam so you might want to bring a fresh set of outfit to change into after basking in the fun!
Additionally, over at City Square Mall, there is also an hour of snowy playtime from 8pm to 9pm daily from 20 November 2015 to 3 January 2016, at City Green Outdoor Park.
2) Immerse yourself in our local creative culture
During this season of gifting, have you wondered about the stories behind retail merchandises? Another way to celebrate this Christmas is to bask in the vibrancy of Singapore’s retail scene.
If you’re into fashion, product and industrial design, don’t forget to check out the Keepers Playtime showcase at National Design Centre, which features a diverse range of retail craftsmanship with inspirational stories by 30 designer artisans. This holiday, besides the creative installations, you can expect workshops and talks as well from 26 November 2015 to 10 January 2016 and learn more about contemporary retail art designs.
Keepers Playtime At National Design Centre
Start Date: 26 Nov 2015
End Date: 10 Jan 2016
Start Time: 11:00 AM
End Time: 07:00 PM
Venue: Design Gallery 1 & Design Advisory, National Design Centre
3) Delight in jolly performances
Enjoy a free slew of Christmassy songs, dances and skit stages that will hype up the merry spirit in you. Brought to you by the charity group, Celebrate Christmas In Singapore (CCIS), there will be different music renditions put up by both local and foreign performers all night from 6pm to 10pm, in front of ION Orchard, Wisma Atria and the L3 amphitheatre at Vivocity from 18th December to 24th December 2015.
Furthermore, there are interactive mosaic displays for the public to fill in with colors, and fancy photo-taking backdrops at Orchard Road from 12.00pm to 10pm and Vivocity, from 5pm to 10pm, where they will also be holding many fun activities and games for you all night!
Date: 18th December to 24th December
Time: 6pm to 10pm
Venue: ION Orchard, Wisma Atria, Level 3 Amphitheatre Vivocity
4) Join the spirit of giving
As the paradox of generosity goes, the more you give, the more you receive. In this season of giving, you can spread the joy and love of Christmas by simply volunteering two hours of your time as a bell-ringer.
The Salvation Army presents Christmas Kettling, a fundraising event from 21 November to 24 December 2015. Spot the kettle pots at various locations namely Anchor Point, Far East Plaza, ION Orchard, Junction 8, Lucky Plaza, Raffles City, Tampines Mall, Tangs Orchard and Toa Payoh HDB Hub. Either sign up here at http://tiny.cc/bellringers or prepare your monies to donate for a good cause.
5) Go on a shopping spree, for free
Besides donating, if you’re a shopaholic but you wish to save some money this month, the Singapore Really Really Free Market is an absolute must-go! There will be a good range of both pre-loved and new items like books and apparels besides many other knick-knacks that you may not find anywhere else. This month, the market will be held at Hong Lim Park on 20 December starting from 1pm.
6) Sparkle in the magic world
(image source: Orchardroad.org)
Pamper your sight with a kaleidoscopic display of dazzling décor as you stroll along Orchard Road this December. The eye-catching array of glistening ornaments this year is conceptualized by Singapore singer-composer Dick Lee and designer Yang De Rong in hopes to present a magical world just for you. Orchard Road will also be hosting festive performances such as Christmas Caroling from 18 Dec to 23 Dec. More details as follows:
7) Talk a walk in nature
If you don’t quite fancy the Christmas décor glitz, away from the hustle and bustle of town, nature lovers especially will be delighted to discover the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore – the Southern Ridges – that offers a panoramic view of our city. The 10-km long trail along Henderson Road is connected by greenly hilltops and scenic parks and gardens. When the sun sets, the Southern Ridges will awe you with a breath-taking landscape of Singapore.
8) Join a concert
(i)
As Christmas approaches, there are church ministries that are more than willing to welcome the public to join them on their thrill of hope and rejoice as they celebrate the season together. At Christ Methodist Church, the two-night concert is said to include award-winning singer-songwriter Aubrey Suwito, former Malaysian Idol vocal coach Juwita Suwito, local R&B talent Sarah Cheng De Winne, and their talented band from Malaysia. On 16 and 17 December at 8pm, join their Christmas concert and meet new people, and cheer the night away!
(ii)
Not free on those dates? Fear not, coming to you on the 19th December is the final instalment of SG50 Concert Series in the Park at Gardens by the Bay. From 6pm onwards, you can expect to meet local artistes like The Sam Willows, Tosh and Weiliang, Tay Kewei and more at the open fields of the Meadow.
(iii)
Or if you’ll be around Esplanade on 20 December, party with Mus’Art Youth Wind Orchestra with hit tracks by Maroon 5, Donna Summer and more – all with a symphonic twist! Admission is free and on a first-come-first-serve basis. Time? 3pm at the concert hall.
8) A Friday Night with the Sky
(image source: www.loveatsg.com)
What about spending a night with planets, moon and stars? Every Friday night, the Science Centre offers free stargazing sessions to the public to discover constellations that we hardly see on a typical night. While it is closed on Christmas day itself, the observatory is opened on every other Fridays this month, from 7.50pm to 10.00pm at Singapore Science Centre’s Omni-Theatre building.
9) Catch the fireworks
If you’re hoping to watch the fireworks before New Year, you’ll have to visit the Singapore River this December! Besides the carnival decors, markets and carollers amongst other Christmas festive activities, there will be fireworks display on 12 and 26 Dec at 9pm. The Christmas celebrations will be held along Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay. Another bonus visual delight is some 8-metre tall LED trees by the river that are up only this Christmas season.
10) Gardens By The Bay
Last but not the least on our list is Gardens by the Bay, for beautifully sculptured wonderland sightings all set to fascinate you and your loved ones with enchanting towers. Catch the huge display of dazzling light ornaments any night from now until 3rd January 2016.
Did we miss out anything? Let us know in the comments below where you plan to spend your Christmas this year!
