No Snow, No Problem: Christmas in Singapore
You would think that a small tropical country in a part of the world where Christianity isn’t the dominant religion wouldn’t take the recognition of Christmas seriously. But when it comes to Singapore, nothing could be further from the truth.
The Lion City is already a colorful country by default. The island is likewise a major tourist destination that regularly attracts A-class visitors. So when it comes time to get down for the Yuletide, Singaporeans know how to make things pretty and put on a world-class show.
ORCHARD ROAD
Orchard Road is like Singapore’s version of 42nd Street, if you will. It’s a commercial hub, besides being attractive enough, during any time of the year, to warrant visits from spectators.
So needless to say, Orchard Road is lit during Xmas. The Singaporeans deck the street out with lights worthy enough for even Santa and his reindeer to launch from. There are also various holiday-themed displays that provide the perfect backdrops for internet-based revelers. This is all part of an annual event dubbed “Christmas on a Great Street”. And the beautiful thing is that many corporate sponsors also get in on the festivities.
During “Christmas on a Great Street”, there are carnival rides for kids to enjoy. Meanwhile, “the Great Christmas Eve Street Party”, an all-night bash, has more of an adult appeal. In fact crowds in the past have been so boisterous that this Christmas, the Singaporeans beefed up security on Orchard Road. But it’s understandable why so many people show up. “Christmas on a Great Street” is, let’s say the premiere public Christmas celebration in Singapore, where partygoers can revel in the glitz and glamour of Orchard Road at little to no cost.
“CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND” AT GARDENS BY THE BAY
As a patron of “Christmas Wonderland” at Gardens by the Bay, you won’t be subject to freezing temperatures or frost falling from the sky. But what you will experience is Singapore’s best when it comes to recognizing this holiday.
The result is high-tech outdooring will blow your mind. The Gardens by the Bay is already a beautiful venue outside of the holiday season. But when it comes time to give Santa his shoutout, the place gets downright exquisite, as if you’ve stepped into a fairytale.
It must be in the tropics during Christmastime, there’s arguably no better place, in the entire world, than Gardens by the Bay. The lack of winter doesn’t matter as much when you’re in a country where people know how to do it big.
JEWEL CHANGI AIRPORT
Even Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport is heavily involved in celebrating Christmas. Those of us familiar with Changi already know that it’s an exceptional facility, far beyond your conventional airport. It was built to show off the Lion City’s technical and economic prowess in a setting that the entire world can witness. So yes, it totally makes sense that they would pimp the place out for Christmas.
In fact if you didn’t know any better, during this time of year you could easily mistake Jewel Changi for a Christmas theme park rather than the airport it actually is. Yuletide decorations are so abundant that some people come for that specific purpose. Imagine that – people coming to an airport not to travel but rather to get their Christmas on. I grew up in a Western country and can’t say I ever saw or heard of anything like that at home.
And speaking of the West, Jewel Changi is definitely one of the places you’d want to be if you love both Christmas and Disney. There are a number of world-class Disney-themed attractions patrons would especially enjoy during the holidays.
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS SINGAPORE
At the heart of the Lion City’s tourism industry lies Sentosa Island, home of the country’s most-expensive resorts and attractions. That includes Universal Studios, a brand people worldwide recognize as being part and parcel of Hollywood’s magic.
That magic is definitely present during the holidays, making the theme park an excellent place to revel in Xmas alongside the kids. It’s almost like a cartoon come to life, as they’ll have a chance to interact with many characters from many of their favorite shows, besides other charms to keep them entertained.
SNOW IN THE TROPICS
Singapore is a tropical island, so of course there’s nothing like winter here. Meanwhile, those of us from the Northern Hemisphere recognize – snow no matter what – as being an intrinsic part of the Yuletide season.
But Singaporeans are not the types to let natural shortcomings prevent them from doing it proper. They understand that celebrating Christmas in an environment that doesn’t produce snow is sort of a disadvantage. So thankfully, there are a number of venues in the city where you can be treated to artificial snow during this time of year. And here are just a handful of the more popular ones.
“SNOW WALK SPECTACULAR” AT JEWEL CHANGI AIRPORT
We already gave Singapore’s international airport a major Yuletide shoutout earlier in this post. But just as an important side note, let’s also recognize it as one the venues where you can experience artificial snow. In fact, the airport has its own scenic “Snow Walk Spectacular”, just in time for Christmas. And it’s so realistic that you may even opt to use snowshoes and ski poles while walking over the substance.
“BLIZZARD TIME” BY GARDENS BY THE BAY
Of course the Gardens by the Bay is going to have its own snow also and furthermore a ridiculously-fly one at that. This event is known as “Blizzard Time”, and it’s held every evening, after the Garden’s Rhapsody Light & Sound Show, during the holiday season.
TANGLIN MALL
Tanglin Mall is one of the hotspots on Orchard Road, and we already pointed out how this part of the Lion City gets down for Santa. If you have the opportunity to stop by the mall itself, you’ll get a chance to witness the impressive snow shows that are regularly hosted around Christmas.
CONCLUSION
Singapore’s Christmas celebrations rival that of any other country. That’s a very interesting fact, considering that it’s a tropical island, well outside of the traditional Western orbit. But the Singaporeans’ commitment to excellence extends to all aspects of their society, even celebrating a major holiday from another part of the world. This country knows how to accommodate visitors and put on a good, clean show. So don’t be surprised if, as a foreigner, you end up enjoying Christmastime in Singapore more than in your homeland, even if you’re from Europe or the United States. Being able to be in the Lion City and visit its world-class venues during the holiday season is a gift in and of itself.
