{"id":24310,"date":"2020-12-08T10:23:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-08T09:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/?p=24310"},"modified":"2025-07-18T15:42:52","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T14:42:52","slug":"sydney-christmas-charm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/sydney-christmas-charm\/","title":{"rendered":"7 ways Sydney turns on the Christmas charm each year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After spending a magical Christmas in Sydney you\u2019ll understand why Australians love to celebrate the festive season in summer. Most Sydneysiders spend Christmas Day barbecuing at the beach, playing cricket in the backyard or taking hourly dips in their pool. It might not be snowing, but a summer Sydney Christmas is one you will always remember.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A bucket list stop at the top of any trip to Australia, Sydney is a stunning destination year round. Here\u2019s seven ways Sydney truly turns on the charm at Christmastime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. It\u2019s beach weather in December<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Sydney the only snowballs you can throw will be made of sand. December is summer and the perfect time to take your festive cheer to the city\u2019s most famous beach. Expect Bondi Beach to be packed with local families, groups of friends, backpackers and visitors catching waves while catching up. Keep an eye for people in Christmas rashies \u2013 it\u2019s the sun-safe swim shirt equivalent of an ugly Christmas jumper!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christmas Day is actually the busiest day of the year for hardworking lifeguards at Bondi Beach. Maybe you\u2019ve seen them on the TV show Bondi Rescue?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bondi<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. Seafood is fresh and abundant<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nobody wants to turn the oven on when the weather outside is over 30 degrees celsius (86\u00b0F). That\u2019s more often than not the case on Christmas Day all around Australia. Sydney, like much of the country, instead leans into fresh seafood like prawns and oysters paired with salads on Christmas Day. Many families still opt for a roast lunch or dinner with turkey and ham, but sometimes serve it cold too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Prawns
Image: Destination NSW<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

RELATED CONTENT: <\/em><\/strong>6 unmissable food experiences on Australia\u2019s East Coast<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Christmas lasts a whole month here<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Forget the 12 days of Christmas, Sydney likes to celebrate for at least a month. From late November the city-wide celebrations kick off with the Christmas tree lighting in Martin Place. It\u2019s the biggest tree in the city and features a mammoth 3.5-metre star that changes colour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across the rest of the city, expect to see streets and squares dripping with lights, hotels and shopping destinations putting up lavish decorations and locals battling their neighbours for the best Christmas home lights. Programmed concerts, carols in the park, Christmas markets and other events will pop up all around the city too.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Christmas
Image: Destination NSW<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

GET INSPIRED BY: <\/em><\/strong>Contrasts of Australia<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. The city has a mapped out festive walk<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Take this self-guided wander<\/a>, with the help of an app, through the city\u2019s best Christmas decorations and light displays. Highlights along the way include Sydney\u2019s tallest tree with 110,000 LED lights and the Canopy of Light, a sparkling installation with 85,000 lights and 10 two-metre high mega stars. This is the best way to explore all the dazzling lights and festive fun while getting to know what the City of Sydney has to offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Illuminated
Image: Destination NSW<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

5. Swap family time for kangaroo time<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a well known fact that Santa employs the help of 12 white \u201cboomers\u201d to pull his sleigh through Australia. No, we\u2019re not talking about Baby Boomers. These boomers are big, muscular male kangaroos. While not in the service of the big man in red you might catch them feeding at Wildlife Sydney<\/a>. Here native wildlife gets in on the festive spirit each year and at nearby Taronga Zoo, you can catch a family Christmas concert<\/a> with carols and sing-a-longs in the evening after exploring the park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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