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Letter From The Editor Dear Readers ‘Tis the season to be jolly! We can’t believe Christmas is almost here. Hold up, this also means it’s time to begin the shopping wars for Christmas presents. We know choosing Christmas presents for the kids can be a pain. But don’t get your tinsel in a tangle yet! We’ve got the perfect digital guide full of exciting and fun gift ideas for kids of all ages plus some great ideas on how to get kids involved in gift wrapping. There’s something extra too to get the Christmas ball rolling including where to catch the best Christmas lights and where to go for a Christmas feast fit for a king. Keep calm and get your ho ho ho on! Cheerios
What’s Inside?
4 Merlins Santa Grotto at Sydney Tower Eye 5 Best Christmas Events 6 Best Christmas Markets 7 Experience the Magic of Sydney Christmas 8 Hottest Toys This Christmas 9 Top Gifts For Kids Under 5 10 Top Gifts For Kids Over 5 11 Christmas Gifts For Creative Kids 12 Where To See Christmas Lights 13 Top Christmas Lunches 14 Best Gifts For Teachers 15 Fashion Spree 16 Gifts to Avoid This Christmas 17 The Best Places To Hear Carols 18 The Best Christmas Getaways For Families 19 Lights Of Christmas 20 Fun Stocking Fillers For Kids 21 Cool Ideas for Present Wrapping With Kids
Christmas carols, dazzling lights and visits from Santa await families at these awesome events.
Carols in the Domain Sing with the stars at Australia’s largest FREE Christmas concert. A highlight of the festive season.
Sydney’s Best Christmas Events
Christmas Wonderland An ice skating rink, snow play area, magical stage and ice shows, a Christmas village, Candy Cane Lane and more! Sydney Fish Markets Don’t miss their 36-hour seafood marathon to stock up on delicious and fresh Chrissy supplies.
Christmas in the Sky Jingle all the way to Sydney Tower Eye this Christmas and experience the magic of the North Pole.
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Pick up handmade Christmas goodies.
The Best Christmas Markets In Sydney
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Ramsgate Christmas Market A petting zoo, visit from Santa, kid’s activities, and all your favourite fresh foods as well as Christmas gifts.
Peakhurst Christmas Market There will be pony rides, a petting zoo, a visit from Santa, live music with carols, a Christmas lights show and live entertainment.
Canterbury Christmas Market Free entry and free kid’s activities such as Christmas crafts and face painting, as well as Carols, and a visit from Santa.
Twilight Markets at Concord Enjoy an extravaganza of shopping, food trucks, and entertainment. Plus fun for kids including an epic jumping castle alley.
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Sun-drenched summer days and balmy nights. Uniquely Aussie festivities and tradition with a twist.
Experience The Magic Of Sydney Christmas
Most Dazzling Christmas Tree The epicentre of Christmas is at Martin Place where you can visit the interactive Christmas tree lit by Santa and our Lord Mayor.
Christmas Carol Cheer It wouldn’t be Christmas without a festive singalong with the family. There are so many free events. NoÍl!
Boulevard Of Light Stroll along Pitt Street Mall underneath a canopy of suspended Christmas trees and sparkling light installations.
Surry Bells Celebrate Christmas in a very Surry Hills manner! This free event features designs by an avantgarde artist and you can get a free photo with Santa and face painting too.
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The list is on. Better get those shopping trips underway to make sure you get your hands on these before stocks run out.
Hottest Toys This Christmas
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L.O.L Surprise Dolls Each toy is a mystery waiting to be unraveled.
LEGO Boost This brand new range from LEGO combines the love of building LEGO, robotics and coding!
Top Of The Talkin’ Toys The hottest toys, including the these googly eyes.
The Royal Plush Preschoolers don’t want to leave the house without TOMY’s Kazoops! range of plush toys.
Furreal Roarin’ Tyler The latest roaring fuzzy resident to hit the Furreal Friends kingdom.
Australian Ballet Merchandise Brighten your little ones day, with a Pink ballet bow or Tutu calendar.
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Letters to Santa have been posted and the countdown to gift unwrapping has begun.
Playgro Music And Lights Comfy Car Beep, beep! This adorable plush car is the perfect place for hub to practice sitting up or for older babies to have some fun.
Top Gifts For Kids Under 5
Vtech Sit To Stand Music Centre Let’s sing and dance together! This super cool mic stand lets baby unleash their inner show topper.
Speedster Fire Engine Ahoy Fire Chief! Your little hero will be saving the day in no time with this classic metal ride on fire engine.
BRIO Rail and Road Quarry Set Lift and load! Calling all tiny train lovers, this train set is packed with play.
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Have you thought about what you’re giving your schoolaged kids this Christmas? Here are some ideas.
Stem Brain Flakes It’s not something you would have for brekkie. Kids can build to their heart’s content with these discs that connect to each other.
Top Gifts For Kids Over 5
Playmobil Space Rocket Get ready for takeoff… The rocket even has lights and sounds which replicate a life-like journey to the stars.
Spirograph Deluxe Set Get creative with the Original spirograph. Kids can combine art and maths to create endless designs. Chemistry Set for Kids Discover why rockets burn with colour with this comprehensive chemistry set for the young scientist.
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Our pick of holiday gifts for toddlers to teens from one of the world’s best museum shops – MCA Store.
Christmas Gifts For Creative Kids
Play Time Pop-up books, pulltoys and crayons – our locally sourced toys and gifts are perfectly designed to keep little hands and minds busy.
Story Time Books, books, books! From Australian stories to creative learning, we’ve got titles to suit all ages, interests and reading levels.
Adventure Time Guided activity books are the perfect gift for preteens and beyond. Simply add a handful of pencils and a colourful imagination.
Discover More
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Visit in store 10am–5pm daily, shop online or follow @mca_ store_australia on Instagram for more gift ideas. Phone: 02 9245 2458.
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Enjoy these special spots out of the city.
Cambage Court, Davidson 100,000 lights extravaganza, all to raise money for Red Nose, Humpty Dumpty Foundation and Cure Brain Cancer Foundation
Where To See Christmas Lights
Rouse Hill Town Centre Illuminates For the 1st time, check out one of Sydney’s largest Chrissy themed outdoor light events - plus there will be food trucks.
Christmas Lights Spectacular, Hunter Valley Gardens A big breathtaking display of over 2-million lights.
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Our favourite part of Christmas is the food. Here are some ideas for a festive feast.
Top Christmas Lunches In Sydney Marley Spoon Still keen on the comforts of home this Christmas day but want to make the cooking part a little easier? Marley Spoon’s Christmas Box is the answer. Everything you need to get this year’s Christmas feast on the table in just two and a half hours, for only $249. The box will feed 4–6 adults and will be delivered on 23 December. Casa Ristorante Italiano Have an Italianstyle Christmas at this delicious and kid-friendly waterfront restaurant, where the pizza and pasta never ends.
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Blackbird Cafe It’s fabulous facepainting galore at this Darling Harbour family venue, where they’re open for business on Christmas Day.
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Say a little thank you to all those who helped make a difference in your child’s life.
Little Succers Tired of getting flowers and the same boring chocolate box? Say hello to Little Succer, the perfect gift for the young trendy teachers.
Best Gifts For Teachers
Monogrammed Stationary Your child’s teacher will think of them whenever they carry around these beautiful personalised possessions. Wine A bottle of wine is the perfect gift for a wonderful teacher in your life! Pick from a wide variety keeping your budget in mind.
Plant In A Personalised Mug Jazz up the traditional mug gift by placing a small ever grown flowering plant inside.
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FREE PARKING all day, every day
Before you go wildly gifthunting, take note of these toys to avoid.
Children’s Elephant Soft Plush Pillow This cuddly pillow might be super comfy to nap on, but beware of the risks!
Gifts To Avoid This Christmas Season
Glitter Activity Sets There will be glitter! Everywhere, from hair to fingers and even on the dog’s tail.
Peppy Pets It’s cute but the leash on this toy doggie poses a serious suffocation risk.
Musical Toys Musical toys can be the key to inspiring an early love of music and learning. But play them on repeat and it can be the perfect recipe for a headache.
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Nothing gets you into the Christmas spirit quite like belting out a carol!
Carols in the Domain This is Australia’s largest free Christmas concert, so see what all the fuss is about!
The Best Places To Hear Carols
Coogee Carols A beachside Christmas celebration! Supported by a 12-piece band and a visit from Santa, these carols are a local favourite. Carols in the City, Martin Place Each evening, choirs will sing carols under the dazzling branches of the interactive Christmas tree.
Carols Under The Bridge, Milsons Point With stunning Harbour views, this is one of Sydney’s fast growing Christmas concerts!
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Pack up the car, leave the screens at home and just get away!
The Best Christmas Getaways For Families
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Mowbray Park With baby farm animals to pet, tractors to be ridden and cows to be milked, there’s no better place for animal loving families.
Crowne Plaza Terrigal Water-loving families will adore this ocean-facing sanctuary with plenty for kids and adults to enjoy. Fancy a cocktail at the lounge bar?
Kingscliff Home to the famous Salt Beach, Kingscliff offers fun for kids and the luxury parents crave.
Wollongong One seriously wellkept secret for families. There’s beach front accommodation, kid’s museums and wildlife parks.
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CELEBRATE THE SEASON AT SYDNEY’S MOST POPULAR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SHOW 6-25 December 2017 Choirs 7.30pm Lights 8.30pm St Mary’s Cathedral College Street Sydney
lightsofchristmas.com.au EVENT HOST
All the best quirky gifts, knick-knacks and tiny trinkets.
Best Stocking Fillers For Kids
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Hatchimals Colleggtibles These mini Hatchimals are nestled in purple speckled egg, providing the ultimate Christmas morning surprise.
Fingerlings Fingerlings are adorable baby monkeys that are curious about the world and will love clinging onto your finger, blinking their eyes and talking in monkey babble.
Lil’ Dreamsies Mini Doll Delight your little one by bringing home one of these mini dolls, dressed in an adorable outfit.
Mini Christmas Erasers A cheerful way to erase mistakes, these mini Christmas erasers will make study time a whole lot of fun for your kids
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Make gift wrapping a family affair: get kids involved this Christmas!
Fun Ideas For Present Wrapping With Kids Tie Dye Gift Wrap
Jolly Reindeer Prints
Get groovy with your little gal or guy and get them to design and create their very own tie-dye wrapping paper.
Rudolph is here to make your day! The kids will love getting into the festive spirit with the holly jolly reindeer themed fingerprint wrapping paper.
Draw A Gift Bag
Interactive Gift Wrappings
Your little helpers will be able to personalise their gift bags by decorating their own paper trees – functional art!
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Let the kids create fun interactive gift wrappings. It’ll make the outside of a gift almost as entertaining as the inside.
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THANK YOU
Millions of parents visit ellaslist to discover new and exciting things to do with their kids both in their local community and in our wonderful city. We’re proud and humbled that so many new family experiences start with a simple visit to our website. We’d like to sincerely thank all our loyal readers for continuing to support ellaslist and a huge thanks to all our venue partners, sponsors, ellaslist explorers and the many local activities providers that do such a wonderful job in our communities helping us to entertain, educate and create fun experiences with our kids. We wish you a wonderful festive season and the best summer ever. We look forward to bringing you more inspiration in 2018. Love, the team at ellaslist xxx
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