Christmas Countdown 2016
There are lots of great festive family events happening in the Wellington region leading up to Christmas. Get into the spirit of the season!
Please send me any events, recipes, crafts or Christmas links you think would be appropriate and would like to share. And please feel free to share your Christmas pics with our Facebook friends.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Please send me any events, recipes, crafts or Christmas links you think would be appropriate and would like to share. And please feel free to share your Christmas pics with our Facebook friends.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Visit Santa!
- North City Shopping Centre
Thursday 15 December – Friday 23 December 10am – 8pm
Saturday 24 December 10am – 6pm
- Harvey Norman
FREE 6x4" photo with Santa 11am-2pm Saturday & Sunday before Christmas from 19th November until 18th December
- Coastlands Shopping Centre
- Westfield Queensgate
Christmas Events
Christmas in Cobham Court, Porirua
Thursday 1st December, 6.30pm – 9.30pm
This is the night festivities begin. The decorations and giant Christmas tree are in place, Santa is ready to go and the lights will be switched on.
From 6.30pm
• Santas will be arriving from the Porirua parkrun walk/run from Elsdon Park to Cobham Ct - Sign up free here to be part of it - http://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2016/porirua-santa-fun-run-walk/porirua-mana
• Yummy food truck meals will be available throughout the night through Wellington Food Truck Collective
• A fun Sumo Santa ring will be set up to play in throughout the night
• There’ll also be Christmas stalls to get Christmas gifts
From 7pm
• Nick Tansley and his pop-up Christmas carols will perform
• Santa will be seated for kids to have a visit and chat with
From 8.30pm
• Mayor Mike Tana will switch on the Christmas lights
• Freestyle dance performances will commence
Friday 2nd December, 6.30pm – 9.30pm
This will be a great time to enjoy some festive cheer with our acoustic Christmas night. You’ll still enjoy the decorations, lights, Christmas tree and stalls, with festivities also including;
From 6.30pm
• An awesome beer garden brought to you by Tuatara craft beer brewers
• Acoustic performances will commence with Robert and Roimata
• Yummy food truck meals will be available throughout the night through Wellington Food Truck Collective
• Santa arrives and will be seated from 6.45pm for kids to have a visit and chat with
• Light displays
• There’ll also be Christmas stalls to get Christmas gifts
From 7.30pm
• Ryan White’s acoustic session commences
From 8.30pm
• Hope Gene’s acoustic session commences
Saturday 3rd December, 6.30pm – 9.30pm
Saturday has a cultural flavour, with a fantastic line up of talented artists performing throughout the night. You’ll also enjoy light displays, decorations, a giant Christmas tree and some Christmassy stalls to browse.
From 6.30pm
• Live performances commence
• Yummy food truck meals will be available throughout the night through Wellington Food Truck Collective
• Santa arrives and will be seated for kids to have a visit and chat with
• There’ll also be Christmas stalls to get Christmas gifts
• Line up for the evening includes:
- 6:30-6:40pm - Te Ara Putarara
- 6:45-7:15pm - Kaya
- 7:20-8:05pm - Manu Toroa and the Last Weather Watcher
- 8:10-8:40pm - Benjamin Tofilau
- 8:45-9:10pm - Ladyfruit
- 9:15-9:30pm - Porirua Taonga Puoro Orchestra
Sunday 4th December, 6.30pm – 9.30pm
To wrap up our opening festivities, we’re supercharging things with not only a visit from Santa but our favourite superheroes as well. This will be a great night full of entertainment and fun.
From 6.30pm
• Superheroes arrive and will greet the kids until 7pm
• Santa arrives and will be seated to visit and chat with the kids
• Yummy food truck meals will be available throughout the night through Wellington Food Truck Collective
• Nick Tansley and his pop-up Christmas carols from 7pm until 8.30pm
• Plus decorations, light displays, stalls and our giant Christmas tree
This is the night festivities begin. The decorations and giant Christmas tree are in place, Santa is ready to go and the lights will be switched on.
From 6.30pm
• Santas will be arriving from the Porirua parkrun walk/run from Elsdon Park to Cobham Ct - Sign up free here to be part of it - http://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2016/porirua-santa-fun-run-walk/porirua-mana
• Yummy food truck meals will be available throughout the night through Wellington Food Truck Collective
• A fun Sumo Santa ring will be set up to play in throughout the night
• There’ll also be Christmas stalls to get Christmas gifts
From 7pm
• Nick Tansley and his pop-up Christmas carols will perform
• Santa will be seated for kids to have a visit and chat with
From 8.30pm
• Mayor Mike Tana will switch on the Christmas lights
• Freestyle dance performances will commence
Friday 2nd December, 6.30pm – 9.30pm
This will be a great time to enjoy some festive cheer with our acoustic Christmas night. You’ll still enjoy the decorations, lights, Christmas tree and stalls, with festivities also including;
From 6.30pm
• An awesome beer garden brought to you by Tuatara craft beer brewers
• Acoustic performances will commence with Robert and Roimata
• Yummy food truck meals will be available throughout the night through Wellington Food Truck Collective
• Santa arrives and will be seated from 6.45pm for kids to have a visit and chat with
• Light displays
• There’ll also be Christmas stalls to get Christmas gifts
From 7.30pm
• Ryan White’s acoustic session commences
From 8.30pm
• Hope Gene’s acoustic session commences
Saturday 3rd December, 6.30pm – 9.30pm
Saturday has a cultural flavour, with a fantastic line up of talented artists performing throughout the night. You’ll also enjoy light displays, decorations, a giant Christmas tree and some Christmassy stalls to browse.
From 6.30pm
• Live performances commence
• Yummy food truck meals will be available throughout the night through Wellington Food Truck Collective
• Santa arrives and will be seated for kids to have a visit and chat with
• There’ll also be Christmas stalls to get Christmas gifts
• Line up for the evening includes:
- 6:30-6:40pm - Te Ara Putarara
- 6:45-7:15pm - Kaya
- 7:20-8:05pm - Manu Toroa and the Last Weather Watcher
- 8:10-8:40pm - Benjamin Tofilau
- 8:45-9:10pm - Ladyfruit
- 9:15-9:30pm - Porirua Taonga Puoro Orchestra
Sunday 4th December, 6.30pm – 9.30pm
To wrap up our opening festivities, we’re supercharging things with not only a visit from Santa but our favourite superheroes as well. This will be a great night full of entertainment and fun.
From 6.30pm
• Superheroes arrive and will greet the kids until 7pm
• Santa arrives and will be seated to visit and chat with the kids
• Yummy food truck meals will be available throughout the night through Wellington Food Truck Collective
• Nick Tansley and his pop-up Christmas carols from 7pm until 8.30pm
• Plus decorations, light displays, stalls and our giant Christmas tree
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A Very Welly Christmas
Christmas in the capital just got a whole lot bigger and better.
We’re closing part of Lambton Quay for the weekend and filling it with activities and entertainment. There'll be choirs, carols, candy canes, marching bands, memories, magic, igloos, icicles, snowballs, skating and Santa!!
Be there at midday for the arrival of Santa, and stick around on Saturday evening for carols with a magnificent massed community choir and the always fantastic Royal New Zealand Air Force Band.
This is a truly Wellington event with community participation at its heart, so please remember that Christmas is a time of giving — we’ll be asking people to dig deep and help support the Wellington Children’s Hospital.
We’re closing part of Lambton Quay for the weekend and filling it with activities and entertainment. There'll be choirs, carols, candy canes, marching bands, memories, magic, igloos, icicles, snowballs, skating and Santa!!
Be there at midday for the arrival of Santa, and stick around on Saturday evening for carols with a magnificent massed community choir and the always fantastic Royal New Zealand Air Force Band.
This is a truly Wellington event with community participation at its heart, so please remember that Christmas is a time of giving — we’ll be asking people to dig deep and help support the Wellington Children’s Hospital.
Once Upon a Christmas @ Capital E
ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS (All ages)Join us for fairy-tales with a Christmas twist! Follow the paths through our immersive and magical Christmas forest to discover fairy-tales, imaginative play spaces and lots of fun with interactive activities and creative technologies on the way. Share a wish on our glowing wishing tree in support of the Child Cancer Foundation, and don’t forget to check out our gingerbread house window installation.
CHRISTMAS CRAFTS (Ages 3+)Arm yourself with glue, sticky tape and colourful paper to join us in making creative Christmas crafts in our craft corner.
- Date: Thursday 1 December – Saturday 24 December
- Where: Capital E Central
- Times: Mon-Sat 9.30am-3.30pm (drop-in)
- Price: Free
CHRISTMAS CRAFTS (Ages 3+)Arm yourself with glue, sticky tape and colourful paper to join us in making creative Christmas crafts in our craft corner.
- Date: Thursday 1 December – Saturday 24 December
- Where: Capital E Central
- Times: Mon-Sat 9.30am-3.30pm (drop-in)
- Price: $2 per participant
Christmas Events @ Capital E
CHRISTMAS CREATORS (Ages 8+)
Decorate your very own edible gingerbread house and have fun learning the art of icing. You’ll also get to design your own Christmas photo card in MediaLab – perfect for saying Merry Christmas!
ONCE UPON A TIME (Ages 3+)
Meet Sleeping Beauty, The Snow Queen and the Three Little Pigs and hear what mischief they’ve been up to in this funny fairy-tale PlayShop Performance. Afterwards, have fun in fron of the green screen for your Christmas family photo in the OnTV Studio.
Join us for a day of fun making creative and personal gifts sure to spread joy and smiles. We’ll provide all the materials and you’ll go away with some lovely presents for friends and family!
Decorate your very own edible gingerbread house and have fun learning the art of icing. You’ll also get to design your own Christmas photo card in MediaLab – perfect for saying Merry Christmas!
- Date: Saturday 3 December
- Where: Capital E Central
- Times: 1pm-3pm
- Price: $20 (bookings required)
ONCE UPON A TIME (Ages 3+)
Meet Sleeping Beauty, The Snow Queen and the Three Little Pigs and hear what mischief they’ve been up to in this funny fairy-tale PlayShop Performance. Afterwards, have fun in fron of the green screen for your Christmas family photo in the OnTV Studio.
- Date: Saturday 17 December
- Where: Capital E Central
- Times: 1.30pm & 2.30pm
- Price: Koha
Join us for a day of fun making creative and personal gifts sure to spread joy and smiles. We’ll provide all the materials and you’ll go away with some lovely presents for friends and family!
- Date: Monday 19 December
- Where: Capital E Central
- Times: 10am-3pm
- Price: $45 per participant (bookings required)
The Great KidsCan Santa Run
WEDNESDAY 7 DECEMBER 6.30pm
The Great KidsCan Santa Run at Frank Kitts Park in Wellington is part of an annual run throughout New Zealand: run approximately 2 to 3km dressed as Santa to raise money for KidsCan.
Adult entrants receive a free Santa suit and goodie bag as part of their entry fee. Event proceeds goes to KidsCan to support disadvantaged kiwi kids. The courses are kept easy so everyone can finish, with minimal training and are highly visible for maximum impact.
The Great KidsCan Santa Run at Frank Kitts Park in Wellington is part of an annual run throughout New Zealand: run approximately 2 to 3km dressed as Santa to raise money for KidsCan.
Adult entrants receive a free Santa suit and goodie bag as part of their entry fee. Event proceeds goes to KidsCan to support disadvantaged kiwi kids. The courses are kept easy so everyone can finish, with minimal training and are highly visible for maximum impact.
Johnsonville Lions Christmas Parade
SATURDAY 3 DECEMBER 11am-12pm
Tawa Christmas Parade
SATURDAY 3 DECEMBER 2pm
Bring along all the family to see a range of floats including local businesses and community groups, bands, clowns, MG cars and of course Santa.
The Lions Club of Tawa has organised the parade each year since taking it over from the local business association in 1999. This community activity is funded by the Tawa Lions Saturday Market assisted by local businesses and other funding.
This year’s parade will include floats featuring Star Wars, Pirates, Disney Princesses, the Red Hackle Pipe Band and the Trust Porirua City Brass Band. Numerous community groups contribute with a wide range of floats, vehicles and people with Santa being the major attraction.
Entrants for the parade assemble at Tawa School in Oxford Street at 1.00 pm with the parade starting at 2.00 pm. The parade route is from Oxford Street onto the Main Road (by Mexted Motors), through the town shopping centre, into Surrey Street back along Oxford St to finish at Tawa School. Road traffic will be diverted through Tawa, Duncan and McLellan Streets for the duration of the parade until approx. 2.45 pm.
Bring along all the family to see a range of floats including local businesses and community groups, bands, clowns, MG cars and of course Santa.
The Lions Club of Tawa has organised the parade each year since taking it over from the local business association in 1999. This community activity is funded by the Tawa Lions Saturday Market assisted by local businesses and other funding.
This year’s parade will include floats featuring Star Wars, Pirates, Disney Princesses, the Red Hackle Pipe Band and the Trust Porirua City Brass Band. Numerous community groups contribute with a wide range of floats, vehicles and people with Santa being the major attraction.
Entrants for the parade assemble at Tawa School in Oxford Street at 1.00 pm with the parade starting at 2.00 pm. The parade route is from Oxford Street onto the Main Road (by Mexted Motors), through the town shopping centre, into Surrey Street back along Oxford St to finish at Tawa School. Road traffic will be diverted through Tawa, Duncan and McLellan Streets for the duration of the parade until approx. 2.45 pm.
Merry Movie Christmas Upper Hutt Santa Parade
SUNDAY 4 DECEMBER from 3pm
Lights, camera, action! It’s a Merry Movie Christmas in Upper Hutt
The Upper Hutt 2016 Santa Parade will take place on Sunday 4 December, commencing at 3pm.
You’re invited to come and celebrate the joy of Christmas with your community at this year’s Upper Hutt Santa Parade!
Crowds of over 5,000 flocked to Main Street last year to enjoy this much-loved event, and this year will be even bigger! The 2016 Parade is set to be more exciting than ever with a Merry Movie Christmas theme. A Home Alone float will draw some attention, along with replicas from the hit movie Cars! The parade will also star a giant, 5 metre tall Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, live music, costumed characters, and of course, a guest appearance from the one and only Santa Claus!
Lights, camera, action! It’s a Merry Movie Christmas in Upper Hutt
The Upper Hutt 2016 Santa Parade will take place on Sunday 4 December, commencing at 3pm.
You’re invited to come and celebrate the joy of Christmas with your community at this year’s Upper Hutt Santa Parade!
Crowds of over 5,000 flocked to Main Street last year to enjoy this much-loved event, and this year will be even bigger! The 2016 Parade is set to be more exciting than ever with a Merry Movie Christmas theme. A Home Alone float will draw some attention, along with replicas from the hit movie Cars! The parade will also star a giant, 5 metre tall Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, live music, costumed characters, and of course, a guest appearance from the one and only Santa Claus!
There are lots of great Christmas ideas to check out on the Toddler in Tow Christmas Pinboard!
Christmas Recipe Ideas
Here are a few tasty Christmas treats found on the web. Click on the pictures below to be taken to the recipes!
And if you do happen to make any of them we'd love to see your photos and hear your feedbackon them. toddlerintow@gmail.com
And if you do happen to make any of them we'd love to see your photos and hear your feedbackon them. toddlerintow@gmail.com
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Christmas Crafts
Click on the pictures below to be taken to the websites they were found on!
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Christmas Fun
There are lots of great activities online to help you and the kids get into the holiday spirit. Here are a few we've found!
Visit Christmas Lights
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Check out this website to find where all the lit-up homes are!
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Christmas Countdowns
Check out the Christmas Countdown website here or download an app for your phone so you can quickly answer the "How many sleeps until Christmas?!" question each day without having to do the math. :)
The Wondrous Wellington Advent Calendar
Check out the advent calendar each day in December for great vouchers/deals to be used in the city!
Video from Santa
Give a special video message from Santa Claus! In just a few easy steps, you can create a personalised video from Santa Claus for your children, friends, family members or colleagues a you choose, by providing a few little details about the person.
Bailey LOVES this each year- It is a MUST do!!
Bailey LOVES this each year- It is a MUST do!!
Elf Yourself
Turn your family into a bunch of Christmas elves with Elf Yourself - the kids will love it!
Personalised Holiday E-cards/Videos
Create a personalised e-card to send to family and friends. Watch as JibJab use your photos to create fun singing, dancing holiday characters!