Celebrate The Most Magical Christmas Traditions With Good Cheer

Celebrate The Most Magical Christmas Traditions With Good Cheer

From Yuletide cheers to scrumptious feasts, get ready to soak in the Christmas spirit and discover magical traditions to enjoy this festive season!

Here in sunny Singapore, we may not have White Christmases or even marginally cooler weather for the occasion, but that doesn’t stop us from making the festive season a vibrant and elaborate affair, with our very own Winter Wonderland and streets filled with twinkles and tinsel that light up the night sky. As we approach the month of December—what we and many others deem to be the most wonderful time of the year—look forward to creating the most magical traditions with your loved ones, right here at CapitaLand malls.

Make a gift by hand

Christmas is the season of giving, but this can be stressful for many when searching for the right presents for family members, friends, and colleagues. Well, you can never go wrong with functional, handmade gifts, like the beautiful, one-of-a-kind Jesmonite homeware from Chokmah, including coasters, trinket trays, and plant pots.

What’s more, Chokmah’s offerings are rooted in sustainability, best exemplified by their Broken Made Whole collection that upcycles by-products and waste materials from their signature Terrazzo and marble products to create brand new treasures. To make this Christmas gift especially meaningful, you can even book a workshop for you and your loved ones to create these handicrafts and fond memories together.

For groups with five or more people, you can arrange for a private workshop at Chokmah’s studio in Funan. Image courtesy of Chokmah.

Host a Christmas movie marathon

A tradition not to be missed is screening holidays films to get us into the merrymaking mood in the lead-up to Christmas day, so why not make an event out of it this year? Gather your friends and family in front of the telly, light a festive candle or two from Jo Malone—our scent of choice for the season is Orange Bitters—and get cosy on the couch as you witness magic and miracles unfold before your eyes.

Speaking of festive scents, you won’t want to miss a trip to Raffles City in your Christmas preparations. For the first time, Raffles City Singapore is partnering with the renowned Jo Malone to ring in the festive spirit and shower festive-goers with scents of ginger, spice, and all things nice. That means you’ll get first dibs on a limited-edition Jo Malone London collection, perfect for gifting or to scent your home. If that isn’t enough, there is a 15-metre tall Christmas tree centrepiece for the most glorious photo-taking session too!

Exclusive to Raffles City, the extraordinary Jo Malone London Christmas tree marries the iconic gingerbread man with a whimsical carousel adorned with oversized candies, striped candy canes, and iconic cream and black Jo Malone London gift boxes.

Getting back to the movies, while we’re not lacking in festive films, with plenty more being added to the collection each year, it can be tricky to discern the good ones from the bad (although they do make for some good laughs). With that in mind, here’s a list of some of our favourite Christmas titles that are guaranteed to leave you in a jolly good spirit.

Best story — Love Actually (2003)

There’s a sort of spark about Christmastime that sure can make the heart flutter. For those with a penchant for all things romantic, you’ll definitely enjoy getting entwined in the lives of eight couples (featuring a star-studded cast) as they navigate love, loss, and family in this critically-acclaimed rom-com.

Best laugh — Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

The Home Alone series needs no introduction; this light-hearted and playful chronicle of a boy left alone for Christmas has captured the hearts of audiences of all ages. While they’re all worth the watch, the first sequel takes the cake for its over-the-top slapstick humour and sweet nostalgia.

Best animation — Klaus (2019)

Newest on the list is the multi-award-winning Netflix animated original that has everything you’d want in a feel-good Christmas movie, and even an alternate origin story of Santa Claus. We’re certain it’s one that will delight households for many years to come.

This year, Jo Malone’s gingerbread-themed advent calendar comes with 25 festive scented treasures in the form of candles, perfumes, and bath essentials—perfect for setting the mood for your Christmas movie marathons. Image courtesy of Jo Malone.

Have an ugly Christmas clothing contest

To add some flair to your next festive shindig, we can’t recommend enough an ugly Christmas clothing contest at home. While this trend primarily involves jumpers, you can definitely choose any piece of weather-appropriate clothing you desire, so let your creativity run wild with this one!

If you don’t know where to begin, it can help to look around your surroundings to get the ideas flowing. For instance, the Disney shows we all know and love feature some pretty wild and wacky costume designs. And if you happen to find yourself in a CapitaLand mall this festive season, you’re in luck as we’re celebrating Christmas with Asia’s largest POP MART holiday extravaganza across 16 CapitaLand malls islandwide, where you can snap photos with POP MART Disney-themed toys come to life in jumbo installations and a 360° multi-sensory experience onboard the Enchanted Express. Did we mention there will be three exclusive series of POP MART blind boxes making an appearance too? Just imagine how much fun it will be to dress up like your favourite characters like Mickey Mouse or Cinderella!

All aboard the Enchanted Express, a 360° multi-sensory projection as part of CapitaLand’s holiday extravaganza, in transit at Plaza Singapura (1 to 17 Dec).

Before getting crafty, we’d suggest swinging by Spotlight to stock up on the essentials. Whether you’re envisioning a classically tacky look with sparkly baubles and tassels, or a colourful collage of Christmas-themed characters, you’ll find everything you need amongst the endless aisles of art supplies.

Here’s an idea for the grand finale: have each contestant strut down a makeshift runway to showcase their unique designs, then cast your vote for the best worst Christmas adornment—Project Runway style. And as an added bonus, prepare some eGift Cards from Spotlight to give away as attractive prizes that will come in handy for any and all arts and crafts needs.

Get your hands on a Jolly & Joy Christmas Craft Tub that’s packed with the best festive craft goodies. Image courtesy of Spotlight.

Feast on a hearty Christmas meal

The festivities won’t be complete without a warm festive meal, and Brotzeit is our go-to spot for a classic Christmas feast. In fact, they’re upping up their festive game this year with several Christmas-themed brunch events every Sunday throughout this year-end period, featuring seasonal food, soulful music, and free-flow beverages*.

After a hearty meal, festive sweets are a must too. Those looking for a modern take on the traditional log cake, may we interest you in a log cheesecake from Cat & the Fiddle? It’s exactly what you’d imagine—creamy cheese filling and festive flavours all packed into one Yule log goodness. Even better, all festive cheesecakes from Cat & the Fiddle are going at 10% off this Christmas**, so start placing your orders now!

*Book a table here.

**Promotion ends 31 December. Terms and conditions apply.

That said, don’t feel pressured to stick with the status quo. If minced pies and eggnog aren’t your cup of tea, now’s your chance to try out the many different renditions of Christmas feasts from around the world.

For instance, while turkeys fly off our shelves during the festive period, buckets of KFC chicken are booked weeks in advance in Japan, and feasted on on the night of Christmas Eve. What reportedly started as a false advertising tactic for the sake of marketing a Western brand in an Asian environment has become a unique custom that millions of people eagerly anticipate every year. And quite honestly, we’ll take any reason to indulge in some crispy fried chicken!

By the way, a typical Japanese Christmas pack also comes with a side salad and chocolate cake, so you might want to add those to your list too.

Plan your next get-together at Brotzeit for authentic German beer and good cheers. Image courtesy of Brotzeit.

Good things are meant to be shared, just like the original recipe KFC fried chicken that’s finger-licking good. Image courtesy of KFC.

Spread the joy of Christmas

Beneath the uproar of celebrations come Christmas time, the spirit of love and togetherness remains at the heart of this wondrous season. Unfortunately, not everyone is surrounded by those near and dear to them on this day.

So this Christmas, we challenge you to extend your love to those outside of your circle. You’ll be surprised by how simple acts, such as checking in on a neighbour who lives alone or giving your well wishes to a stranger you meet on the streets, can make someone’s day. It’s truly a rewarding tradition that doesn’t cost a cent, and a good habit to practise even after the festivities are over.

With that, we hope you have the most wonderful Christmas filled with laughter and cheers, and perhaps a new magical tradition to be enjoyed with the family with each festive session.

Merry Christmas, everyone!