Let it snow: How Singapore recreates ‘winter’ in the tropics

SINGAPORE – Nothing triggers the fear of missing out like listening to Christmas songs in Singapore. No walking in a winter wonderland here, or dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh.

But that has not deterred malls and public spaces from ploughing ahead with their dreams of a white Christmas.

For instance, Frasers Property Singapore, which runs malls like Causeway Point in Woodlands and Waterway Point in Punggol, has built its festive programmes around the theme Snow Much Fun. 

The installations include frosty pillars, mats with snowy footprints, and cutesy inflatables designed to thrill children. One of its malls, The Centrepoint in Orchard Road, also features a bubble show on selected weekends during the holiday period. 

Says the company’s head of marketing retail, Ms Zen Lee, who is in her 40s, the intended effect is to “create a misty, wintry atmosphere, bringing the magic of snow to life in a way that is safe, clean and enjoyable for all visitors”.

Frasers Property Singapore is not the only one trying to transport revellers to colder climes. From fake snow to scents that recall the crisp chill of an alpine forest, here are some other ways “winter” is being shipped to Singapore this festive season. 

Soapy snowfall 

Walk past Tanglin Mall at 7.45pm on any day in December, and you might just find yourself doing a double take. Despite the 30 deg C heat, hordes of laughing children are wading through a crystalline avalanche. Overhead, plump snowflakes are cascading from the sky. 

You are not witnessing the extreme effects of global warming, but a nifty little sleight of hand. Foam, lots and lots of it, is being pumped from machines disguised as log cabins.

The mall – one of the first to introduce “snowfall” to Singapore – has been doing this since 1996.

“Since then, it’s become part of our identity, an annual tradition built around bringing joy and connection, and a sense of wonder to the festive season,” says Tanglin Mall centre manager Evelyn Soh, who is in her 50s.

The material used is thick and foamy. “It’s designed to look and feel like real snow, giving visitors an immersive winter experience that’s fun for all ages. The material is also selected for safe use in public spaces and for ease of clean-up, supporting our efforts to manage resources responsibly,” she says.

The mall’s snowfall shows, which run from 7.30 to 8pm every day and also from 8.30 to 9pm on weekends throughout November and December, draw visitors of all ages.

In the blizzard, teenagers angle for the perfect selfie, while children strap on goggles and dive into the sea of white. Parents armed with towels take shelter under the covered walkway – though they, too, cannot resist a photo with the snowy backdrop.

Ms Kausy Selvarajoo’s family was supposed to see the real thing in Japan, but had to cancel their trip because of personal reasons.

“This is our easiest alternative to real snow. It’s magical, even for adults,” says the 35-year-old who works in a cyber security firm. The next stop she has planned for her two children, aged eight and 12, is Snow City. 

Father-of-three Martin Lemoine grew up in the mountains of Haute-Savoie in France, and has had his fill of white Christmases.

“It’s like how people from the tropics never miss the beach,” says the 48-year-old who works in a bank. “I skied so often as a kid, I’m okay now, I don’t miss it so much.” 

The Christmas spirit is an illusion anyway, he says, so this fantasy works. In fact, he adds: “It’s warmer here, so in some ways, this snowfall is more comfortable.” 

His nine-year-old daughter disagrees. “I prefer the real thing. You don’t get wet and your shoes don’t get foamy,” she calls out as she sprints back into the blizzard. 

Standing a few metres away from the family is a group of cleaners, watching the proceedings with amusement tinged with trepidation. When the crowds disperse, they will step in and hose the place down. It typically takes them around half an hour to restore Singapore’s trademark brand of spotless summery order. 

Ms Soh says: “We do ramp up our cleaning team during the festivities to keep everything sparkling. Extra hands help make sure that both the show area and the rest of the mall remain clean and comfortable for visitors.”

Apart from the logistical puzzle, the other challenge for her team is making sure their snow programme stands out in a country that increasingly craves wintry illusions.

“As snowfall experiences become more common in Singapore, we’re constantly brainstorming ways to innovate responsibly and keep the event fresh, with special touches, such as the whimsical toppled star atop our Christmas tree, and the ‘avalanche’ moments that continue to surprise and delight our visitors,” she says.

Over at the Christmas Wonderland, organised by Blue Sky Events and held at Gardens by the Bay, the “snowfall” is more modest.

“It’s not a foam party,” says Mr Henry Chee, 48, Blue Sky Events’ technical consultant. “We just want enough to give visitors a taste of the snow season.” 

His team uses a type of fluid that is designed to evaporate quickly without leaving a messy or slippery residue. It is water-based and unlikely to cause any adverse effects if accidentally swallowed. 

Besides picking the right material, extra thought went into the installation of snow machines, attached to the inside of the Spalliera, a hand-carved wooden structure made by Italian artisans. 

“We spent a lot of time experimenting with different angles and heights to ensure the snow falls gracefully around the Spalliera, creating a stunning visual effect,” says Mr Chee.

To avoid compromising the structure with metal bolts, wooden mounts were used instead, then painted white to match the rest of the design. 

Blizzard Time takes place at 7.45, 8.45, and 9.45pm every night until Jan 1. It will additionally run at 10.15pm until Dec 28.

“We strategically timed our Blizzard Time shows to complement Gardens by the Bay’s Garden Rhapsody Light and Sound Show, building to a crescendo of festive cheer and ending off with a bang,” says Mr Chee. 

“We take into account crowd flow when determining the frequency and duration of the shows, aiming to provide ample opportunities for everyone to experience the magic of the snowfall.” 

And magical it is indeed, especially for Mr Paolo Maimone, 66, chief executive of Namaste Europa, the company behind the luminarie at Christmas Wonderland.

“A project that requires months of work inevitably brings a special emotion when it is finally lit up,” he says. 

“There are two types of emotion. The first is when you see the project lit up, alone, and you lose yourself in its beauty and majesty. In silence. The second is when the public is present and you get goosebumps watching their eyes looking up, amazed and fascinated by the magic that only this light can give.” 

The smell of winter 

Back in the centre of town, the whiff of faraway woodland hangs in the air. InterContinental Singapore at Bugis has traded its signature scent for something more sylvan – notes of fresh pine, cinnamon, aged cedarwood and sandalwood, intended to evoke the fragrance of a “northern forest”. 

“Introducing a special festive scent allows us to create a memorable sense of arrival unique to this time of year, complementing our decor, celebrations and guest rituals,” says the hotel’s general manager Andreas Kraemer, 49.

“If we were to use the same scent for everything, we lose the chance to surprise. Introducing a festive variant keeps the overall experience fresh, especially in a luxury context where novelty is valued.”

The fragrance, which has remained unchanged over the past three years, was developed by local scenting consultancy service La Brise de Parfum. It is diffused through the hotel’s air-conditioning system and topped up once a month. 

Its founder Elizabeth Ho, 60, who has run the company for over 26 years, says that bespoke scents are slowly turning into a hospitality staple. “When I founded this business, I felt that many customers were not ready for this kind of experience. People were thinking it’s only a luxury item, but now it’s essential.

“Scents capture people’s attention. When you scent a place, people tend to hang around longer. Sometimes, they spend more too.” 

Another case in point is Orchard Road. The Great Christmas Village at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza is perfumed with notes of pine, birch, fir, eucalyptus and cypress.

“Visitor feedback has been very positive,” says a spokesperson for the Orchard Road Business Association (Orba), which runs the Christmas village.

“Many have shared that the scent makes the space feel more immersive and reminiscent of a traditional Christmas market. Early observations suggest that the fragrance draws visitors in and encourages them to linger longer as they enjoy the atmosphere, activities and retail offerings.” 

It is diffused from 6 to 10pm on weekdays and 3 to 10pm from Fridays to Sundays at areas with the highest footfall and most interactive touchpoints within the Christmas market. If all goes well, Orba might consider expanding the scented perimeter in the future. 

According to Ms Datina Wee, who developed Orchard Road’s inaugural Christmas scent in 2025, it is supposed to smell cold, clear and expansive – her interpretation of winter in Singapore. 

“We wanted to bring the feeling of alpine winter into outdoor tropical spaces, which is normally impossible. So we built a cold diffusion formula that stays crisp, stable and long lasting in heat and wind,” says the 30-year-old co-founder of local scent company Lynk Fragrances.

“The pine, birch, fir, eucalyptus and cypress create a clean forest air effect. The secret is an ozonic accord that feels like fresh air after rain.” 

Christmas scents tend to be shaped by American holiday staples like gingerbread, peppermint and cashmere. But, in Ms Wee’s view, such saccharine heaviness has no place in a tropical country like Singapore. “They make the space warmer than it should be.” 

On the contrary: “Christmas in Singapore feels slow, gentle and filled with light. We do not experience winter or heavy spices. We experience soft evenings, warm gatherings and moments of calm after a long year.” 

So she has crafted scents that can breathe in the heat, that feel festive but not cloying. While the aforementioned Snowcloud Pine is an Orchard Road exclusive, she has two other festive scents up for sale. 

Cocoa Rose opens with the zesty fragrance of pear and grapefruit, before giving way to silky rose petals wrapped in jasmine tea and coconut, then settling into cocoa butter, vanilla tonka and a soft musk.

Oolong Solstice, meanwhile, evokes golden languidity – that feeling of sipping tea in the quiet of morning – with notes of citrus, fig and oolong. 

The scents, available online or from Lynk Fragrances’ store at Changi Airport T2, are priced from $7.90 for the travel-size hand sanitiser.

The Northern Lights 

For a more arresting display of Nordic magic, head to Rainforest Wild Asia, where aurora lights are being projected onto the walls of The Cavern from 9am to 7pm daily until Jan 4. 

“Using moving-light technology with wave and circle patterns, we created an animated environment that evokes the wonder of the aurora,” says Ms Sandy Lee, 50, vice-president of marketing at Mandai Wildlife Group. 

The illusion is augmented with a gentle shower of “snow” that takes place at 30-minute intervals from 5 to 6.30pm – only in the evening, Ms Lee adds, to ensure that the light effects are most impactful. 

Vibrant lights illuminate the night sky at Gardens by the Bay too. The Borealis experience was devised by Switzerland-based artist Dan Archer and recreates the aurora effect by beaming light onto cloud particles with machines mounted on the trunks of the Supertrees. It is accompanied by an atmospheric soundtrack by French composer Guillaume Desbois. 

The result is a spectacle of sound and colour that varies depending on wind, humidity and temperature. It runs from 9.05 to 9.20pm on Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays (and from 8 to 8.30pm after Jan 1) at the Supertree Grove, temporarily transforming the tropical garden into a radiant Arctic landscape.