Two Christmas villages, European-inspired market: Annual holiday light-up returns to Orchard Road
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Returning to the Christmas village is the 14m-tall Mastercard Christmas tree.
PHOTO: ORCHARD ROAD BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
Koh Ming Lun
Follow topic:
- Orchard Road's Christmas light-up returns from Nov 8 to Jan 1, 2026, celebrating Singapore's SG60 with festive lights and the Merli mascot.
- Visitors can expect photo spots like the Toa Payoh Dragon Playground, Christmas villages at Ngee Ann City and Shaw House, and a Christmas Eve street party.
- The event, supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, aims to boost spirits and raise funds for more than 300 social service programmes and projects.
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SINGAPORE – Visitors to Orchard Road’s signature light-up this year end can expect photo spots featuring nostalgic Singapore icons and a revamped Christmas village along the shopping belt.
Christmas On A Great Street, which heralds the holiday season from Nov 8 to Jan 1, 2026, will also mark Singapore’s 60th year of independence.
A 3.1km stretch of Orchard Road from Tanglin to Dhoby Ghaut will be adorned with sparkling Christmas wreaths, ribbon swirls and festive lights. The decorations will also include the SG60 logo and Singapore’s mascot Merli, an illustration of the mythical Merlion.
The 2025 Christmas light-up blends festive tradition with Singapore’s national identity, said Mr Mark Shaw, chairman of the Orchard Road Business Association (Orba), at a media conference on Oct 29.
The festivities are expected to draw four million to five million people.
Visitors can take pictures at photo installations, including one featuring the iconic Toa Payoh dragon playground motif in front of Mandarin Gallery, and another depicting a trishaw led by reindeer in front of Shaw House Urban Plaza.
An artist’s impression of how the installation featuring the iconic Toa Payoh dragon playground motif will look in front of Mandarin Gallery.
PHOTO: ORCHARD ROAD BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
Two other installations are a miniature version of the shopping belt’s main arch with Merli in front of Ngee Ann City, and a giant festive wreath in front of Wisma Atria.
Visitors can enjoy a revamped Christmas village at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza, featuring a new Christmas carnival with four attractions and rides, festive food and beverage treats, and home-grown craft beer.
One highlight is a European-inspired Christmas market, which will have wooden cottages, traditional garlands and iconic Christmas wreaths.
“Inspired by European traditions but infused with a local twist, the village will showcase numerous F&B and retail brands, including an Instagrammable Hitachi Santa House for creating family photos and timeless memories,” Mr Shaw said.
Returning to the Christmas village is the 14m-tall Mastercard Christmas tree and its accompanying snowfall shows at 8pm and 9pm nightly. There will also be weekend live performances from Nov 15 to Jan 1, 2026, by performers such as Maia Lee, Rob Collins and Emma Loh.
The 2025 Christmas light-up blends festive tradition with Singapore’s national identity.
PHOTO: ORCHARD ROAD BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
Another Christmas village will be located at Shaw House Urban Plaza, with carnival rides, games and photo spots. In 2024, both villages attracted a combined total of more than 1.1 million visitors.
On Christmas Eve, revellers can join a street party featuring live performances, a mascot parade, food trucks and buskers, among others. Stretching 400m from Ion Orchard to Ngee Ann City, the street party will run from 8pm to 12.15am.
The section of Orchard Road from the Paterson Road junction to the Bideford Road junction will be closed to vehicles from 6pm on Dec 24 to 2am on Dec 25.
The Christmas Eve street party
The light-up ceremony, co-organised by Orba and the Community Chest in collaboration with SG Cares Giving Week, will be officiated by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Nov 8. The event will raise funds for more than 300 social service programmes and projects.
Orba will continue its effort to reduce waste by reusing some of 2024’s Christmas lights and donating lights to local animal therapy charity Equal. Charities and community groups interested in reusing the 2024 decorations can contact Orba.
Orba is also organising outings to the Christmas village for senior citizens, and open-top bus tours for healthcare workers and migrant workers.
A 3.1km stretch of Orchard Road from Tanglin to Dhoby Ghaut will be adorned with sparkling Christmas wreaths, ribbon swirls and festive lights.
PHOTO: ORCHARD ROAD BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
Shoppers can look forward to a street bazaar pop-up from Nov 28 to 30 and Dec 26 to 28. They can also visit activity booths and watch daily performances and carolling from Dec 16 to 22.
On the facade of Hilton Singapore Orchard, a 100m-tall multimedia projection, in partnership with OUE, will showcase three minutes of Christmas-themed content. And on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, a one-minute countdown will be held there.
The annual light-up, now into its 42nd year, is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, Hitachi and Mastercard.
“In a time of global uncertainty and economic volatility, we hope that our annual tradition of welcoming the holiday season with goodwill, joy and celebration will lift spirits as the year draws to a close,” said Mr Shaw.
