Bust out the Mariah, slap on a (seasonally inappropriate) Christmas sweater, load up on mince pies and pause your cheesy Christmas movie, because it's time to head out across Sydney/Eora in search of Christmas lights.
These are Urban List's recommendations for where to get into the festive spirit at the best Christmas lights in Sydney and surrounds.
The Best Christmas Lights In The Sydney CBD
Martin Place
Thursday 28 November, 2024–Friday 3 January. 2025
Image credit: Destination NSW | Daniel Tran
Gather the fam to see the largest Christmas tree in NSW in Martin Place, adorned with over 110,000 LED lights, 330 specially created glossy baubles and a a 3.4-metre colour-changing star, with 8000 icicle lights covering the entirety of Martin Place.
The 800 branches of the 24-metre-tall tree are dressed with 15,000 replicas of nine Australian native flowers: banksia, waratah, bottlebrush, wattle, eucalyptus gum flower, kangaroo paw, flannel flower, pink wax flower and white wax flower.
Santa will be in Martin Place between 9am and 10pm daily until Tuesday 24 December for photo sessions (pet-friendly, of course) to support Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation Christmas Appeal.
Every night in December there'll be carols by a Sydney choir between 6pm and 8pm and a Christmas lights display every 15 minutes between 8pm and midnight. While you're in the area, check out the Martin Place Christmas markets.
Queen Victoria Building
455 George Street
Image credit: Queen Victoria Building | Supplied
Historic shopping hub The Queen Victoria Building (QVB) has once again set up its huge Wollemi Pine-inspired Christmas tree—the largest indoor Christmas tree in NSW. In 2024, it's studded with hand-made First Nations created by the Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative.
Different immersive experiences, including an augmented reality light show featuring Southern Royal Albatross-inspired decorations and accompanying soundscapes, can be enjoyed on each level, and between 16 November and 24 December the NCE Sydney Choir will perform seasonal classics every Thursday at 5pm and weekends at 1pm. Learn more about what’s on in the QVB this Christmas online.
The Strand Arcade
412–414 George Street
Image credit: The Strand Arcade | Website
A true representation of the Aussie Christmas, the Strand Arcade's Christmas display is a specially commissioned piece portraying Australian flora. The beautiful creation has budding red flowers, golden gumnuts, and massive green leaves spanning almost ten metres, all hanging from the ceiling.
There's also a four-metre gumnut sculpture on the ground floor with golden baubles, and it's all surrounded by over 27,500 Christmas lights across the installations and building's balustrades.
Pitt Street
Pitt Street Mall, between Market Street and King Street | Thursday 28 November, 2024–Wednesday 1 January, 2025
Image credit: City of Sydney | Website
Once again, Pitt Street Mall will make Christmas shopping magical thanks to its Christmas Canopy of sparkling Christmas lights with 80,000 LEDs and ten stunning, two-metre-tall stars adding serious glimmer to the heart of Sydney's CBD. In 2024, the lights will glisten in ever-changing colours for the first time, so it's worth a visit even if you took in the spectacle last year.
You might also like
- The Best Christmas Markets In Sydney
- The Best Restaurants In The Sydney CBD
- What's Open For Christmas Day Lunch 2024
Best Christmas Lights Near Sydney
Christmas Lights Spectacular
Hunter Valley Gardens, Pokolbin | Until Sunday 26 January, 2025
Image credit: Christmas Lights Spectacular | Supplied
Jump in the car to experience Australia's largest display of Christmas lights, with over four million lights illuminating eight acres of Christmas magic.
As well as the light displays, the Christmas Lights Spectacular has a traditional Venetian carousel, a 35-metre-long slide, Ferris wheel, 10-metre-tall Christmas trees, Twinkle Tree Trail, and the twinkling 12 Days of Christmas LED Display. You can get pictures with Santa in the igloo marquee from 5.30pm nightly, and there are more photo opps like a five-metre teddy bear seat, and themed zones like Winter Wonderland, Toyland and Fairyland.
Check out the program of entertainment including roving performers, carollers and energetic live shows, and treat the fam from the pop-up food and beverage stalls through the grounds. You can get tickets online from $30 for children, $40 for adults, or $122 for family combos.
The Best Christmas Lights In Sydney's North
2 Magic Grove, Mosman
This mega light display has inflatables up and about during the day for kids to play with, including their famous massive Santa (depending on wind conditions).
At night, there are lights, music and cheer for all, with festive contraptions, bubble machines, and lasers also in the mix. This one runs between 7pm and 10.30pm nightly.
4 Farmhouse Avenue, Pitt Town
A magical Christmas lights display with over 50,000 LEDs, interactive snow play and loads of colour, this massive display supports families dealing with cancer.
15 Sofa Street, Marayong
This is the Sofia's Battle crew who used to nail the Christmas lights display in Excelsior Avenue in Castle Hill, but this year they've moved the collection, so seven houses in the Sofa Street cul-de-sac will be completely covered in Christmas cheer.
As always, they'll be raising money for HeartKids and 22q Foundation in honour of Sofia, who passed from a heart condition in 2018.
18 Ryan Ave, Hornsby Heights
Don't miss this cheerful house layered with over 25,000 lights. The feature here is a four-metre-high giant white Christmas tree, and there's a walk-in display you can fully immerse yourself in for an epic Christmas photo opp, and funds raised go to cancer research.
28 Lockwood Street, Asquith
A brilliant Christmas light show awaits at the end of Lockwood Street, with thousands of strands of lights pumping sparkles up the house and down the front lawn of this house.
The Best Christmas Lights In Sydney's South
South Circuit, Oran Park
Image credit: South Circuit Christmas Lights | Facebook
101 Jubilee Avenue, Beverley Park
Image credit: Christmas Lights on Jubilee | Facebook
Don't skip this large Aussie-themed display, complete with snow machines and a musical show, plus plenty of lights and decorations. Kicking off nightly between 8pm and 10:30pm, you can catch it till Christmas Day, and funds raised go to Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect).
13 Dunmore Street North, Bexley
This bright display has an old English or German Christmas feel to it and is now at its most dazzling, alongside reindeer and a towering inflatable Santa. Other than bringing the community together, all donations support the owner’s chosen cause of Lights 4 Kids at the Sydney Children’s Hospital.
The Best Christmas Lights In Sydney's West
76-78 Nuwarra Road, Moorebank
Image credit: Nuwarra Road Christmas Lights | Supplied
Wander through this Christmas lights spectacular that sees six townhouses in one complex absolutely covered in lights creating an immersive wonderland of Christmas cheer.
Last year this location raised over $25,000 for Sydney Children's Hospital, and this year is well worth a visit for some Christmas vibes and supporting a good cause.
Bishop Street, Cabarita
If you’re looking for a street with multiple displays then we recommend Bishop Street where many householders are getting into the Christmas spirit for 2024. Our favourite house here has its lights synchronised to music.
Cumberland Road, Greystanes
Another street with a few houses decked out in the Christmas spirit, this Western Sydney Christmas lights hub is perfect for a family outing.
28 Hixson Street, Bankstown
Be dazzled by the Christmas decorations at this street-corner property. Check out their full nativity display and or rooftop reindeers. The best part is that this house will be supporting SCHF lights of kids this Christmas.
64 Chatsworth Road, Saint Clair
Walk into winter wonderland at this house with an inflatable Christmas tree and nutcrackers welcoming you into the property decked-out with festive lights. Having set up Christmas lights for a decade, this year they will be supporting Light It Up For Kids! and Sydney Children's Hospital.
14 Palena Crescent, Saint Clair
While you're in Saint Clair, be sure to check out the Christmas lights at this property from 8pm—11pm. With a canopy of lights adorning the front yard, enjoy their snow machine from Friday to Sunday to truly get into the Christmas spirit.
The Best Christmas Lights In Sydney's East
5 Waratah Street, North Bondi
An annual head-turner, this North Bondi home is back at it again with a fun and dynamic display. You can expect English village displays, a Christmas archway, firecracker icicles, inflatable kangaroos, illuminated trains, sleighs and more.
48 Beauchamp Road, Hillsdale
This stunningly bright display of Christmas lights in Sydney takes its owners over a month to set up, and features blow-up elements, bubbles and smoke, and a cute window display taking over every inch from the front garden to the rooftop. You can donate to the Make-A-Wish-Foundation when you visit, and they'll have the display up until 1 January.
Now check out
Main image credit: Christmas Lights Spectacular | Facebook
Urban List Best Of: has our highest stamp of approval—curated lists of the very best recommendations for you to eat, do, see, buy or book, carefully chosen by our Editors.