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    Family Christmas Guide: Christmas Markets, Lights, Carols, Meet Santa & Kids Gift Ideas in Illawarra

    Family Christmas Guide: Christmas Markets, Lights, Carols, Meet Santa & Kids Gift Ideas in Illawarra

    Searching for magical Christmas lights, local Christmas markets, Santa photo’s, Carols or kid’s gift ideas? Here at Parents Guide Illawarra, we’ve wrapped up the best of Christmas events in Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama and Illawarra wide! Get inspired for family fun times this season. We’ve included many free Christmas events too.

    Pssst, Christmas is amazing, but those long summer holidays are tough. We got you! Read our sanity saving, Illawarra Summer School Holiday Activities & What’s on Guide.

    Where to get Santa Photos:

    Santa Photos at Dapto Mall

    Make this year’s festive photo extra special with both Santa and Mrs Claus in the frame at Dapto Mall. Book during selected times to include Mrs Claus, or if your little one is nervous, she’s happy to shine solo for a more comforting photo experience. No need to decide in advance – both Santa and Mrs Claus will be there, ready to make your Christmas memories merry and bright!

    Sensitive Santa and Pet Photos also available + get $10 off your weekday Santa Photo! Select dates and times from 15 November – 24 December – book now here.

    Illawarra Christmas Markets

    Check out our sister website, What’s on in Wollongong’s Ultimate Guide to Illawarra markets

    Best Christmas Light Displays in Wollongong & Illawarra

    After dinner and sunset, pop the kids in the car and cruise the Illawarra’s best suburbs and streets for Christmas lights. Crank up the Christmas tunes and enjoy the magic of these amazing home displays.

    Here are the best Illawarra suburbs for Christmas lights:

    • Woonona’s Edgewood Estate
    • Farmborough Heights
    • Cordeau Heights
    • Albion Park & Albion Park Rail
    • Figtree
    • Horsley

    Get more streets and suburbs for the Best Wollongong & Illawarra Christmas Light Displays.

    Christmas Carols

    View our What’s On calendar for all Christmas, NYE & School Holiday Activities

    Best Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids (Local & Online!)

    Support local AND get meaningful gifts:

    Wrapped Up – Christmas Mobile Gift-Wrapping Service, Wollongong / Illawarra

    It’s the season to be jolly… not stressed! Too many gifts and not enough time? Wrapped Up takes the pressure off with their mobile gift-wrapping service designed to make life easier. They pick up, beautifully wrap, and deliver your gifts back to your door with FREE pick-up and drop-off across Campbelltown, Camden, Wollongong and the Illawarra.

    Now taking bookings for Christmas 2025 — limited spots available and they fill fast! Perfect for busy mums and dads, seniors, or anyone short on time (or motivation!), you can even choose their handy “Wrap While You Wait” service right at your doorstep. To book, call Natalie on 0410 546 989 for a quick chat – or learn more here.

    More Kids Christmas Events

    Sunset Cinema Wollongong is back with all your classic Christmas movies! Get 20% off tickets with Parents Guide Illawarra

    Get ready for magical summer nights under the stars as Sunset Cinema returns to Wollongong from 11 December 2025 to 28 March 2026! It’s the perfect Christmas outing for kids and families — a fun, festive way to spend time together as the year winds down.

    Get 20% off tickets with Parents Guide Illawarra: Use discount code ParentsGuide20 at the online checkout when purchasing your tickets online.

    Set in the beautiful Wollongong Botanic Garden, enjoy a stellar holiday-season lineup featuring Christmas favourites like Love Actually and Elf, as well as exciting new releases including Wicked: For Good, Zootopia 2, and Now You See Me: Now You Don’t. With freshly popped popcorn, sweet treats, a food truck, and a licensed bar, plus the option to pack your own picnic, it’s a festive outdoor experience kids and adults will love. Kids under 3 are free. Book your 20% off tickets now.

    Looking for even more family-friendly Christmas events happening across Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama and the Illawarra? Our top Christmas events are:

    Every Wednesday this December (10am–12pm), Tabatinga Dapto transforms into a festive Little Elves Lab with weekly hands-on Christmas activities perfect for crafty kids and curious little explorers. Each Wednesday brings a new themed experience – Letters to Santa on 3 Dec, Jolly Rice Jars on 10 Dec, Merry Puzzle Making on 17 Dec, and Reindeer Food Making on 24 Dec – giving families a magical mid-week outing filled with creativity and Christmas cheer. No bookings required; included with paid entry. Member-only promotion. Limited availability.

    • The Shellharbour Club (above) is bursting with festive cheer, family fun, and plenty of reasons to celebrate! From their Ham Raffles kicking off 12 November, to three huge nights of Toy Raffles & Gadget Bonus Draws featuring over $40,000 worth of prizes. Plus, don’t miss Santa’s special visits and a whole line-up of merry surprises including Christmas Hairstyling for kids!

    Free Santa Storytime at your local library, 5 – 19 December

    Ho ho ho! Santa is coming to your library for a special Christmas Storytime, filled with favourite festive stories and songs to get everyone into the holiday spirit. Parents, grandparents, and carers are all welcome to join in as we giggle, dance, and jingle along together. After Storytime, children can have their photo taken with Santa, creating a free Christmas keepsake — just bring your own phone or camera to capture the moment. With sessions across multiple Wollongong libraries throughout December, this festive event is free and no bookings are required — simply drop in and join the fun!

    • Dreaming of a Green Christmas, Saturday 20 December, 11am – 12pm (pictured below)- presented by The Eaton Gorge Theatre Company at the Wollongong Botanic Garden. Join cheeky elves Elfis and Elvin as they prepare for Santa’s Aussie visit. Their mission? To find a local animal to help lead Santa’s sleigh and discover fun, sustainable ways to celebrate a greener Christmas. This interactive outdoor show is packed with festive cheer, audience participation, and joyful moments for the whole family. Kids under 4 are free. Book your tickets now here.

    Joylands Carnival – Windang, 26 December – 26 January

    Joylands Carnival is bringing the fun to Windang these Christmas and Summer School Holidays, lighting up Windang Memorial Park every night from Boxing Day, 26 December 2025 through to Australia Day, 26 January 2026. Running nightly from 6pm–10pm (ticket box opens 5.30pm), this classic seaside carnival features thrill rides, family favourites, sideshow games and loads of delicious food trucks. Pre-book online to save on 4-hour unlimited ride armbands, which can be used on any night of the carnival, or purchase ride coupons on-site. Expect big fun, bright lights and non-stop excitement all summer long.

    Explore the full list of Christmas events, markets and what’s on here

    Where to buy Christmas Trees (live ones)

    • Bunnings (Kembla Grange, Shellharbour & Bellambi) – Potted Christmas-style trees available beginning of December. Cypress pine varieties; reusable year after year
    • Leisure Coast Garden Centre – Cut trees in stock from 30 November on a first-in, best-dressed basis. Smaller potted trees also available
    • Burnetts On Barney (Kiama) – Trees available from 30 November.
    • Santa’s Farm (Tullimbar) – Freshly cut trees available from 1 December, 9am. Open 7 days a week until sold out.
    • Christmas World (Albion Park) – Freshly cut USA-style, Australian-grown trees from 1 December
    • Bulli Greengrocer – Trees available around the beginning of December. Option to pre-order and get a call when trees arrive
    • Tilba Farm Trees (Wentworth Christmas Festival) – 5–9′ tall, beautifully shaped trees grown on Tilba Farm
    • The Rose Tree Garden Centre (Berry) – Traditional potted Christmas trees available. Many slow-growing varieties suitable for reuse year after year

    Holiday Park Availability on South Coast NSW (Christmas, New Year & January) – with accommodation still available for summer school holidays!

    Ready to snag the last beachfront cabins and summer holiday spots on the South Coast NSW? You’re in luck—because while Christmas, New Year and January 2026 usually book out months in advance, Parents Guide Illawarra has uncovered rare, golden-ticket availability at several incredible Holiday Haven parks! Think beachside cabins, riverside retreats and family-friendly caravan parks with pools, playgrounds, calm swimming spots and all the chilled-out holiday vibes. These vacancies are as rare as hen’s teeth and will disappear fast—so grab your dream cabin or camping site before someone else beats you to it!

    Parents Guide Illawarra – More what’s on for kids & family

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    Check out these articles below for more ideas on things to do and places to see in Wollongong or the Illawarra (and surrounds):