I had just photographed my fifth successive Christmas tree when Pumpkin finally broke his silence. “Darling, if you saw a random Christmas tree on the streets of London, you wouldn’t photograph it so why are you doing it here?”
I’ll let you in on an inside secret about Pumpkin. See, despite the grumpy exterior and aspirations to emulate Scrooge, he turns into a bit of a softie at Christmas. He’ll deny this thick and strong but the hanging Advent calendar he surprised me with on our first Christmas after marriage, his homemade calorific Christmas ice cream bombe and his proposal for an annual Christmas-themed date night left me in no doubt that come the Yuletide season, his frosty shell melts. But, the cardinal rule is, it must be December. And any merry festivities prior to that go down like a lead balloon.
I was guilty as charged – not for taking photos of Christmas trees in November in Singapore, something I had no remorse about; rather, I was guilty of neglecting the spiky London conifers, for walking past them without mere acknowledgement of their existence. In England, come this time of year, I take it for granted that the streets will be illuminated with gleaming baubles and wintery pines. Last year we toured some of the European Christmas markets in search of festive fun but here in South East Asia, it came as a complete surprise.
Singapore prepares for Christmas
In a country so multi-ethnic but with a sizeable Christian population and swarming with expats, I suppose I should have realised just how excited the population get about Christmas. With everywhere from hotels to shopping malls to tourist attractions gearing up for Christmas, we (or I anyway) couldn’t help but get into the spirit too!
These were just a few of Singapore’s seasonal sights that we stumbled upon as we strolled around this lively city:
Crimson Trees fringe the waterside at Clarke Quay
Shopping malls covered with snow scenes, wandering elves and mock reindeers with children queueing up to have their photos taken.
A towering tree glistening under the chandeliers of the Fullerton Bay Hotel with bow-adorned, Tiffany-teal boxes outside.
Christmas trees meet corporate commercialism near Marina Bay Sands and the surrounding skyscrapers.
The Christmas Wonderland commences at Gardens by the Bay. After the sunken temperatures at the Austrian Christmas markets last year, it was bizarre seeing one take place in baking humidity and flawless blue skies.
Colourful dazzling night lights interspersed with brightly lit malls on Orchard Road, Singapore’s shopping hub. One building competes with another for the title of Orchard Road’s best dressed building. And contrary to my experiences on Oxford Street in London, the roads are wide enough for everyone to be able to absorb and capture the mayhem, despite the crowds and traffic.
And as we try and come to terms with the end-of-holiday blues, we find even more glitzy Christmas bling, one final market and a tree made of cuddly toys at Singapore’s impressive Changi Airport.
Where in the world have you seen beautiful Christmas lights? Was there anywhere that surprised you with its festive decorations?
Part of a monthly travel blog link up
Why Waste Annual Leave? 
I LOVE all of your pictures! I have to say, the best Christmas lights that I have ever seen are from my home — New York. New York City just lights up with beauty at this time of year. My hubby proposed in front of “the tree” at Rockefeller Center and it was just magical, so I will always have a soft spot for New York!
I’m so jealous that you live in New York City Carolann!! Aside from home (London), New York is probably my most favourite city in the world – I just don’t tire of it ever but I’ve never visited at Christmas and it would be a dream come true to do so one day! I’m not surprised that that is your favourite spot for Christmas lights 🙂 Thanks so much for reading and I’m so glad you liked these pics 🙂
I LOVE that Disney tree at the bottom!! It’s too cute! I’m not surprised that Singapore has gone all out like that, with how diverse it is. Some of your pictures could fool me into thinking you’ve visited a christmas wonderland. I’m jealous of everyone’s Christmas themed posts I’m seeing recently… mainly because I feel absolutely no Christmas spirit here in Thailand (yet). I will be in Cambodia for Christmas, and I doubt it’ll be anywhere like that!
Haha, it was strange even for us because Singapore was so Christmasy and full of lights and when we flew to Koh Lanta in Thailand, there’s no way in the world we would have known it was anywhere near Christmas time! I quite liked the cuddly toy tree too – it was the first time I’d seen Changi Airport Singapore and the decorations there were pretty spectacular in their own right! I would love to visit Cambodia – so jealous you’ll be there at Christmas. Can’t wait to read all about it 🙂 Thanks so much for commenting Anna!
This Christmas tree is so massive!! Seriously! However, it’s also extremely beautiful. Hope you’re having a great time. I can’t wait for Christmas to come in Amsterdam!! ❤
Thanks so much Agness! I’m back in freezing England now and it’s so cold that Singapore already seems a distant memory! I’ll be really interested to hear about what Christmas is like in Amsterdam – if you get a free moment, perhaps you could post some pics or posts 🙂
WOW! I would probably cry if I saw that top Christmas tree in person – I’m such a sucker for anything festive! I’d really love to see all the decorations in New York one year. That’s probably my perfect Christmas dream ❤
Snap Emily!! NYC at Christmas would be a dream come true for me too. All the films I’ve seen and all the photos I’ve seen from other people make it look so magical there. I’m a total sucker for Christmas too – I turn into a big child and get all over-excited it as soon as the first mince pies are out on the shelves! Hope you have lots of fun festive activities coming up 🙂
Singaporeans go crazy for Christmas lights – but surprisingly not much happens on the day itself! All the department stores have a competition for the best light display, who did you think did it best?
Yes I remember you saying that about Christmas day itself – to be honest, that’s why I was so surprised even with all the lights and decor as I sort of expected nothing much goes on at all! I liked the store that had all the pink lights with stars and almost a canopy of pink lights but I couldn’t tell you which it was as I got so distracted with trying to snapping the lights that I forgot to take note of the store names – doh! 🙂
Amazing decorations. It looks like Singapore is gearing up nicely for the festivities. So many wonderful and very large trees.
I remember a few years ago walking down Orchid Road drenched in sweat whilst hearing Christmas songs being piped out from the shops. Somehow it just didn’t feel right. If I’d seen all these then maybe I’d have felt more like it especially with an ice rink.
Pumpkin sounds like a real softie at heart 🙂
Awww thanks so much 🙂 I think he is a big softie at heart though believe me, he does a great job of playing the grump quite often!! I know exactly what you mean about how weird it feels seeing Christmas decorations or hearing songs in that weather – when we were at the Christmas markets at Gardens by the bay, it felt so weird walking around in a T-shirt, not sipping hot drinks and not wearing thick warm boots like I had done in Europe in the winter! It just doesn’t feel like Christmas to me unless it’s freezing cold!
Now that’s a Christmas tree! Singapore definitely knows how to celebrate Christmas, gorgeous lights!
Huge isn’t it?! The lights were so dazzling, definitely gave London a run for its money – it just came as such a surprise as I had no idea anywhere in South East Asia got this excited about Christmas! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Wow, it looks like they really do take Christmas seriously in Singapore! I love all of the decorations, and can totally see why they’re more interesting to photograph than those in London! Loving this snow effect you’ve got on the website too, makes the pictures even more beautiful and magical 🙂
Hehe, thanks Catherine – I’m not entirely sure how the snow effect appeared there but I like it too 🙂 They really go all out with the lights in Singapore, I was quite surprised! Thanks so muuch for stopping by!
That is way more Chistmas than my hometown right now – so many lights! It’s all very gorgeous, I didn’t even know that Singapore was that into Christmas! 🙂
Thanks so much Katie, they certainly don’t hold back with the lights! It came as a total surprise to me too, which I was why I got a bit trigger happy with the camera 😀
Wow Singapore definitely pulls out all the stops when it comes to Christmas! Looks like you had a fabulous time discovering all the christmas delights that Singapore had to offer xx
For such a small country, they certainly didn’t hold back with the lights!! It was just so strange walking around all these festive lights and Christmas trees whilst sweating away in the humidity, drinking gree tea frappucinos?!
Haha that’s normal for me! Cold and Christmas so don’t go together for me, you need to be all hot and sweaty on Christmas day 😉 xx
It looks like Singapore does Christmas better than London!! So so pretty and of course you had to take lots of photos of it all. It does look pretty strange though with people walking around in dresses and short sleeved tops when the place is decorated out in Christmas and winter things!
That was just utterly bizarre – I’ve never celebrated Christmas anywhere warm before and it was so strange being in my sandals and summer dress, completely parched with thirst whilst being surrounded by so many Christmas trees! But it definitely made me feel nice and festive before returning home 🙂
Thanks for all the pictures! I haven’t been home (Singapore) for Christmas for a few years now and really miss all the Christmas lightings. Your post is a great consolation for me! 🙂 Glad that you enjoyed your time.
It is amazing that the lights in Singapore are so festive and beautiful. Each year they seem to get even better.
That’s great to hear they’re getting better each year! They really looked so impressive! Thanks so much for reading 🙂