Less than one week until Christmas – sleigh it ain’t so!
Local festivities are well underway as the number of sleeps until Christmas quickly slip away. Shops, salons, pubs and cafes have perfectly placed Christmas decorations on display. Riding, driving or walking through town, the spirit of Christmas is all around.
Just as they were last year and the year before that, Christmas lights are back.
With so many Wellington Shire houses dressed in festive Christmas glory and Christmas light-looking being a common tradition, we’ve compiled a list of local places whose Christmas lights will stun even the most solemn of faces.
Sale
Brett Court
Guthridge Parade Sale
Macarthur Street
Ruthberg Drive
Nicholson Street
Ibis Avenue
Swan Lake Drive
Woondella Boulevard
Buckley Street
Allambie Road
Thornley Court
Spoonbill Place
Coverdale Drive
Heron Court
Sale Maffra Road
Woodford Place
Dryden Place
Pattern Street
Ashley Court
10 Christie Court
1, 3, 5, 7 Peppercorn Close
2 Polaris Drive
108 Fitzroy Street
33 Cantwell Drive
8 Tambar Court
Unit 1-2 Glass Street – walk up the driveway for an interactive Christmas Light looking experience. Santa will make a special trip from the North Pole on December 19 and December 20.
Maffra
356 Three Chain Road
109 Carpenter Street
42 Queen Street
9 McCubbin Street
12 Church Street
1 Jacobs Drive
6 Burley Place
Powercourt Street
Johnson Street
Princess Street
Stratford
8 Findley Court
11 Lee Street
86 Blackburn Street
Fitzroy Street
Bolden Street
Peters Drive
Hobson Street
Warnock Way
Surrounds
1700 Sale Cowwarr Road, Denison
25 Pearson Street, Heyfield
71-73 Meridan Rd, Golden Beach
24 King Street, Rosedale
188 Munro-Stockdale Rd, Munro
Main Road, Munro
Around the town
This year the Wellington Shire boasts Christmas events and activities in plenty; with so much on offer, the spirit of Christmas is bound to find even the grinchiest among us.
So what is happening? Where can we go to eat, drink, play or steal a kiss under the mistletoe?
Gippsland Pride’s 1st Rainbow Family Christmas
Gippsland Pride welcomes LGBTQIA+ Gippslanders of faith and beyond to their 1st Rainbow Family Christmas at Heyfield Memorial Hall on Saturday, December 17, from noon.
The event is an opportunity for the local LGBTQIA+ community to come together for reconnection, respite and recharge over a Christmas lunch, with thanks to Uniting.
Not only will there be a full traditional roast spread but there will also be carols, entertainment by the incredible Frock Hudson, and even a visit from Santa.
This is a secure and catered event, so registration is required.
To register go to https://forms.gle/iUu8TcegWSrqUdTf8
Where: Heyfield Memorial Hall
When: Saturday, December 17, 12pm (noon).
Late Night Shopping
More than 50 Sale businesses will be open for late-night shopping on Thursday, December 22.
Retail, beauty, produce, and hospitality businesses will extend business hours on the two Thursdays before Christmas, respectively, closing onwards from 7pm.
Where: See Gippsland Times website for list of participating businesses.
When: Thursday, December 22.
Maffra Christmas Festival
Maffra Christmas Festival is back once again, boasting street performers, live music and entertainment, food trucks galore, drink trucks, market stalls, and so much more. This Christmas party truly has it all!
Where: Johnson Street, Maffra.
When: Wednesday, December 21, 5.30pm till late.
Carols on the Lawn!
Celebrate Christmas with your favourite festive tunes at Carols on the Lawn.
Gather your friends and family and bring yourself a chair, and belt out those high notes without a care.
Pack your favourite snacks and Christmas treats, and for those craving hot barbequed meat, there will be a gold coin donation barbeque to fulfil your cravings; cold drinks to buy are also available.
Where: Sale Baptist Church
When: Sunday, December 18, activities from 4pm, carols from 6pm.
NGA’s Xmas Eve at Jack Ryan’s
Jack Ryan’s Irish Bar’s annual Christmas Eve party returns once again, with this year’s festivities starting earlier than ever, with the day party hosted outside, depending on the weather.
With music from DJs Tobias Hils, Fraser Wain, Emily Cooper, Addison Jack, Balin Greenwood, Damien Hanratty, Zane Petrovic, Korey Dobson and Peter Pirona this year’s festivities promise to be bigger and better than ever.
Where: Jack Ryan’s Irish Bar, Sale.
When: Saturday, December 24, from 2pm til late.
Tinamba Community Carols
St Matthews Soldiers Memorial Church will host its annual Community Christmas Carols on Sunday December 18 from 7pm.
All are warmly invited to attend and bring along family and friends.
Supper will be provided.
Where: St Matthews Soldiers Memorial Church, Tinamba.
When: Sunday, December 18, 7pm.
Christmas at the Port
The Wedge, Gippsland Art Gallery, Wellington libraries, and the Wellington Shire Council are collaborating to host Christmas at the Port.
The free event spanning between The Wedge and the Wellington Centre at the Port of Sale this Christmas Eve boasts loads of fun and exiting Christmas activities for the whole family to enjoy.
There will be arts and crafts, live music, storytellers, market stalls, face painting, giant games, Christmas lights, carols, and loads of food and drinks; it wouldn’t be a Christmas party without plenty of food and drinks to choose from now, would it?
But wait, there is more! Our Wellington Shire Mayor has been hiding some pretty huge contacts because the one and only Santa Claus will be stopping by Christmas at the Port before jetting off around the world to deliver presents to all the good boys and girls.
Where: The Port of Sale, between The Wedge and the Wellington Centre.
When: Saturday, December 24, 2pm until 6pm.
Christmas at The Star
Christmas Eve at The Star is set to be a great night out for the whole family!
For families with young kids, the bistro will be opening at 5pm; a face painter will be in the venue from 5-6.30pm.
Plus, with every kid’s meal purchased, receive a free show bag with an activity pack, candy cane, glowstick and map of some of Sale’s best Christmas lights!
Tie up your dancing shoes and warm up those vocal cords because Ryan Lestrange will play tunes later in the evening from 8.30pm to 11.30pm.
Where: The Star Hotel, Sale.
When: Saturday December 24, from 5pm until 11.30pm.
Christmas Eve Parkrun
Dress in your festive holiday gear, chuck on some joggers and join the Sale Parkrun community for a special Christmas-themed run.
Where: Sale Botanic Garden.
When: Saturday, December 24, from 8am.
Pre-Xmas Sports Camp
Pre-Xmas Sport Camp at the Gippsland Regional Sports Complex offers primary aged children a fun and physical development experience through a range of supervised sports games and team building activities.
This event, hosted on Wednesday, December 21, begins at 10am, finished at 3pm, and costs $50 per child.
To register or find out more, click here.
Where: Gippsland Regional Sports Complex.
When: Wednesday, December 21, 10am until 3pm.
Christmas Services
Sale Baptist Church
When: Sunday, December 25, 9.30am.
Where: Cnr Princes Hwy and Cobains Rd, Sale
Flooding Creek Community Church
When: Sunday, December 25, 10am
Where: Sale Memorial Hall, 82-84 Macalister St, Sale
St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral
Christmas Eve Family Service
When: Saturday, December 24, 5pm.
Where: St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, 149 Cunninghame St, Sale.
Holy Communion
When: Saturday, December 24, 11pm.
Where: St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, 149 Cunninghame St, Sale.
Christmas Day Holy Communion
When: Sunday, December 25, 9am.
Where: St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, 149 Cunninghame St, Sale.
