Discovering the Christmas Lights Trail
Christmas in Australia is undoubtedly different from home, and this year, it’s a whole new dimension altogether. To get into the Christmas vibe, I went to explore the Christmas Lights Trail last Sunday, a series of light sculptures and displays scattered all over Perth’s CBD until January 3, 2021.
One of the things many people (including me) love about Australia is the beautifully sunny weather. Whilst it’s on the one hand very pleasant that even in the Australian winter months (i.e. summer in Europe), it stays relatively warm in most parts of the country, I also miss the distinct seasons back home. Moreover, I’m still getting used to spending Christmas in 30 degrees plus. I’m not complaining, it’s lovely, but if you spent the vast majority of your life celebrating Christmas in winter, being here for the holiday season is a change for sure. This year, not having seen my family for over a year due to Covid, I very much struggled to get into a festive mood altogether.
Thankfully, the city of Perth really does its bit to spread some festive cheer. The (over thirty) different stations of the Christmas Lights Trail are worth a visit day and night. I discovered it coincidentally when I was out for a drink in Perth’s cultural and entertainment hub, Northbridge. At the Northbridge Plaza, a huge serpent is glistening glamorously in the beaming sunlight during the day and dazzling with lights at night. It joins a cockatoo and an old Christmas yute on the Christmas Lights Trail, which can be found next to the Western Australian State Library and the Museum of WA.
Yagan Square, connecting Northbridge and the CBD, features a canopy of lights called the Constellation Tunnel. This installation lights up in different colours and patterns in tune with the music. Three fluffy looking reindeers with saddles are waiting to be mounted in Kings Square and there are many more light installations to be discovered in the shopping malls of Murray and Hay Street.
Our walk along the Christmas Lights Trail coincided with a performance of the free Christmas Concerts at Forrest Place. These concerts are happening every Sunday before Christmas and I was truly impressed with the quality of the performers on stage. We arrived at the end of a nativity play and just before the finale, which saw three wonderful singers perform Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas” with all of the actors on stage.
Leaving the malls behind, we got to the Christmas Projections on St. George’s Cathedral, also part of the Christmas Lights Trail, which I found particularly stunning. Many people stood in awe, watching a nativity scene, Santa’s sledge whizzing across the dark night sky, the Australian landscape with emus and kangaroos running across the land and much more. At some point, we even saw Santa taking a selfie with a quokka!
We ended our walk down by Elizabeth Quay, were a majestic golden swan protectively spreads its wings over its silver chicks.
If you’re ever in need for some Christmas cheer in Perth, I highly recommend you check this out with your own eyes.
