I don’t think many people would even know it is Christmas in Tuggeranong.
The Hype Dome has few decorations.
Walking through there you would be forgiven for thinking it was just another day.
And, every other business in Greenway appears to have forgotten it is Christmas.
What is wrong with businesses in Tuggeranong joining forces, [...]

Christmas Is The Time by Finnigan and Brother
Following Babyfreeze’s unexpectedly catchy contribution to the Christmas Single genre out of the local original music scene we have a second entrant.
Finnigan and Brother have put the above entry onto Bandcamp with this note:
Composed in Medellin, Colombia, in celebration of that drowsy figure of American folklore, Papa [...]

[ 24 December, 2012; 6:30 pm; ] The NCA are letting people know that the Carillon will be in full song on Christmas Eve:

The 12th Annual Christmas Eve at the Carillon’ concert will be held from 6.30pm to 7.30pm on Monday.

The free concert will feature a range of Christmas music performed by local carillonist, Astrid Bowler.
NCA chief executive, Gary Rake said the [...]

[ 22 December, 2012; 8:00 pm; ]

News Flash ! :

Cell Block 69 to carry out a totally awesome post apocalyptic feat !

Sure, by the time that December the 22nd comes around the world will have already ended. But don’t let that get you down. Why not loose those apocalyptic blues by spending a night with Corey ?

Laugh it away with Corey. [...]

This year it seems that Christmas eve coincides with a Monday.
It looks like every restaurant in town is closed for dinner, and most for lunch.
I am looking for a nice place to go with a group, and I am sure I am not alone - does anyone know of somewhere that is open for dinner, looking for [...]

The ACT Government is busily publishing their Christmas service details.
To that end we have the Canberra Connect shopfront hours.
But ACTION have also let it be known which of their confusing array of services schedules will be in effect.
And there we have the precious snowflake known as the “Christmas Day Timetable.
And there we find the [...]

[ 22 December, 2012; 10:00 pm; ] One of Canberra’s less spoken of traditions is Christmas Eve at The Phoenix.

People who’ve moved interstate come back to see their families and by Christmas Eve already need a break, so they go to the Phoenix to catch up with old friends and Fred Smith plays a killer set before the bell is rung vigorously [...]

Babyfreeze is an amalgam of some of Canberra’s most exciting musical talents.
For Christmas they’ve gifted us with three videos made in recognisable locales. Above is “Christmas Number One”.
They sent it in with this note:
THE ELECTRO YULETIDE IS HERE!
Merry Christmas to all the Boom-bapaholics- The Babyfreeze Christmas Video EP is available right here, right now! Cameos [...]

It’s that time of the year again, and we’re hosting our annual Santa Is A Baller Tournament all around the world, raising funds for our programs in Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and PNG!
Date: Sunday 16th December
Registration Cost: $50 per team of 4
RSVP:  pierre@bigbangballers.org
REGISTRATIONS MUST BE IN BY MONDAY 10th December NOW FRIDAY 14 DECEMBER!
100% of proceeds will [...]

The Motorcycle Riders’ Association of the ACT annual Toy Run was held on Saturday 8 December, 2012 at Old Parliament House in Canberra. Over 1000 riders, friends and supporters joined in to donate $15,000 worth of toys and $6,000 in cash to support the Salvation Army and St John’s Care.
701 motorcycles, decorated for the season, [...]

The St John’s Care Christmas Present Room has now opened for 2012, and will be operating until the 21st December from 9.30-2pm every weekday. St John’s Care has a room full of brand new toys, games, books and other gifts which have been donated by various organizations and members of the public, and we hope [...]

davidsitsky has shared with YouTube:
Christmas Lights at Bissenberger Crescent
Let me know if you see anything more elaborate.
View Larger Map

Has anyone heard whether this year’s pub crawl is going ahead?
Regardless of what happens, I think I’ll keep up the tradition and show up this Friday at PJ’s in my Santa outfit anyway.
[Photo from 2009 Santa Pub Crawl]

I’ve just had this in which I thought could be of use to some of you:
Join for a tour around some of Canberra’s finest Christmas light decorations and help us raise money for Variety – The Children’s Charity.
Michael Dzido and Daniel Hughes are participating in the 2013 ‘to the top’ 4WD explorer – A trip [...]

[ 9 December, 2012; 5:00 pm; ]

It’s unavoidably Christmas now. But one of Canberra’s nicer seasonal elements are the Carols at Lanyon.

I reviewed it back in 2008 and the Lanyon website has this to say:

An evening of magical Christmas fun. Bring your own picnic to enjoy in the beautiful
Lanyon gardens. Listen to the festive music of the Sing Australia Choir and [...]

With even the most staunch “it’s too early” objector having to can it come the weekend because its December, it’s time to start the thread for 2012.
I have a nearly two year old now, that’s a good enough excuse for me to get out and go look at other people’s lights without needing [...]

Do you want to buy beautiful and inexpensive Christmas cards, and help your favourite charity at the same time?
The Charity Card Shop opens at the City Uniting Church, Pilgrim House, Northbourne Ave, Civic on Monday, 29 October 2012. It will be open from 10 –3.30, Monday to Friday until Thursday, 13 December 2012.
Hundreds of cards [...]

[ 9 December, 2012 to 16 December, 2012. ]

Facebook brings an intriguing option for seasonal cheer and/or christmas parties:

COME ALL YE FAITHFUL!
This December, the Masters of Space and Time invite you enjoy a night of festive frivolity and fabulous food, in conjunction with Teatro Vivaldi Restaurant.

‘Tis the night before Christmas and the Candlegrove Club is feeling the pinch, in the Masters of Space [...]

The Christmas decorations and cakes, etc have arrived in Woollies……
the year has certainly flown…..

This festive season you can make a last ditch effort to improve your standing on Santa’s list.
Katy Gallagher has announced that people will be able to trade in non-perishable food for unpaid library fines.
For every item of non-perishable food donated $2 will be taken off your library fees.
“All food will be donated to OzHarvest Canberra [...]

[ 10 December, 2011; 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. ] Everybody loves to give, but at Christmas we can give a little too much away.

The Canberra Environment Centre’s inaugural Eco Christmas Market will be taking place on Saturday 10th December from 10am – 4pm at the Canberra Environment Centre (Cnr Lawson Cres & Lennox Crossing, Acton, by the National Museum), and is [...]

Territory And Municipal Services are letting the public know that the libraries are doing special Christmas Story Times.
“Once again we will be hosting these popular Story Time sessions at each of our branches over the coming month,” said Vanessa Little, Director, Libraries ACT.
“This is a great opportunity to introduce your child to Story Time [...]

We’ve had this helpful message in from Andrew:
Following from the Christmas Lights post a few days ago I put together an idea that’s been rattling around in my head for the past few years – a Crowd Sourced Christmas Lights Map using a free online crowdmap tool.
https://canberraxmaslights2011.crowdmap.com/main
After doing so I actually realised that there are [...]

Canberra CBD have announced a competition for the best decorated retail story in Civic or Braddon:
As part of the Christmas in the City celebrations we are running a competition for the best decorated retail store in the City.
….
To enter, simply decorate your shop window with a Christmas theme and submit a photo of [...]

As we are all so green these days, Christmas lights may be a little frowned upon, but they do warm the hearts of children as they warm the environment. So I thought I’d kick off the Christmas lights 2009 with this beauty (apologies for the dodgy photo – I need a better camera and less [...]

Last year’s was awesome! 
Does anyone know if it’s happening again?

There’s just one day left before the 12 days of Christmas come to an end.
Here are our most recent entries in the RiotACT Christmas Tree Competition.
The first is from Kerces family home, the second is from the National Library as sent in by NFP.
Slideshow of all our 2008 entries below:

The twelve days of Christmas don’t end until 6 January. So there’s still time to send in your entries.
Here’s three more in from the Johnboy parental units, Digga, and Loose Brown.

You can send your photos in to trees@the-riotact.com
Slideshow of entries to date below:

[First Filed: December 25, 2008 @ 16:55]

Gungahlin Al has sent in his Christmas Tree. Christmas havving 12 days we’re still taking entries.
Send them in to trees@the-riotact.com
Slideshow of all entries below:

[First Filed: December 22, 2008 @ 09:02]
I’m not really here, just doing the Christmas trees.
And a fine crop we have with contribution, respectively from Danman, CleptaK, and Nik73.
If you want your Christmas tree features just email it in the trees@the-riotact.com

Slideshow of all the entries below:

Apfel Pie was very impressed with the effort this bus driver had gone to.
But the cake was most definitely taken by Purp Penguin’s friends with a legendary feat of vomit bomb consumption.
If you want your tree considered for competition email it in to trees@the-riotact.com
Slideshow of all the entries to date below:

Hairy Noised Wombat has sent in the Bureau of Statistics’ contribution to Christmas Trees.
Only a couple of days to go, get your pictures in to trees@the-riotact.com
Slideshow of all out entries below: