Arts
Not-to-be-missed seasonal events
Christmas lights come on
Lighting a golden lantern. Pic by Manilka Jayasinghe
You know for sure the Christmas season is here when dusty Christmas ornaments are taken out of storage and given a clean-up to take their place in the spotlight. Visit the Park Street Mews on December 4 between 7 and 8 p.m. and watch as the Christmas lights are turned on.
Puppet show for the kids
This is one for the young ones! The ‘Catch Find Your Bell – A Christmas Puppet Show!’ will be taking place on December 8 from 6.30 p.m to 7.30 p.m at the Sooriya Village. The puppet show is about Rolly, the baby snail who feels very small and unimportant- but is he really? Come and find out how special Rolly really is.The puppet show is geared towards families with children aged 3 to 10 years old. Tickets are priced at Rs. 1000 and can be booked by calling 011-2552666.
Hilton Christmas Market
Many of us have seen of the pictures of the glorious Christmas markets in Europe and longed to visit – this year that dream can be accomplished by going to the Hilton Christmas Market on December 8 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Get ready to indulge in foodie Christmas treats – eggnog, Glühwein and roasted chestnuts. It is also a perfect place to get a head start on your Christmas shopping.
SOSL Christmas concert
Singing and listening to Christmas music is something that we all associate with the season. On December 9, the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka(SOSL) will present the ‘Family Christmas Concert’ where you can sing along to those well-loved Christmas classics. The concert is at 7 p.m. at the Ladies’ College hall. This year’s programme features fresh and unusual arrangements of holiday classics for both chorus and orchestra. The Old Joes Choir and the Menaka Singers will collaborate with the SOSL to present a number of traditional songs and carols in a very new light. Tickets are available from the Lionel Wendt Theatre.
Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker
Another Christmas related event not to be missed is the Christmas with Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker presented by the Orchestra of the Gustav Mahler Society in Colombo on December 15 at 7 p.m. The concert will be at the Defence Services College and tickets can be purchased at the Commons Coffee House or by calling 0778079335. On the programme are seasonal favourites such as ‘The Nutcracker’, ‘O Holy Night’, ‘Do you hear what I hear?’, ‘Winter Wonderland’ and ‘Jingle Bell Rock’.
Christmas Gift Market
If you’re into Christmas markets, here’s another! Wrap It Up! The Christmas Gift Market will be at Park Street Mews on December 16 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. With over 20 vendors who will be selling a plethora of interesting goodies, it’s just the place to find inspiration to do your last-minute shopping. Children who want a break from the shopping craziness, can head over to the bouncy castle or try some arts and crafts and maybe make some homemade Christmas cards.
Light the Sky
What possibly could be more beautiful than watching golden lanterns ascend into the sky? Join ‘Light the Sky’ on December 22 at the Galle Face Green between 6 to 8 p.m. Organized by the Kandy District President Scouts and President Guides Association, the proceeds will be donated to help the Kandy Cancer Home. Buy a lantern as a way to do a good deed this season, and watch it going up as you wish for the good health and recovery of these patients.
Colombo Christmas Wonderland
And if you want to have a Christmas day out, drop by the ‘Colombo Christmas Wonderland 2018’ which will be taking place from December 24 to January 1 at BMICH from 4 to 12 p.m. The “Colombo Christmas Wonderland” was designed to be a combination of a carnival, food festival and shopping event all in one. A perfect place to take your kids as there will be a ‘Kiddies Entertainment Park’, equipped with a merry-go-round, kiddies train and a bouncy castle. For older folk, there will be rifle shooting, horse riding and bungee jumping. It is also the perfect place to enjoy culinary delights at the street food festival. After a bit of shopping, you can sit back and relax while watching a movie at the mini movie theatre. All this at ‘Colombo Christmas Wonderland’.
Year End Shopping Carnival
The ‘Year End Shopping Carnival 2018’ will present you with the perfect way to finish any end of the year shopping you want to do. Taking place from the 28th to the 31st of December, at BMICH from 10 am onwards, the event is scheduled to offer consumers unbelievable discounts and offers.