Things to do this festive season: Music, movies and wintery fun

Christmas is on its way to us, so let’s get ready to celebrate this jolly season with gastronomic delights, musical merriment, and good ol’ Christmas movies. Unpack your snuggly jackets and fluffy gloves because winter is coming to town, complete with snow and ice.

Shoot for the stars, or the bullseye

Gather your friends and family for some gastronomy and gaming over the holiday season at Oche (say Oc-key). The high-tech darts venue boasts real darts and dart boards, a full-service bar and a restaurant, so you can enjoy great food and cocktails, good wholesome fun, and smashing good times, whichever package you choose.

For smaller groups and bookings up to 18 people, check out their Christmas menu alongside 85 minutes of darts with either the Mistletoe ($72++ per person) or All the Trimmings ($92++ per person) packages. Thirsty folks, look to their two-hour unlimited drinks packages, starting from $85++ per person for the Bronze package, which come with 85 minutes of darts play and a selection of food from Oche’s delectable menu.

Oche Riverside Point is located at 30 Merchant Road, #01-05/06 Riverside Point, Singapore 058282. Open daily from 12pm — 1am. Packages available till Dec 31, 2022.

A Baroque Christmas with SSO 

Celebrate Christmas Baroque-style this December with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Choruses. Led by Rodolfo Barráez (last seen at the TwoSet Violin concert), the SSO Christmas Fundraising Concert will feature some of classical music’s favourite tunes, from Pachelbel’s Canon to Handel’s Messiah.

Join in the Christmas sing-along right inside the resplendent Esplanade Concert Hall. The concert will also be livestreamed on Dec 16 (ticketed) on SSOLounge.

SSO Christmas Fundraising Concert — A Baroque Christmas runs on Dec 15 — Dec 16, 2022, 7.30pm, at Esplanade Concert Hall, 1 Esplanade Dr, Singapore 038981. Tickets start from S$58, get them here.

Have a white winter carnival at Snow City

For a winter white carnival (complete with actual snow), head down to Snow City! Also featuring Singapore’s first Ice Hotel Experience, make it a day-cation admiring ice installations — icy Merlion, anyone? — sculpted by ice sculptor Jeffrey Ng.

Then, try ice drifting at Singapore’s coldest bumper car arena, or gear up for an icy battle at the Winter Shooting Arena. Round up the festivities with carnival games, dance performances, and, most importantly, spending time with Santa and Santarina.

Snow City is located at 21 Jurong Town Hall Rd, Singapore 609433, p.+65 6560 2306. Open daily from 10am — 6pm during school holidays. Tickets to Snow Play include admission to Ice Hotel Gallery. Tickets from S$22 per adult, get them here.

Make merry with music at Majulah Holiday Special 

Spend the evening in music merriment with some of Singapore’s most talented artists as they bring some festive cheer with their holiday-themed performances. Held in conjunction with Somerfest, Majulah Holiday Special will see talents like Angelo, Layyi, Dominic Chin, Marian Carmel and Benjamin Kheng, belting out popular tracks along with Christmas tunes.

The event is free for all, and pre-registration will earn you a chance to win attractive prizes at the giveaways and lucky draws. Keep your eyes peeled for Santa, who will be giving out some free treats and candies.

Majulah Holiday Special happens on Dec 10, 2022 at 121 Somerset Rd, Singapore 238166 Somerset Youth Park, from 7.30pm onwards. Admission is free, get your tickets here.

Popping good times that is Oh-So-Sweet

Christmas is about to get sweeter! Fans of Sweet Bean, get your cameras ready to snap pictures with life-sized Sweet Bean sculptures at Marina Square’s atrium. Don’t forget to lookout for the launch of exclusive Sweet Bean figurines too.

While you are there, try your hand at cranking up Singapore’s largest gashapon machine. The five metres tall Sweet Bean gashapon machine is filled with over 4,500 gashapon balls, each containing surprise Pop Mart collectibles. Enjoy live band performances by local bands such as Jumpstart, Jason Yu and Arya Yunata; and revel in other merry activities like Christmas caroling and Santa meet-and-greet.

The Oh-So-Sweet Bean Christmas runs from Nov 18, 2022 — Jan 1, 2023 at 6 Raffles Blvd, Marina Square, Singapore 039594. Open daily from 10am — 10pm.

Magical ice wonderland comes to Singapore 

Winter is coming to us in the form of Ice Magic — The Great Fantasy on Ice! The 2,400 sqm winter playground is the largest winter-themed attraction to hit our shores.

Boasting the longest snow slope, a 4.5m-high sculpted ice slide and a 260 sqm ice cycling rink (single and tandem bikes available), visitors are in for some sub-zero temperature fun. Partake in traditional snow sports like snow curling and snow bowling; and experience real snow in the daily snowfalls. So fresh and fluffy you can’t resist making snow angels in it!

Quench your thirst at the ice bar with ice-cold beers and themed cocktails; or get cosy with a warm cup of hot chocolate at Chocolate Origin’s pop-up cafe. Looks like it’s time to dust off the winter wear!

Ice Magic — The Great Fantasy on Ice runs daily from Dec 1, 2022 — Jan 1, 2023 at 12A Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018970, Bayfront Event Space. Entrance timings are 10am, 3pm, and 7pm. Tickets start from S$35 per child and S$45 per adult, family bundles and other concessions apply. Get your tickets here.

12 expressions of Christmas 

What is the holiday season without our favourite Christmas movies?

This year, the ArtScience Museum screens 12 different genres of Christmas movies, from horror and comedies, to musicals and animations. Catch family favourites like Edward Scissorhands and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. Or sing-along with The Muppets Christmas Carol and Frozen Sing-along. Thrill-seekers can seek out The Nightmare Before Christmas and Gremlins. With all these familiar flicks, doesn’t it feel warm and homely like Christmas?

Movie screenings run from Nov 5, 2022 — Jan 6, 2023 at 6 Bayfront Ave, ArtScience Museum, Level 4, Singapore 018974. Free and ticketed screenings at various timings, register here.

This article was first published in City Nomads.