Your Ultimate Guide to Christmas on the Central Coast

2025 Central Coast Christmas Lights Map!

An evening drive in the weeks before Christmas is a ritual many Central Coast families love, and with our Central Coast Christmas Lights Map and feature outlining the best-decorated homes it's easy for you to plan your route.

Christmas events on the central coast, Sydney and Hunter

There are some fantastic Christmas events to partake in this silly season – from Christmas Carols and festive markets to fabulous Christmas lights. We've found the best of the Christmas events near you.

Christmas Lights Spectacular at the Hunter Valley Gardens

The Hunter Valley Gardens’ Christmas Lights Spectacular is the BIGGEST Christmas lights display in the southern hemisphere! We absolutely love the beauty and magic of this event, and we were blown away again this year to see that they’ve (somehow) gone bigger and better. PLUS WE'RE GIVING AWAY A FAMILY PASS! 

fire truck santa runs!

Santa has ditched the sleigh for a fire truck this Christmas. Saint Nick (and the wonderful volunteers of the Coast’s rural fire brigades) will be hitting the streets in their big red trucks to throw lollies from the windows and to wish everyone a very merry Christmas.

Check out our feature to see when Santa’s fire truck will be in your area.

Santa photos & Festive photos on the central coast

We've found the best-of-the-best Central Coast Santa and festive photographers! Plus, we've found lots of gorgeous festive settings where you can have Santa-free (and tear-free) photos of you and your babes. These make stunning snaps that you can display all year long.

Where to Buy a Real Christmas Tree on the Central Coast

There’s nothing quite like having a real pine tree in your living room: we've found a secret local Christmas Tree farm where you can pick your very own, and we've also outlined where Rotary will be selling pine trees throughout December - with all money going to charity. Plus we've found places you can buy decorations, Christmas lights and forever fake trees too.

SUMMER SCHOOL HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES 

It’s getting hot! Summer is here and kids across the Central Coast are gearing up for the school holidays. We know this holiday’s a big one, so we’ve found a heap of awesome things to entertain your kids – from events and kids shows to fun school holiday camps.