Southland keeps its Christmas traditions going with real community effort. The season opens with the Southland Santa Parade, and it ends on Christmas Eve itself in Riverton.
Southland Santa Parade, Invercargill
For many families the Southland Santa Parade is the start of Christmas. Thousands line the central city as floats, bands and Santa on his sleigh travel up Dee Street. It is held on a Saturday in late November. Check the Invercargill City Council events page for this year's date and time.
- Arrive early for a place at the kerb on Dee Street.
- It can be warm. One recent parade day reached 21 degrees, so take hats as well as jackets.
- Shops in the central city open for the day.
Invercargill Christmas lights map
Each December the Professionals Invercargill Christmas Lights competition publishes a map of decorated homes across the city and beyond, with prizes for the best. Download the map, pick a suburb and drive it after dusk. It is somebody's home, so be considerate.
Dusk is very late this far south: the lights are at their best after 10pm.
Shop windows and the central city
"Get Festive Invercargill" is a competition for the best Christmas shop window, decided by public vote. A walk around the central city to choose your own winner is a good free outing with children.
Christmas markets and community events
- A Christmas Market on Esk Street in early December, for presents made in Southland.
- The South Alive Christmas Party in South Invercargill.
- A Christmas event in Queens Park, with food and Santa.
- School and church fairs through November.
Bluff and Riverton
- Bluff holds its Santa Parade and "Christmas in the Bluff" gala day on a Sunday in early December, from 1pm.
- Riverton has one of the last parades in the country: Christmas Eve at 7pm, after which children go home to wait for Santa.
Around Southland
Most Southland towns hold their own parade, mostly on the first two weekends of December. The Southland Times and community pages list them.
Family ideas
- Queens Park: the playground, the animal reserve and the rose gardens in full flower.
- Oreti Beach on a calm evening. It is light until after ten.
- Bill Richardson Transport World on a wet day.
See what other cities have planned in our national guide to Christmas events.
Bring Santa home afterwards
Parades and lights are for crowds. The moment children remember is the one that is only for them. Santa can ring your phone, ask for your child by name and ask what they would like for Christmas. You choose the day and the minute, so it can ring as you get home from the parade or the lights.