Twinkle Twinkle the Christmas lights at Melrose Arch in Joburg. Photo: Gallo Images
Twinkling festive lights are a special event to visit because they only happen once, at the end of the year.
Christmas symbols like angels, wrapped gifts, snowmen and Santas reindeers and sleigh all bring the festive spirit to streets, malls and walls.
Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town have some of the year’s most anticipated Christmas Lights events.
Even though December for most people in South Africa is more of a lifestyle than a month, Christmas can be a dark time for those whose feelings of grief, trauma, loneliness or depression may be heightened.
Turning to twinkling Christmas lights as a form of comfort may seem like a far-fetched idea, but the collective spirit of optimism when the lights turn on in a slow, gradual fashion can help those who attend these spectacular occasions.
Take a trip to Melrose Arch
Destination Christmas is Melrose Arch’s annual walkable Christmas lights event. Entrance is free to see the lights that switch on from 24 November until 8 January 2023.
In between the twinkling lights are performances by the Drakensberg Boys Choir and Jeppe Pipe Band, as well as festive Christmas markets. Think tinsel-enrobed presents, giant teddy bears, illuminated tunnels and instagrammable moments that light up the whole town.
Lights festival at Joburg Zoo
Johannesburg families are invited to the Johannesburg Zoo from 6 December until 1 January. Tickets are R85 for children; R165 for adults, and pensioners are R90.
The typical day-time trip to the zoo transforms into a menagerie of illuminated life-size animal characters with night-time craft and food markets and entertainment. Visitors have a unique opportunity to walk through the zoo to visit the nocturnal animals. The Festival of Lights is in partnership with the Joburg Theatre, which will bring a collection of talented entertainment.
The Joburg Theatre brings both the classic carols by the Tree of Life and zesty performances on 16 December with the Joburg Jazz in the Lights music festival.
The festival’s lineup includes Samthing Soweto, Mandisa Dyantyis, African Jazz Pioneers, Mahotella Queens and many more.
The festive season also forms a popular backdrop for ballet performances – like The Nutcracker – and Joburg Ballet will be bringing snowflakes and festive dancing to the Johannesburg Zoo.
The full programme for the Festival of Lights is available from the Johannesburg Theatre.
Johannesburg families are invited to the Johannesburg Zoo from 6 December until 1 January. Tickets are R85 for children; R165 for adults, and pensioners are R90.
Adderley Street lights up
After taking a break for two years, the Adderley Street Christmas lights are switched on!
Hanging above the City of Cape Town’s bustling Adderley Street, the festive lights shine bright against Cape Town’s majestic sunsets and Table Mountain. The street’s first electrical light that was installed in October 1988 has come a long way as one of South Africa’s most well-known strips for festive lights.
The Festive Lights Switch-On ceremony took place on 27 November in front of the Grand Parade with extraordinary lasers and light projections onto the historic building, featuring snowflakes, kaleidoscopic motifs and a tribute to archbishop Desmond Tutu. The lights above Adderley Street will be up all December.
The best way to view the Adderley Street lights is, of course, at night with a drive or walk through under the hanging lights to view the series of lights from the bottom of Adderley to the top of the street, at the entrance of the Company’s Gardens.
Durban Botanic Gardens Trail of Lights
For one month from 2 December to 2 January, trails in the Durban Botanic Gardens — one of Africa’s oldest surviving botanical gardens — will be illuminated with a festive, Durban-themed lighting extravaganza, the Trail of Lights.
Like many light festivals, the Trail of Lights features festive scenes, illuminated magical characters, Santa’s Grotto, food gardens and markets. But a unique event to Durban’s largest festive lighting event is the “Paws and Claus” evenings on 4 December and 11 December, where visitors are invited to bring their dogs to prance around and enjoy the lights too. These evenings also raise funds for the Feeding the Furballs charity.
Tickets to the Trail of Lights are R80 per person at 6pm, R75 at 7pm and R70 at 8pm.
Twinkling festive lights are a special event to visit because they only happen once, at the end of the year. Christmas symbols like angels, wrapped gifts, snowmen, and Santa’s reindeers all bring the festive spirit to streets, malls, and walls. Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town have some of the year’s most anticipated Christmas Lights.
For one month from 2 December to 2 January, trails in the Durban Botanic Gardens — one of Africa’s oldest surviving botanical gardens — will be illuminated with a festive, Durban-themed lighting extravaganza, the Trail of Lights. Photo: Supplied
Even though December for most in South Africa is more of a lifestyle than a month, Christmas can be a dark time for those whose feelings of grief, trauma, loneliness, or depression may arise. Turning to twinkling Christmas lights as a form of comfort may seem like a far-fetched idea, but the collective spirit of optimism when the lights turn on in a slow, gradual fashion can help those who embrace the lights.