My favourite things to do during Christmas in Sydney

Summer is here, silly season is upon us, and an Aussie Christmas is in order. If you want to make the most of the holiday season and embrace a summery Aussie Chrissy, here are the must-do activities, iconic Sydney events and fun-filled spots that will make your Christmas unforgettable.

Having spent Christmas in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, I’ve grown particularly fond of the Aussie holiday season, especially the combination of seafood, Christmas ham, beach swims, sunscreen and pavlovas.

Sydney is always buzzing in the lead-up to Christmas, with seasonal events popping up across the city to spark festive spirit and celebrate the holiday to come. I’ve handpicked my favourite things to do during Christmas in Sydney, because sometimes, the huge number of options can be overwhelming. Stick to my list, and you’re guaranteed to have a stellar Aussie Chrissy.

1. Best Market: Carriageworks Christmas Market

Mark your calendars on December 20th, because the best farmers’ market in Sydney will host their annual Christmas edition, meaning you can stock up on all the artisanal goods and gourmet produce necessary for the perfect Christmas lunch or gifting hamper. Carriageworks will host over 120 stalls, which will include beloved Farmers Market regulars like The Food Farm and Vannella Cheese, alongside some special guest vendors like Saturday Night Pasta, Vinden Wines and Hunter Candles (which are the perfect Christmas present).

As a regular at the Carriageworks Farmers Markets, I can confirm there’s nothing better than wandering down to the precinct, grabbing a coffee from the AP bakery stand, and catching up with friends while perched on a milk crate. Their Christmas edition will feature extended shopping hours (running from 8am to 3pm), as well as tunes from DJ La Foxy Fuzz to keep the energy high.

You can also check out the full lineup of Sydney Christmas Markets here.

Where: Carriageworks, 245 Wilson St, Eveleigh NSW 2015.
When: December 20, 8am-3pm.
Price: Free entry.

2. Best Christmas Date Night: Outdoor Cinema

One indicator that it’s Christmas in Sydney is the sudden presence of outdoor cinemas across the city. As it nears December 25, they begin to switch up their programs to put on all the best Christmas classics. One of my favourite date night activities is heading to an outdoor cinema on a warm evening (I’d recommend Mov’In Bed Cinema in Barangaroo for an especially cosy night) and watching a comfort Chrissy film on the big screen.

If you’re after a Christmas movie screening, Mov’In Bed Cinema will show Elf, Love Actually and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Sunset Cinema in Bondi will show The Holiday as well as Love Actually, and Home Alone. Moonlight Cinema in Centennial Park also has a jam-packed Christmas, featuring How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Last Christmas, The Polar Express, Home Alone 2 and many more.

3. Best Aussie Tradition: 36-Hour Seafood Marathon

It’s Sydney’s most iconic Chrissy tradition, when Sydney Fish Market retailers open their doors for 36 hours straight, from 5am on December 23 to 5pm on Christmas Eve. They’ll be expecting to sell a whopping 350 plus tonnes of seafood, including 120 tonnes of prawns and almost 70,000 dozen oysters (yes, really). If you want to lean into a real Sydney Christmas, attending the seafood marathon is a must (as is coming away with an unrealistic number of prawns). There will even be a special appearance from Santa on both days to make the huge event extra festive.

Where: Sydney Fish Market, Bank Street, Pyrmont.
When: December 23 at 5am until December 24th at 5pm.
Price: Free entry into market; seafood prices vary.

4. Best Kid-Friendly Event: Christmas Concert at Taronga

It’s hard to beat the views from Sydney’s most beautiful zoo, and Taronga knows how to do a summer concert well (just check out the lineup for the upcoming Twilight at Taronga series). This family-friendly event will feature special guests all the way from the North Pole (think plenty of little helpers and the big man himself), all set against that iconic Taronga view of the Sydney Harbour. There will be grazing boxes available to purchase at the event, plus beverages and hot food, though you’re also welcome to BYO food too. Add a picnic rug, gourmet hamper or chillazy chairs to your booking for an extra special experience.

Make sure you pre-purchase your ticket online as there won’t be any available to purchase at Taronga Zoo on the day.

Where: Taronga Zoo Concert Lawns, Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman NSW 2088.
When: Saturday, December 13, 6pm.
Price: Adult ticket: $43.30, Concession: $38.97, Junior (2-15): $36. Kids under 3 go free.

5. Best Christmas Feed: Centennial Homestead

If cooking isn’t on your agenda this Christmas Day, head to the Centennial Homestead for a true Aussie Christmas Buffet. Located right in the heart of Sydney’s sunny Centennial Park, Centennial Homestead serves up a monster Christmas Day buffet, featuring canapés on arrival, a charcuterie and cheese station, a seafood station, a carving station and a smoky BBQ station. You can refill your plate with as many prawns as you like, and even hit my favourite part at the end, the huge chocolate fountain. To create that perfect Christmas atmosphere, there’s also festive Christmas music playing, an appearance from himself and special lawn games.

Where: Centennial Homestead, 1 Grand Dr, Centennial Park NSW 2021.
When: Choose a two-hour seating between 1:30pm and 6:30pm on Christmas Day.
Price: Adult: $195 per person, Children: $75 per person.

6. Best Christmas Morning Activity: Go for a swim

It seems like a random recommendation, but there’s really nothing better than starting your Christmas morning with a dip at one of Sydney’s beautiful beaches, especially if your usual holidays are spent in the chilly Northern Hemisphere or nowhere near a beach. You’ll see plenty of people donning red swimwear or lounging on the beach with their Santa hats on. Another classic Aussie tradition to get involved with, this refreshing start to your day will set the tone for the perfect Christmas in Sydney.

7. Best Christmas Decorations: Martin Place

It’s a basic choice, but you can only appreciate the sheer size of the Martin Place Christmas Tree when you see it in person.  Standing at 25 metres, it’s the tallest tree in NSW, with 800 branches and a suit of over 110,000 LED lights and 330 glossy baubles with a 3.4-metre star as the crown. The giant Christmas tree lights up each day from 8pm to midnight with a regular choir singing carols at its base. It’s one of those things that is sort of a right of passage to check out when you spend Christmas in Sydney (if you don’t happen to walk past it anyway!).

Where: Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: From November 27, 2025, until January 4, 2026.

8. Best Boxing Day Activity: Watch Sydney to Hobart

It’s the 80th year of the prestigious Sydney to Hobart yacht race, one of the most challenging offshore races in the world. This year, 142 yachts will race, exceeding last year’s starting lineup by 38 and making it the second biggest fleet this century (just behind the 2019 race, which celebrated Sydney to Hobart’s 75th year. This year’s fleet includes competitors from all six Australian states and eight different countries, as well as 11 women-owned yachts and skippers.

If you’re a sailing super fan or just fancy a sunny day out on the water, I’d highly recommend booking a cruise to watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Captain Cook Cruises have a great selection, including a lunch cruise, a BYO picnic cruise and a cruise to Bondi. These cruises range from $85 per person to roughly $229 per person, though if you’re watching on a budget, head to popular viewing spots like Bradleys Head, Watsons Bay and North Head.

Where: Starts in Sydney Harbour.
When: December 26 at 1pm.
Price: Captain Cook Cruises range from $85 per person to $229 per person.

For even more things to do this Holiday Season, head to our roundup of 30 things to do in Sydney this December.