Five of Auckland's best Santa parades and grottoes to get you in the festive spirit
Thursday, 23 November 2017
Christmas anticipation is building for kids and so is trepidation for parents.
Feeding littlies' growing yuletide excitement can fast become a drag for harried mums and dads.
Luckily, leading up to the big day, Auckland hosts several Santa parades and Santa grottoes to get you into the festive spirit.
Here are five of the best.
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Farmers Santa Parade
How could we not start off with Auckland's mega Christmas parade event?
Now in its 84th year, the CBD parade boasts dozens of floats, ticker tape and plenty of music.
If you want a Queen St roadside view of Santa's sleigh it's best to get the kids there early for this event starting at 1pm, this Sunday.
Aotea Square will host a public after-party with plenty of food and drink stalls.
This year the parade is raising money for The Salvation Army. Click here for more information.
Smith & Caughey's enchanted forest and Santa grotto
There's no hint of papier-mâché or sticky tape about this upmarket Santa experience.
The Queen St department store's annual fixture is so popular you have to book online.
Once you arrive at your allotted time, elves whisk you by elevator to the darkened enchanted forest, lit by the glow of Christmas dioramas.
A short wander through the forest brings you to Santa's personal sitting room where kids can get a photo.
Afterward, the department store's cafe is the perfect place to get a post-Santa snack.
Birkenhead Rotary Santa Parade
Enthusiastically backed by the local business community, the parade fluctuates in size year by year.
Event organisers call the December 10 parade a 'small town Kiwi community event, in the big city'.
Truckloads of kids take part in the parade, which winds its way through Birkenhead Town Centre from midday.
Onehunga Santa Parade
'See you in Ho-Ho-Honehunga for the Santa Parade!' this year's event organisers say.
The parade kicks off at 11am this Saturday at Onehunga Mall.
Afterward kids can get their phot taken with Santa and also get their face painted for free.
Onehunga shopping precinct visitors should heed several pre-event road closures.
Go to onehunga.net.nz for more information.
Visit Santa at Snowplanet
This is one for kids wanting a Santa experience with all the chills and thrills.
The indoor ski slope in Silverdale is kept at minus five degrees Celsius, so make sure everyone rugs up.
Inside Santa's magic castle, kids can meet Santa and Rudolph, read Santa's special to-do list, and see Christmas letters being sorted by an elf.
Once the kids have met the big red man, they can stay on enjoying a spot of tubing.