The Myer Christmas Windows were an Australian tradition for nearly 70 years, though they faded even before Myer left the Brisbane CBD in 2023.Credit: Visit Brisbane
Where is the “Christmas magic” in Brisbane this year?
For decades, the Myer Centre in Queen Street Mall held the monopoly with its annual Christmas-themed window display.
The installation was originally made popular in Melbourne – where the first window, ‘Santa and the Olympics’, drew shoppers to Bourke Street in 1956 – but became embedded as a Queensland custom once the Myer Centre opened in 1988.
The first Myer Christmas Window: ‘Santa and the Olympics’ on Bourke Street in Melbourne, 1956. Credit: Myer
“It was a beloved tradition for many years, captivating consumers with its imaginative scenes,” says Griffith University consumer expert Graeme Hughes.
“It was a significant event … as it attracted large crowds to the CBD and generated excitement for the Christmas season.”
Uptown, as the centre is now known, has struggled to keep up appearances, with this year’s window offering a lacklustre attempt at enthralling passersby.
Even before Myer left the CBD, the tradition was winding down, with creative, automated elements replaced by marketing materials and product placement.
Hughes says it reflects the decline of department stores, which were once the focal point of shopping experiences. “The rise of online shopping and speciality retailers has eroded this dominance.”
Uncertainty over retail in the CBD lingers, and we’re unlikely to see commercial shopfronts host the same “Christmas magic” again.
But that’s not to say all traces of seasonal splendour have met their end. Here’s where else to find the Christmas spirit in Brisbane this year.
The Enchanted Garden
Set over 22,000 square metres of Roma Street Parkland, The Enchanted Garden, now in its ninth year, is an immersive light installation featuring fairy lights, illuminated sculptures, projections and soundscapes. While angled towards kids, the show is enticing for all ages, with tickets starting at $7 and family packages available. Enjoy the licensed bar and food trucks from 5pm on the Celebration Lawn. Bookings are recommended and sessions run every 15 minutes from 6.30pm to 9.15pm.
The Enchanted Garden runs until December 21.
Sono Lumo – Festive Nights of Sound & Light
Presented by The Star Brisbane, Sono Lumo is another immersive light and sound show illuminating the CBD this year. The free “audiovisual spectacular” created by global experiential agency Rizer launched on Wednesday and runs for 10 nights in the Queen’s Wharf precinct by the river. Expect electronic music, dynamic lighting, snow machines and seasonally inspired cuisine.
Sono Lumo runs until December 15.
Revellers enjoying the snow machine at the launch of Sono Lumo, the light show presented by The Star at Queen’s Wharf.Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt
Christmas Tiny Doors
Did you ever believe in fairy houses? Or wonder where elves live? Nothing captures a child’s imagination quite like a minuscule portal for the mythical, which is essentially what local artist Mace Robertson has created with his “tiny door” installations.
“There is a nice little narrative where you get the impression that there’s someone there a tiny world and the door is closed so they’re not home and you’ve just missed them,” the artist told this masthead last year.
There are 13 tiny doors to find this year, hidden from Post Office Square to Burnett Lane and South Bank.
Find a map of Brisbane’s Tiny Doors here.
South Bank Nightly Christmas Parade
What could be more magical for a parent this Christmas than free entertainment for kids? From Saturday, the Piazza at South Bank will host an ensemble of beloved festive characters, starring in a nightly parade through the precinct from 6pm. Expect singing elves, dancing reindeer and a heavy dose of holiday music.
South Bank Christmas Parade runs December 14-22.
Santa arrives at Eat Street Northshore
Christmas would be incomplete without a sighting of the jolly fellow. If you want to fold it into a night out, add Eat Street to the list. Santa is dropping by the food and entertainment markets on MacArthur Drive in Hamilton from 4.45pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 4.15pm on Sundays.
Visit Santa at Eat Street until December 22, and see the full event schedule here.
City Hall Lights, King George Square, Brisbane, 2024. Credit: Visit Brisbane – Christmas in Brisbane
City Hall Lights
In an annual tradition dating back to the 1950s, King George Square is graced by the towering presence of a 22-metre Christmas tree, one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The sight is best enjoyed at night, when the tree is lit up against a vibrant visual display cast across City Hall.
Catch City Hall Lights every 15 minutes from 7.30pm until midnight from until December 24
Christmas on Queen
The Myer Centre Christmas windows might have permanently exited the CBD, but it hasn’t spelled the end of the festivities in Brisbane’s preeminent shopping precinct. From December 6, shoppers can expect live festive entertainment and pop-up performances throughout Queen Street Mall from 11am until 3pm.
On the department store front, David Jones in QueensPlaza is doing its bit with Santa photos, roving toy soldiers, carollers and a pop-up shop in the lead-up to Christmas.
Christmas on Queen runs until December 24.