Life in Oz...: It's Christmas time in the city...

All photos: Life in Oz

Last Friday night, Damien and I decided to go exploring in the city to see the Christmas sights. Since I am a big Starbucks fan (they're not in Melbourne), we grabbed a caramel hot chocolate and hit the streets!
The first thing we discovered with a projected light show on the state library building! It was so beautifully done and it portrayed the Nutcracker story. People gathered on the steps of the building and were mesmerized by the display. It was a great start to the night!

We travelled down Swanston street where charitable bands were playing Christmas music and everyone seemed to be in a Christmas spirit! It was magical! Big department stores had their famous annual window displays on, where kids were lined up down the street to see. It felt like we were in the 50's and it was wonderful.

We then discovered a Christmas square with Christmas trees growing out of presents, a large nativity scene and a digital nativity storybook for all to read. They also played Christmas music as you travelled through the maze. It ended at a large wall of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke telling the story of the birth of Jesus. When we reached the wall, one of our favourite songs came on, "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and I was overwhelmed with emotion. Coming from a "politically correct" country, it was amazingly refreshing to see the city focus it's Christmas displays on the true reason of Christmas.

As we moved along we discovered another light show projected on the Anglican Cathedral which was beautiful. It then led us to Federation Square, where they had a moving Christmas tree forest displayed! It was so much fun! We read that they have a photographer on Saturdays to take family photos amongst the trees and a Christmas picnic on Christmas day in the midst of the forest. What a great city we are in! Although I am not a city gal whatsoever, I am thoroughly enjoying Christmas in Melb. I hope you will too through these pics I took yesterday....