Claudia experience, share & review » Orchard Road http://claudia.sg Reviews, lifestyle guide, happenings and life in general Wed, 23 May 2012 21:04:13 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 A Christmas All Decked Out in Singapore http://claudia.sg/2009/11/a-christmas-all-decked-out-in-singapore/ http://claudia.sg/2009/11/a-christmas-all-decked-out-in-singapore/#comments Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:31:55 +0000 claudia http://claudia.sg/?p=5152 Have you seen the lighted up Orchard Road already? I was among the many who were decking out along Orchard Road on Saturday night to witness the switching on of this year’s Christmas lights. In its 26th year already, Christmas Light-up along Orchard Road is a yearly affair supported by Singapore Tourism Board.

Present at the switch-on ceremony is his excellency President S R Nathan. There were the usual speeches, performances and cheque presentation to the Community Chest from the donors (Hitachi and Starhub).

Performace by JazzKids

Guitar Ensemble and Sparkz, AWWA Teach Me

They sing beautifully!

Mr Hwang, Vice-Chariman of the Community Chest gave his welcome speech. And I couldn’t help but imagine him in red hat and suit when he was speaking. He looks like Santa isn’t he? Doing good deed sure makes one own a benevolence smile…

Community Chest raises funds on a yearly basis to meet the needs of the social service programmes we help support. Community Chest ensures that the fund-raising costs are kept to a minimum. As these costs are covered mainly by Tote Board and Singapore Pools (Private) Limited, every dollar raised by Community Chest will be made available to social service programmes under its care.

The switch on event was hosted right at the start of Orchard Road, at the atrium of ION Orchard. Before the official switch-on, Orchard Road was dark and lifeless. And just like magic, when the lights come on, everything just fell nicely in place. The joy of Christmas can be felt immediately (at least for me lah!).

See how beautiful the lights are! Shots all taken while on a moving topless bus (Hippo Bus), so pardon the quality.

The Blue Zone

The Orange Zone

Orange moving onto the Red Zone

The Red Zone

Actually its not that bad right? Moving bus + no tripod + shaky hands for night shots! Ok lah! LOL! All photos taken with the trusty Canon Powershot SX120 IS.

Other than all these beautiful lights along Orchard Road, this year, the light-up will also be stretched all the way to Marina Bay! I will sure be heading there after the APAC is over. And one more thing which I missed very much about walking down Orchard during Christmas is the well dressed up buildings! I remember many many years ago, all the shopping malls along Orchard will be dressed up for a contest. But it was discontinued in 2002. I am so so so delighted to know that this year, it is going to happen!!

To mark the transformation of the new Orchard Road, Orchard Road Business Association will be bringing the Best Dressed Building Contest back. Get your cameras ready for the great dress-up at the following shopping malls:

  1. Forum the Shopping Mall
  2. ION Orchard
  3. Orchard Central
  4. Paragon
  5. Shaw House
  6. Takashimaya Shopping Centre/ Ngee Ann City
  7. Tanglin Mall
  8. TANGS Orchard
  9. The Centrepoint
  10. The Heeren
  11. Wisma Atria

For more details about the Best Dressed Building and how you can be part of it, go to ORBA’s Christmas site.

To find out the many more exciting line-up and promotions for this year’s “All Decked Out” Christmas, head over to Celebrate 2009 website!

Ending this post with a group shot of fellow friends and bloggers who were at the switch-on ceremony…

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!!!

I is can’t wait for Christmas to come!!! Christmas Party anyone?

OH! I forgot! And that night, I got to not just meet President S R Nathan, I shook his hand for like few minutes while he asked which media I was from! Hurhur! Ok, end of story.

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