Get ready for Christmas in the Northern Districts

With Christmas just around the corner, we’ve rounded up a few fun ways to get into the spirit, whether that’s a night of singing carols under the stars, getting some festive snaps of your children or pets, or buying gifts for loved ones at one of our community markets.

Start planning now and you can relax later - here are a few ideas to get you started.  

Update the family photos

This is a great time of year to get some professional family photos done to send to family and friends. Be warned - spots book up quickly.

Westfield Hornsby has bookings open for Santa photos from November 12; there are also sessions for sensitive kids and ones for pets.  

Santa on the Beach Pics provide quintessentially Australian snaps in quick five- or ten-minute shoots at various northern beaches including South Curl Curl, North Curl Curl, Narrabeen and Bayview, along with a premium option at the stunning Quarantine Beach in Manly, with dog-friendly sessions available. 

If you want to commemorate your furry family members, Parkes Street Vet in Thornleigh is offering Christmas shoots, as is PetO in Hornsby (you could use the DIY Dog Wash beforehand to ensure beautiful images.)

See some Christmas lights

Here in the Northern Districts we’re lucky to have more than a few homeowners who go all out with their lights. While these are subject to change, Sydney Road in Hornsby Heights is well-established as a Christmas lights destination, along with Beresford Road in Thornleigh and First, Second, Third and Fourth Avenues in Willoughby.

Check out a local market

Turramurra High is hosting its annual Christmas market on December 5 from 5.30-8.30pm. Expect lots of small local businesses selling beautiful products including candles, ceramics, art and jewellery, plus food – entry with a gold coin donation. 

Thornleigh Community Carols in Headen Park will be running again this year on December 15. It will be a relaxed night out with local school bands, food trucks and twilight markets from 5pm. Bring a picnic blanket and settle in for the Christmas carols, which kick off at 7.30pm. 

Hornsby Mall offers markets featuring local artisans and food vendors, and they are sure to get busier as Christmas approaches. The Twilight Markets on the second Saturday of every month have live music and lots of dinner choices, while the Hornsby Welcome Markets on the first Saturday of every month are great for picking up some local produce or gifts. 

Another favourite are the Downtown Markets in Pennant Hills, held on the third Sunday of every month and offering a chance to browse creations from emerging artists and eat some delicious food. 

Get ahead on your Christmas shopping

Sydney local Nagi Maehashi has a new cookbook out, Tonight. Founder of the popular Recipe Tin Eats blog, her new one has more than 150 new recipes – great news for her devoted fans. We’re sure it will be appearing under a few Christmas trees this year.

Speaking of Christmas trees, if you want the magic of a real tree this year, take a drive to Christmas World in Belrose. They start selling fresh Christmas trees every day of the week from the last weekend of November. They plant three seedlings for every tree they cut, so it’s a great way to support tree planting, too. 

And, of course, you can also get ahead with the food. Tender Gourmet Butchery in Hornsby has its Christmas page up and running, with turkeys, ham, duck and even goose to order now, plus all the extras including stuffing mix and ham glazes. 

Are you thinking about buying or selling, now or in the new year?

We are a local independent real estate agency based in Thornleigh and we are always happy to answer your questions. Reach out to Page&Co today.