Welcome to your one-stop Christmas 2016 page. Scroll down as we show you where to find the best Christmas Lights around your town, photos of some of the top Christmas trees this year and details of any Christmas events in a town near you in the lead up to the most jolly time of the year.
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But first, it doesn’t matter if you have all your shopping done, or you are leaving things until the last minute – the clock is ticking and we have it for you right here, with the days, hours, minutes and seconds left until Christmas Day.
Christmas Lights:
Growing up it was always a tradition in my family that after Christmas eve mass we would head around town to look at the lights. It was such a social event because most of the families in town had the same tradition, and it was a very small town.
If you don’t have time to drive around all the streets looking for lights this year, take note of some of the best on our handy map before you head out. And if you are visiting friends or family in another town, our map has lights from right across the central and western regions.
Take a great photo while you were out on your travels? Or find some lights that we missed? Click here and add them to our map to share with everyone.
Do you have the region’s best Christmas Tree?
Coming up with a theme for my Christmas Tree is always one of the fun parts of early December for me – this year it’s all about the colours of the rainbow and every way you look at the tree seeing a different combination of colours (nope, I don’t have kids yet).
I have seen some amazing trees this year, and we are really keen to see yours. Click here and add your tree to our gallery, and show off all that hard work! Who decorates the tree in your house?
Growing up we always had a real tree in our house, these days, it’s a little easier for me to have a plastic one, but I do miss the smell of a real pine in the house during December. Take part in our poll and share your thoughts on trees – do you have a real, or a fake one.
Elf on the Shelf
Do you have an elf in your home at this time of the year? We hear they get up to a few crazy things each night as they head back to the North Pole to deliver their report. Take a look at our 2016 Elf on the Shelf gallery – we had 190 photos submitted for the gallery!
What crazy things have you seen them getting up to? Share your photos with us. Email them to lpinkerton@fairfaxmedia.com.au.
Letters to Santa
It’s one of the most important letters a child should send this month, we we have a couple right here. Find out what children around the region are asking Santa for this year in our Letters To Santa features.
What’s your favourite Christmas Movie?
‘TIS the season.
And no I don't mean for puddings, colourful lights and manic crowds at discount outlets.
I mean 'tis the season for watching Love Actually as many times as I can between the end of November and the end of Boxing Day.
A few more Christmas items
A look back in time - Bathurst's Christmas lights: Bathurst residents love decorating their homes with beautiful lights at Christmas time. Take a look back at the massive displays some people have created in years gone by.
Orange, Bathurst lacking Christmas cheer, but it can be found in Dubbo: A lack of Christmas decorations in public areas around Bathurst and Orange has caused some residents concern this year, after magical displays in each town over previous years.
Cook up a storm – Brad Myers' tips for a Christmas feast: Delicious food that still gives you time to spend with family and friends is the key to a great Christmas, according to Veldt chef Brad Myers.
His Christmas favourite is ‘sous vide’ turkey breast with apricot and thyme stuffing, honey-glazed carrots, duck fat potatoes, brussels sprouts with shallots and back fat bacon and a salad of cos hearts, crispy pancetta and soft-boiled eggs with Caesar dressing.
Dubbo toy run: Noisy machines bearing soft and cuddly gifts for the less fortunate have brought the spirit of Christmas to the centre of the city.
About 140 riders took part in the Dubbo and Western Plains Ulysses Branch’s Toy Run on Saturday.
Members of the community lined the streets to watch the parade of vehicles.
The annual event is held in support of the Salvation Army.
Put Christmas in Your Street competition finalists: Thousands of twinkling lights, and a lot of creativity, has impressed the judges in this year’s Put Christmas in Your Street competition.
Six homes have been picked as the best of the best from across Bathurst and announced as finalists.
Among them, were Jake, 10, and Piper, 8, Henry who led the charge for the extensive festive decorations on their parent’s home at 10 Musgrove Avenue in Laffing Waters.
Carols by Candlelight a big hit with festive families: Crowds came early to Sunday night’s Carols by Candlelight keen to secure the best spot to take in the festive action.
Thousands of people were expected to attend the 39th annual event in Machattie Park.
People young and old sang to much-loved carols, as well as hearing a few new numbers by the 100 performers involved.
PARKES: The community of Parkes celebrated Christmas with their 2016 Christmas carnival and the 2016 Christmas Street parade. Journalists from the Parkes Champion Post had a great time covering the events You can see their photos here.
Lynn Rayner
I am the editor of the Daily Liberal, Mailbox Shopper, Western Magazine and associated western publications (Wellington Times and Narromine News which are both online only publications). I have been the editor for three years. I have been a journalist for 15 years and was formally the digital specialist for the Western NSW area assisting with digital coverage and growth across 13 mastheads, including the three dailies. Before that I worked as a journalist in Lithgow and Mudgee covering a number of different rounds. I established the social media accounts in Lithgow and took an interest in the digital aspects of the paper. I started my journalism career at the former Myall Coast Nota based as the journalist-in-charge at Tea Gardens while also working part time in Forster as the council reporter for the Great Lakes Advocate.
I am the editor of the Daily Liberal, Mailbox Shopper, Western Magazine and associated western publications (Wellington Times and Narromine News which are both online only publications). I have been the editor for three years. I have been a journalist for 15 years and was formally the digital specialist for the Western NSW area assisting with digital coverage and growth across 13 mastheads, including the three dailies. Before that I worked as a journalist in Lithgow and Mudgee covering a number of different rounds. I established the social media accounts in Lithgow and took an interest in the digital aspects of the paper. I started my journalism career at the former Myall Coast Nota based as the journalist-in-charge at Tea Gardens while also working part time in Forster as the council reporter for the Great Lakes Advocate.
