Christmas officially arrived at Chartwell Shopping Centre, as hundreds of Waikato families gathered to welcome Santa Claus in a fun-filled afternoon of festive entertainment, fun, and joy.

Held on Saturday 15 November from 12pm – 3.30pm, the Centre came alive with free family activities, including face painting, balloon twisting, Christmas entertainment, visits from Louie the Lion and a live saxophonist. The atmosphere was buzzing as whānau explored the activities, enjoyed the entertainment, and soaked up the magic of the season together.

At 1.30pm, crowds gathered in Centre Court for the moment everyone had been waiting for — Santa’s grand entrance! Kids’ faces lit up as Santa made his way through the crowd in the sleigh, waving, laughing, and spreading Christmas cheer to mark the official start of the festive season at Chartwell.

Parents shared how much they appreciated having a free, family-friendly Christmas celebration to kick off their holidays, with many saying the event helped build excitement for the weeks ahead. “Seeing the joy on children’s faces as they met Santa was truly magical,” said Linda Jackson, Marketing Manager. “Christmas at Chartwell is about bringing our community together, and Santa’s arrival set the tone perfectly.”

With Santa now settled into his cozy home at Chartwell, families can enjoy Santa Photos, including Sensitive Santa and Pet Photos, with bookings available here. 

We want to give a huge thank you to everyone who joined us for Santa’s arrival, we loved celebrating the start of the festive season with you.

If you missed this event, don’t worry, there’s always something exciting happening soon! Simply sign up to become a Little Royal to be the first to hear about our next big event, or keep an eye on our website to see what’s coming up next!