Christmas cheer at airports

SINGAPORE  If you needed a guide to airports that are in a festive mood this Christmas, Wego a travel search site in the Asia Pacific and Middle East has done its homework on the best spots to be delayed in over Christmas or to catch Santa for a cuddle.
London Heathrow Airport
The UK’s capital airport is spreading the Christmas cheer across all terminals with select restaurants offering free meals for kids, arts and crafts, visits from Pingu, The Snowman and Peppa Pig, with Santa and his elves distributing lollies to those who have been good this year (or maybe very well behaved passengers!).
Vancouver International Airport
inside no 10Expect to be serenaded by an array of talented entertainers embracing the holiday spirit. This year you’ll hear the sounds of the Vancouver Opera, Jennifer Scott Duo, Steinway Young Artists Program, St Andrews School Choir and Clare Brett’s Mrs Claus Musical Christmas Show to name a few.
Singapore Changi Airport
Named the World’s Best Airport for the fifth time at this year’s Skytrax World Airport Awards, Singapore’s Changi Airport has gone all out with some rather unique Christmas activities.
Changi’s Christmas Wonderland is an interactive, multi-sensory show the kids will love. It even snows for around eight minutes. Roving stiltwalkers, puppets, magic shows, jumping castles, storytelling and exquisite decorations top off meet and greets with Mickey Mouse and his friends.
Apart from a German-inspired centrepiece, there’s also picturesque displays of snowy Swiss chalets (T3 transit area), traditional Japanese cottages (T2 transit area), Broadway-styled New York City (T1 transit area) as well as Spanish costumes adorned on huge Mickey and Minnie Mouse topiaries (T2 public area) at five-metres tall.
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Music will fill the terminals with roaming carolers while Santa and his helpers distribute gifts and a walking Christmas tree will welcome passengers to the airport. The very unique Draagbaar Radio Orkest (Portable Radio Orchestra) will amuse and entertain guests, along with the talented Jukebox Boys singing a capella.
inside no 10.1Melbourne Airport
Australia’s southern capital will glitter with decorations and digital festive artwork in both international and domestic departures. Santa will rove throughout, along with his elves who will juggle, perform magic and model balloons into all sorts of creatures.
A live band will rock out the Duty Free shop to get you in the holiday mood.
Hong Kong International Airport
Taking bling to the next level, Hong Kong International Airport features a 16 metre tall Swarovski Christmas tree in Terminal 1. Spanning two levels, both arrival and departure halls, the tree is made up of over a million glittering Swarovski crystals from Austria.
Frankfurt Airport
You can expect an authentically European Christmas tone at one of Germany’s busiest airports. From the check-in counters and beyond to the security check, you’ll be surrounded by decorations to create a truly Christmassy atmosphere.
Live music with the singing angels of ‘Engelsgleich’ and marketplaces which are a highlight during the European festive season, complete the Christmas feel. Shops, bars and restaurants will distribute treats and interactive, instant-win Christmas lotteries redeemed through the airport’s social media channels.
Los Angeles International Airport
At LAX, airlines do a lot of their own decorating, but the airport adds their own touches with decorated shuttles and musical performances by local school kids and community choirs. A feature of LAX are their popular PUPs (Pets Unstressing Passengers therapy dogs) who go throughout the terminal providing a calm distraction to the sometimes hectic pace of an airport. Over the festive season PUPs will be dressed appropriately in their colourful Christmas gear.
inside no 10.2Humberside Airport
Technically not in the airport, but a rather unique Christmas experience no less. In Humberside, Northern England, you can take the family to search for Santa above the clouds. Santa in the Sky is a 60 minute flight for kids where they’ll receive gifts and meet Santa in-flight. For £119.95 per person, it’s something the kids are unlikely to forget.
Helsinki Airport
With twinkling Nordic lights, Finnair’s choir surprised passengers with a flash mob to launch the festive season in mid-November. This far north, and on Santa’s home turf, it’s not surprising that Santa is the most authentic and believable you’re likely to come across. He’ll be sharing chocolate and other treats with passengers throughout the month.
Sydney International Airport
Giving is the theme at Sydney International Airport, where they’ve joined local entertainment charity organisation, Variety, to hold a series of events to raise money for kids and families who need it most. Community partner Rotary has provided collection bins through the airport for passengers to donate to the cause, while volunteers will roam the terminals collecting donations.
Munich Airport
A large Winter Market set up between the two terminals, will help transform the airport into a winter wonderland. The sights and smells of Christmas will waft through the air, along with live entertainment on the Airport’s dedicated ice-rink. Popular films will be shown in an open air cinema and you can slide down a 50 metre long ice slide. A nice way to keep busy while waiting for your flight.

sourced:traveldailynews.asia