Here’s a brief list of fun Christmas activities you can enjoy with your little ones in the coming weeks, and they are all free of charge!
There will be plenty more to come, so remember to check this post and our facebook page regularly for the latest updates.
- 16th November 2015-2nd January 2016: Joyeux Noël at the Balexert shopping centre. Visit the « Chalet du Père Noël » on the first floor and take a free photo with Santa himself! Father Christmas will also pay a visit on the 5th of December 2015. From the 18th to the 24th of December 2015, Balexert will be offering a free gift wrapping service as well, applicable only to presents bought within the shopping centre.
- 18th-31st December 2015: Carrousel de Noël at La Praille shopping centre in Carouge. Children can enjoy a free ride on this wooden merry-go-round on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 11am to 7pm; on Wednesdays from 10am to 7pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 6pm.
Other free Christmas activities for kids at La Praille will include the following:
- Wednesday 25th November; Wednesday 2nd; 9th; 16th December 2015: Contes de Noël, story times in French on the first floor of the shopping centre, next to the Massimo Dutti store. Story times will take place at 2pm; 3pm; 4pm and 5pm. FREE ENTRY.
- Saturday 21st November; Wednesday 25th November; Saturday 28th November 2015: Ateliers de Noël pour enfants et adultes, on the first floor. Workshops are in French and run from 11am to 7pm on Wednesdays and from 11am to 6pm on Saturdays. Suitable for ages 4+ but the presence of a parent/carer might be required. FREE ENTRY, no advance booking necessary.
- Wednesday 16th; Saturday 19th; Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th December 2015: Photo avec le Père Noël on the first floor of La Praille shopping centre. Have you FREE photo taken with Santa on these days and times only: 11am to 7pm on Wednesdays; 10am to 6pm on Saturday 19th; 10am to 4pm on Thursday 24th.
- 28th November-13th December 2015: La ferme de Noël, Christmas farm animals at the Schilliger Home & Garden centre in Gland (VD). The store Xmas decorations are legendary, so pay a visit if you can and marvel at their miniature village; table decorations and Santa’s sledge, perfect for a family photo!
- Thursday 3rd December 2015: Inauguration du Geneva Lux, festival de lumières from 5.30pm at Pont de la Machine in Geneva. Don’t miss the grand opening of Geneva’s Lights Festival! A staggering half-million LED lights and over 14km of Christmas light garlands will light up the city of Calvin during the festive season around Rue du Rhône, Place Longemalle, Bel-Air and l’Ile Rousseau. FREE ENTRY.
- 3rd-23rd December 2015: Noël aux Charmilles, fun Christmas activities organized by Le 99 Espace de Quartier in Geneva. The programme will include a visit from Father Christmas at the toy library on the 23rd of December; a shadow play for children aged 5+ and creative workshops for kids.
- 5th-6th December 2015: Creative workshops for kids at Vitam’ shopping centre in Neydens (France). These free workshops will run from 20am to 1pm, all Xmas decoratiosn made by the children will be used to decorate the tree at Vitam!
- Sunday 6th & Sunday 13th December 2015: La visite du père Noël et sa hotte, meet Father Christmas at the Schilliger Home & Garden centre in Gland (VD) from 10am to 4pm.
- Wednesday 9th December 2015: Marché de Noël des enfants at the Parc des Bastions in Geneva. From 2pm to 5pm children from various schools in Geneva will be selling their wares in what is probably the loveliest kids Xmas market in the world! Children are welcome to sell, buy or exchange books, toys and other Xmas treasures, entry is free for all and a snack will be offered to all children at the end of the afternoon.
- Saturday 12th December 2015: Fête de l’Hiver, in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois (France). A lovely Xmas event for the whole family with plenty of great activities including a Marché de Noël des commerçants; circus shows; story times for children; free street performances by Les Lutins à la neige, workshops for kids and much more. Follow directions for Centre Ville in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, the Parking de l’Atrium will be free of charge on this day. FREE ENTRY.
- Saturday 12th December 2015: Cortège de Noël et démonstration du travail d’attelage de bouviers bernois at the Place de la Visitation in Gex (France). Share a cuddle and a chariot ride with these gorgeous Bernese mountain dogs from 2.30pm until 5.30pm. Father Christmas will be there too, so your little ones can take a photo with him! FREE ENTRY, a free snack will be offered to all children.
- 12th-13th; 19th-20th December 2015: free kids workshops at the Bains des Pâquis in Geneva (Quai du Mont-Blanc 30). These arts and crafts workshops for children will run from 2pm to 5pm and are free of charge. The meeting point is inside the restaurant right at the end of the cabane à fondue.
- 12th-13th; 19th-20th December 2015: Meet father Christmas and have your photo taken! FREE at Vitam’ shopping centre in Neydens (France).
- 12th-24th December 2015: Si Noël m’était conté, free kids workshops, story times and visit from Father Xmas at the Meyrin shopping centre (Place des 5 continents). Xmas workshops for children aged 4 to 12 will take place on the 12th, 16th, 19th, 23rd and 24th of December from 2pm. Father Christmas will arrive on his sledge on Saturday 12th of December at 3pm, with plenty of candy for children!
- 20th December 2015: Oh! Oh! Oh! La rue du Collège, FÊTE NOËL !, free Xmas activities on the Rue du Collège in Nyon (VD). From 11am to 3pm there will be many fun activities for the whole family offered by local shops, including cheese fondue; hot chocolate and chocolate workshops at the Chocolaterie Alexandre; photos with Father Christmas and much more.
- 31st December 2015: Fêtes de Noël et du Nouvel An à Genève. This year the Ville de Genève is pulling all the stops to offer its residents a great New Year’s party, organized in partnership with the Bains des Pâquis. Open to everyone, this free New Year’s party will take place along the Quai de Mont-Blanc and the Jetée de Pâquis. Get ready for the Disco Soupe, live DJ set and fun activities for all. Find the full programme here. FREE ENTRY.
- until 17th January 2016: LA CRECHE DE NOËL dans la ville, spectacular Christmas nativity scene at l’église Notre-Dame des Grâces in Grand-Lancy. It’s a masterpiece of miniature scenes recounting the Christmas story, displayed across a surface of 90m².
The nativity will remain open everyday until the 17th of Januray 2016, from 10am until 6.30pm (except during mass). FREE ENTRY, but donations gratefully accepted.LA CRECHE DE NOËL dans la ville – until 17th January 2016
Eglise Notre-Dame des Grâces
5 avenue des Communes Réunies
Grand-Lancy- Genève
PUBLIC LIBRARIES:
- 1st-23rd December 2015: “En Avent toute, destination Noël !”, Xmas book readings in French suitable for ages 5+ at the Bibliothèque Saint-Jean in Geneva (Avenue des Tilleuls 19). The readings will take place Tuesdays to Fridays at 5pm. FREE ENTRY, no advance booking required.
- 1st-23rd December 2015: Calendrier de l’Avent, story-times, Christmas workshops and afternoon snacks at the Bibliothèque de Carouge and the BiblioQuartier des Grands-Hutins in Carouge. Story times in French are suitable from age 2 and workshops from age 4. You can download the full programme here.
- Wednesday 9th December 2015: Histoires et goûter de Noël at 4pm at the Bibliothèque de Minoteries in Geneva (Parc des Minoteries 3-5). Christmas stories in French, free snack for children aged 4+. FREE ENTRY, no advance booking required.
- Wednesday 9th December 2015: “Une nuit d’hiver au Bois-Joli”, free Christmas show in French for children aged 3+ at the Bibliothèque Saint-Jean in Geneva (Avenue des Tilleuls 19). The show begins at 4pm, FREE ENTRY with no advance booking required.
- Wednesday 16th December 2015: “Le Père Noël est en pétard”, stories and music for little ones aged 3+ at the Espace Grosselin in Carouge (Rue Jacques-Grosselin 31, sous-sol). There will be a performance at 2.30pm and one at 4pm. FREE ENTRY but places must be booked in advance here.
- Saturday 19th December 2015: Atelier Pop’up sur le thème de Noël, kids creative workshop in French at the Bibliothèque de la Servette in Geneva (Rue Veyrassat 9) at 10am for children aged 6 to 8 and at 2pm for those aged 9 to 11. FREE ENTRY, but places must be booked in advance at 022 418 37 82.
- Saturday 19th December 2015: “Sacré Père Noël !”, Christmas show in French for children aged 5+ at the Bibliothèque de la Cité in Geneva (Place des Trois-Perdrix 5). The show starts at 3pm. FREE ENTRY, no advance booking required.
