Christmas shopping in Singapore is serious business indeed. What it lacks in winter vibes, it more than makes up for with festive retail cheer!
Just pop into any of its malls, which will have an impressively decked out Christmas tree or take a stroll along Orchard Road with its beautiful Christmas lights will tell you all you need to know about how big a deal Christmas is in Singapore.
And if you’re wondering if you have to head to Orchard to get your last-minute shopping done, the answer is no. Singapore’s many neighbourhood malls more than rise to the occasion, and you’ll be able to purchase almost every kind of gift imaginable there. And, often at a much better price!
With less than a week to go before Christmas descends upon us for real, here are 8 tips to help you grab that perfect gift for your friends and family without breaking too much of a sweat!
If you have the luxury of not being constrained to shopping during peak hours (after 5 pm on weekdays or on weekends), make full use of it. Avoid the shops during peak hours when the crowds will definitely steal any Christmas cheer you may have.
According to The Business Times, Singapore is heading into an even stronger Christmas season than last year, with international visitor arrivals projected to reach 17-18.5 million this year, driving higher festive footfall across areas like Orchard Road.
Hitting the shops when most of the country is still at work will definitely help. However, in the week leading up to Christmas, many local Singaporeans like to take half-day leave to shop, spend time with family, and soak up the Christmas vibes in Singapore.
Shopping online may seem really convenient, since you can beat the crowds and the queue and simply click to purchase. But this close to Christmas, you’ll want to make sure that the online retailer you’re purchasing from is able to deliver well before Christmas Day itself.
Alternatively, some retailers allow you to pick up your purchases yourself. This may be a better alternative because you can still skip the queues and the pressure of shopping in a crowded store. Just make a beeline to collect your purchases from the counter, and you can head home.
While Orchard Road is certainly the shopping hotspot, you have to head to Orchard to get your last-minute shopping done, the answer is no. Singapore’s many neighbourhood malls more than rise to the occasion, and you’ll be able to purchase almost every kind of gift imaginable there.
Local tip: Only head to Orchard if you’re looking for a specific luxury, fashion, or beauty brand that you absolutely cannot find in a neighbourhood mall, or if you want to take in the iconic Christmas light-up that spans an impressive 3.1km this year.
Almost every residential neighbourhood in Singapore has a pretty sizable mall that’s similar to those along Orchard Road. These malls often have popular stores where you can buy a variety of gifts. For example:
Clothes, cosmetics, and toys: H&M, Uniqlo, Sephora, Toys R Us
Various sports brands: Adidas, Nike, Puma, and Skechers
Electronics department stores: Harvey Norman or Best Denki.
It’s a lot less crowded at the neighbourhood malls during off-peak shopping hours, so it’ll probably make for a less stressful shopping experience. Some neighbourhood malls worth checking out are:
Nex at Serangoon
JEM or Westgate at Jurong
Tampines 1 or Tampines Mall in Tampines
Northpoint City in Yishun
Local tip: Changi City Point in Changi and IMM at Jurong are also interesting malls you should visit for great deals, because you’ll find factory outlets of many international and popular brands.
Especially for the younger generation of Singaporeans, gift cards at their favourite stores or experience gifts are very much welcome too. This can also make your life easier, because you don’t have to worry about buying and wrapping a bunch of stuff. This might take away the fun of unboxing a gift, but what you’re giving them can’t be put in a box. It’s memories that will last a lifetime.
You can purchase gift cards or vouchers to stores like:
Popular
Kinokuniya
Takashimaya (this is a favourite because there isn’t an expiry date, and it can be used at its luxury brands).
Some upcoming experiences that you can consider purchasing tickets to include exclusive performances like:
Luxurious Gold Class tickets to a movie experience at Golden Village cinemas
Day passes to popular family attractions
Exhibitions like the multisensory immersive art playground, Domapine Land.
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One hack that many people don’t know about is that larger department stores like Robinsons, Takashimaya, Tangs, and Isetan offer delivery services for your purchases, some even with next-day priority delivery.
The first thing you do when you walk into the store is check the delivery options at the customer service counters. This allows you to shop with peace of mind, knowing you won’t need to jostle with the public transport crowd with your big bags of goodies on your way home.
Local tip: If you’re shopping for larger items and need to organise your own delivery, the easiest way is through Wise Move. You can book a delivery team with just a few clicks, and they’ll get your Christmas shopping under your tree in no time.
Driving your own car or hopping into a Grab ride may seem like the fastest way to get to your shopping destination, but if you’re headed to Orchard or even any neighbourhood mall, you may want to take the MRT instead.
It’s direct, efficient, and you won’t have to navigate bad traffic. You’ll probably need to squeeze a little in the cabins, but if you’ve managed to arrange for the stores to deliver your items to your address, it’s really not too bad.
Many stores offer complimentary gift wrapping services with a minimum purchase. If you want to enjoy this service, try to complete your shopping before it gets crowded, typically before 4 pm on weekdays, and skip weekends. This way, you don’t have to suffer the inevitable long queues.
Alternatively, if queuing really gets your goat, ask if you can take the wrapping paper, gift tags, or gift bags home and do it yourself.
During this season, queues and crowds are really to be expected, no matter how off-peak you think the timing is. So our best advice for enjoying shopping and having a good time? Soak it all in, crowds and all.
Take in the gorgeous lights and Christmas tree displays as you make your way from mall to mall, stroll down the shopping stretch if you’re at Orchard. Pop into a cafe or restaurant to refuel and eat some Christmassy items on the menu to soak up the festive spirit!
Local tip: Many stores hold sales on 25 and 26 December, so if you’re not in a hurry to grab your item before the 25th itself because your party is on the weekend after, it’s a great idea to head to the stores to enjoy these promotions.
Wise Move is Singapore’s leading choice for movers and packers, helping thousands of customers with home moves, furniture deliveries, piano transport, and more. Since 2017, we’ve delivered reliable, affordable, and professional moving services across Singapore. With Wise Move, you get expert service, fixed prices, and peace of mind every step of the way.
