When we were planning our trip, one of the big questions was where we were going to spend Christmas. We wanted somewhere that actually feels Christmassy, even though we were going to be in Southeast Asia. Singapore felt like a good bet because it’s a big metropolitan city. Turns out we were very, very right.
There are a ridiculous amount of Christmas decorations and activities here. Honestly, more than in Canada. Which is kind of weird considering less than 20% of Singapore’s population is Christian. I guess Christmas is more commercial than religious these days. Shocking!
When we landed in Singapore, we already knew the city had a reputation for being extremely strict and tough on crime. This turned out to be a good thing because we are not criminals. The city is insanely clean. I complained a lot about cleanliness in Indonesia, Malaysia was quite a bit better, but Singapore is on a whole other level. Way cleaner than Canadian and European cities. Also, we didn’t see a single homeless person. I really wish people back home were getting better support, because it’s gotten pretty bad. That said, I don't know how they deal with poverty and homelessness here.
One rule we did not expect, and learned about in our Uber on the way to the hotel, was that farting in the car is not allowed. I mentioned earlier that we are not criminals, but in this case, some people in our family might be guilty. Not naming names.
In an earlier post I said Kuala Lumpur was Asia on easy mode. Singapore is Asia on extra easy mode. Unfortunately, it’s also Asia on expensive mode. The city is consistently ranked as one of the most expensive in the world. Honestly though, compared to Ottawa, it didn’t actually feel that much more expensive. I don’t know about housing costs, but hotels weren’t worse than Canada. Groceries were about the same. Some things were more expensive, some cheaper. Public transit is way cheaper and about a million times better. It makes OC Transpo feel like it's run by a snuggle of sloths. Yes, I had to Google what you call a group of sloths. Restaurants can be pricier, but we mostly ate at hawker centres, which are basically massive food courts serving delicious, cheap meals. Most of the time the four of us ate for under $35 CAD. And these places are everywhere. Ubers were cheaper too. About $23 for a 30-minute ride to the airport. At home that would easily be closer to $30.
When we arrived at our hotel/apartment, one of the first things we did was make our Christmas tree. Yes, we ordered a Christmas tree online ahead of time and had it shipped to the hotel, along with some Christmas gifts for the kids. Was it a waste of money? Maybe. Did it make the kids ridiculously happy? Absolutely.
Mylène went to a nearby grocery store to grab a few things for Christmas Eve dinner, and I was very happy when she came back with a Christmas log cake.
That night, we wrapped the kids’ gifts.
On Christmas Eve, we went for a walk downtown to check out some sights. Teddy was in a terrible mood, so we cut the walk short and ducked into an air-conditioned mall, which instantly improved his mood. Turns out 40 degrees with humidity does not scream Christmas spirit.
This is also when we realized that malls in Singapore are amazing. Yes, they have high-end shops like in Canada, but they’re just better. Playgrounds for kids, arcades, movie theatres, bowling, rock climbing, even ice skating. And the stores are way more interesting and diverse. The Rideau Centre could learn a thing or twenty from Singapore malls.
That evening we had our Christmas dinner and then went to Orchard Road, the main shopping street in Singapore. Not for shopping, but for the Christmas lights. There were a metric shit ton of them. Completely over the top. Very cool. Also insanely crowded and still hot as hell at night. I was very happy to get back to our room.
Christmas morning finally arrived. The day the kids had been talking about for months. There were more gifts under our tiny tree than I expected, considering we’re each travelling with one suitcase and space is precious. Both kids got a Kindle, which means they might finally stop stealing mine. Emma hasn’t stopped reading since. The other day we asked her to eat breakfast and start homework instead of reading, and she was not impressed. Later, Mylène went to the gym and Emma was thrilled. She could finally read without getting nagged.
Teddy gave Mylène a keychain with a painting of his face on it. Absolute masterpiece.
On the night of the 25th, we went to Gardens by the Bay to see the Supertree Grove Christmas light show. It was impressive, but in hindsight, going on Christmas night was a bad call. The crowds were insane. I was miserable. Hopefully the rest of the family didn’t notice.
So that’s how we spent Christmas in Singapore. We tried hard to make it special for the kids. We even gave them a two-day homeschooling break. We know it’s tough for them not being home at this time of year.
The next day, I went to the post office to ship a souvenir box back home. We’ve done this a few times to lighten the load. Thanks Jonny and Kat! Singapore is usually ridiculously efficient, but Singapore Post tested my patience. I waited in line for 30 minutes. I needed to buy a box, then fill out an online form listing every single item inside, including weight, value, and country of origin. I have no idea where half this stuff is made. I was shipping a camera accessory I didn’t need, and they asked what kind of battery was inside it. It’s an internal battery that can’t be removed without taking the thing apart. I did not bring a screwdriver. This was not an acceptable answer, so I stood there Googling battery specs like an idiot.
Then came payment. $66.60. I pulled out my credit card. Nope. Only Singapore credit cards allowed. Of course. I counted my cash and somehow had $66.70. Victory. An hour and a half later, I walked outside into a classic Singapore afternoon rainstorm. I waited ten minutes, gave up, and walked back to the hotel. Five minutes later I was completely soaked.
That night, we went to a rooftop I found online. It cost $6 per person, compared to $39 per person at Marina Bay Sands. The view was great and the place was almost empty. That was fun and the kids loved it. They found a huge snail, at least 15cm long. I have no idea how it got up 50 stories at… a snail's pace.
The next day, we visited Little India. If you don’t know what that is, it’s like Little Italy, but for India. We had excellent butter chicken at an Indian hawker centre, and the kids got henna tattoos. Emma chose a scorpion. Teddy chose a dragon. Solid choices. Then we went to Mustafa Centre, which is a massive department store with air conditioning. This place has everything. If it existed in Ottawa, I would never need to order anything on Amazon again.
That night, we visited Marina Bay Sands and the Merlion, which is Singapore’s symbol. It’s a mermaid with a lion head. On the way there, we saw about six or seven Lamborghinis, which was also kind of fun.
After talking to Emma’s friend Leticia, who was born in Singapore, her parents gave us a great tip for visiting the Marina Bay Sands rooftop for cheaper. Instead of the observation deck, you go to the rooftop bar. You still pay $39, but that includes a drink, and kids get in free. So basically half price, with drinks. Much better deal. We couldn’t reserve a table with a view because those have a $440 minimum spend, so we sat further back for free. Just before sunset, a group left, and we snagged their table. Best view in the house. Very lucky.
The next day, Mylène wanted to visit the botanical gardens. I thought that sounded boring as hell, not to mention no A/C, so I suggested an arcade instead. Guess which option the kids picked. It was a blast, although my ears were very happy when we left.
On our last full day, the kids wanted to go skating, and I wanted to visit another mall. Compromise achieved. Mylène took the kids, and I went to my mall. This was not a normal mall. It was a six-floor tech mall selling everything remotely tech-related. I was like a kid in a candy store. I texted Mylène asking if we could extend our stay by a week so I could browse properly. Unfortunately, I have nowhere to put anything, so I bought nothing. Still very fun.
Meanwhile, when Mylène and the kids got to the skating rink, it was full and had a three-hour wait. So they went bowling in yet another mall, then came back to skate later and had a great time.
Finally, it was time to leave this great city. We showed up at the airport seven hours before our flight. That’s because Singapore Airport is completely insane. Some people literally vacation here. There are cactus gardens, playgrounds, the largest indoor waterfall in the world, great food, and way too much to see. The seven hours flew by (pun intended).
A+++ would fly here again.
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