Welcoming the Yuletide Season in Wintry Finesse

Nov 12, 2013 14:20 JST

Source: Orchard Road Business Association

Orchard Road is set to dazzle shoppers this Christmas

SINGAPORE, Nov 12, 2013 - (ACN Newswire) - The celebration of the most wonderful season of the year will get even more magical this Christmas as Orchard Road Business Association (ORBA) transforms the Great Street into a sensational winter wonderland from Saturday 23 November 2013 - Sunday 5 January 2014.

Welcoming the Yuletide Season in Wintry Finesse

Christmas on A Great Street, the amazing festive light-up that takes place annually on Orchard Road, will showcase a magnificent display of wintry tones, as resplendent diamonds and interactive stars bring to the forefront the elegant beauty of Christmastime. A magnificent Gateway at the Scotts / Paterson junction of Orchard Road opens into a sparkling fairy tale world - glittery diamonds cascading gently from the trees, enchanting hues of blue and gentle swirls of dreamy white arching above the busy streets.

"The Christmas lights on Orchard Road have always been the precinct's iconic event. More importantly, it is also a signature event which allows Orchard Road Business Association (ORBA) to give back to our community. In fact, this is the 30th year Community Chest will use our Light-Up Ceremony as the launch pad of their annual charity drive," said Mrs May Sng, Chairman of ORBA.

"Every year, the Association and stakeholders put in best efforts to create a markedly different Christmas experience for all shoppers. This holiday season, ORBA is pleased to present our new GPS-enabled Walking Map - one that is aimed at enhancing street-level navigation and boosting the Christmas shopping experience on Orchard Road," Mrs Sng added.

The Map allows users to receive step-by-step route instructions by entering their starting point and destination based on buildings and common landmarks (e.g. MRT stations, Istana). This navigational tool makes use of all the underpasses on Orchard Road - a first amongst common digital map tools like Google Maps and Gothere.sg.

Supported by main sponsor Hitachi, official card MasterCard and the Singapore Tourism Board, ORBA is once again presenting the most beautiful avenue of the world(1) in stunning holiday pizzazz.

"As main sponsor, the Hitachi Group is once again thrilled to be part of the annual Christmas light-up that brings the joy and wonders of Christmas on A Great Street. Eagerly awaited by both locals and visitors, Hitachi has been participating in this wonderful tradition for the past 23 years. Our support has not only provided us the chance to spread enjoyment during this Yuletide season but also to share our love with the beneficiaries through Community Chest's activities. We are pleased to pledge our continued support to Orchard Road Business Association and Community Chest," said Mr Kiyoaki Iigaya, Chief Executive for Asia, Hitachi, Ltd.

"MasterCard is proud to be the Official Card of Christmas on A Great Street. Together with Fashion Steps Out and the Great Singapore Sale, MasterCard cardholders can look forward to exclusive privileges across all the key retail events in Singapore throughout the year. Beyond rewarding our cardholders this Christmas, MasterCard will also be reaching out to the less fortunate. In conjunction with the national giving day #GivingTuesdaySG on 3 December 2013, every MasterCard PayPass contactless transaction on that day will contribute towards supporting the Singapore Children's Society. To kick off the season of giving, we are also pleased to provide $10,000 worth of MasterCard prepaid cards to the Community Chest that will go towards the purchase of household items, bringing cheer to needy families during the festive period," said Ms Julienne Loh, General Manager, MasterCard Singapore.

CHRISTMAS ON A GREAT STREET - LIGHT-UP CEREMONY ON SATURDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2013

With President Tony Tan Keng Yam as the Guest-of-Honour, the Light-Up Ceremony will take place at Shaw House Urban Plaza, Level 1 on Saturday 23 November 2013 at 6pm. The ceremony marks the start of a brilliant display of radiant lights all across Orchard Road, symbolising the spirit of hope that the Christmas season always brings.

In partnership with Celebrate Christmas In Singapore (CCIS), as well as a total of 100 student volunteers from Republic Polytechnic, ORBA will donate $1 to the Community Chest for every candle lit by members of the public in front of ION Orchard.

In addition, catch exciting performances by local school groups such as Tao Nan School, CHIJ St Nicholas Girls School (Primary), Xin Min Primary School, Queenstown Secondary School as well as local jazz band, Lounge Lizards, in front of Paragon from 7pm - 930pm.

Visitors can also immerse in the Christmas mood with tunes by Lounge Lizards and Hark Music, and dance under the twinkling lights with ALGA from Republic Polytechnic! These performances are staged in front of 313@somerset from 615pm - 930pm.

CHRISTMAS DREAMS THAT SPARKLE DOWN A GREAT STREET

This year, you may forget the tropical heat of Singapore as you stroll around Orchard Road, with your eyes dazzled by the sparkling diamonds hanging from the trees. Bold bursts of glacial blue shine especially bright with nightfall, like shooting stars carrying children's wishes across the cosmos, or to Santa Claus at the North Pole, depending on who you ask.

Conjuring up even more festive enchantment are interactive showpieces across the precinct, as giant diamonds, twinkling stars and festive towers decked out in blue and white diamonds line the streets. A myriad of pictorial keepsakes waiting to be captured also await visitors, with funny Christmas cut-outs that will undoubtedly bring many moments of joy to the faces peeking through them.

DON'T GET LOST AMIDST THE FESTIVE BUSTLE

Wander through the Christmas crowd without losing your way with the help of the ORBA Walking Map, a new underground navigation function, a part of the free @Orchard app which shoppers can download into their mobile devices. Visitors to Orchard Road will find this exceptionally helpful because the ORBA Walking Map works below ground, showing new connections between malls, shortcuts to favourite stores and pointing shoppers to exactly where they want to be. Ticking items off that Christmas shopping list will never be easier, now with this new app function that provides clear directions to shoppers navigating through the underpasses, whether they are seasoned retail veterans or first-time visitors in Singapore for the holidays.

CHRISTMAS REWARDS WITH MASTERCARD

With the sheer number of Christmas gifts to place under the tree, there is no better way than to shop for Christmas goodies from the huge selection of shopping malls on Orchard Road and be rewarded at the same time. From Saturday 23 November 2013 - Sunday 5 January 2014, shoppers spending a minimum of S$200 on their MasterCard Credit / Debit cards at any of the 11 participating Orchard Road establishments will receive a S$10 shopping voucher. Voucher redemptions at each participating mall are limited to the first 500 cardholders per week from Saturday 23 November - Friday 20 December 2013, and on a while-stocks-last basis from Saturday 21 December 2013 - Sunday 5 January 2014.

The participating establishments include:

1. 313@somerset
2. Forum The Shopping Mall
3. ION Orchard
4. Mandarin Gallery
5. Ngee Ann City / Takashimaya Department Store
6. Orchard Central
7. Paragon
8. Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
9. TANGS Orchard
10. The Centrepoint
11. Wisma Atria

MasterCard cardholders are also in for a further treat! A limousine service has been arranged as part of the Christmas Rewards campaign period and selected shoppers can look forward to being surprised with a Priceless ride home after a rewarding day of shopping.

BEST DRESSED BUILDING CONTEST 2013

Adding to the yuletide cheer will be the malls along Orchard Road, the largest and most famous shopping belt in Singapore, as they get spruced up for the festive season. With the Best Dressed Building Contest 2013 taking place from Saturday 23 November - Sunday 8 December 2013, watch as the malls vie for the top position in dashing holiday style. Members of the public can also be part of this exciting contest by voting for their favourite Orchard Road building through the free mobile @Orchard app. Six lucky winners will walk away with S$500 worth of shopping vouchers each, while the three runners-up will each receive S$250 worth of shopping vouchers.

The participants of the Best Dressed Building Contest 2013 are:

1. Forum The Shopping Mall
2. Grand Park Orchard
3. ION Orchard
4. Mandarin Gallery
5. Ngee Ann City/Takashimaya Shopping Centre
6. Orchard Central
7. Paragon
8. Tanglin Mall
9. TANGS @ Tang Plaza
10. The Centrepoint
11. Wisma Atria

"SEASON OF GIFTING" CHARITY PROGRAM

In partnership with ORBA as the Official Online Media Partner, Clozette (www.clozette.co) will launch a charity program during the period of the light-up. Over 20 gift ideas across various beauty and fashion brands will be hosted on Clozette's Xmas 2013 "Season of Gifting" microsite (www.clozette.co/xmas2013). Online users from across the region are invited to share virtual gifts with friends via Facebook and invite them to receive and HEART (Like) the gift items. For every HEART received, Clozette will donate $1 to Community Chest. All participants will be entered into a lucky draw where they stand to win shopping vouchers sponsored by Orchard Central mall.

OTHER CHRISTMAS HIGHLIGHTS

Feel the festive buzz as it builds up in the days leading to Christmas with a calendar filled with performances and exciting festivities. From 17 - 23 December 2013, visitors to Orchard Road can relish the delight of the season with yuletide performances at Wisma Atria, Mandarin Gallery and Tong Building. Take a breather from all that Christmas shopping to explore the quaint Christmas Village set up at Mandarin Gallery or visit the interactive booths and Boulevard of Giving at Wisma Atria.

On 24 December 2013, be enthralled by captivating voices belting out classic Christmastime favourites in the annual Mass Carolling event. Taking place at Tong Building Plaza from 730pm - 830pm, the joyous carollers will take visitors one step closer to welcoming Christmas on the eve of the holiday.

On 25 December 2013, from 730pm - 945pm, deck the halls with the spirit of the holidays and join CCIS as they celebrate their 10th anniversary with a Grand Christmas Concert. Expect to be charmed on Christmas Day by an impressive line-up of local and foreign talents, all while basking in the merrymaking with fellow festive revellers. Participants from the region will also gather for the inaugural Praise Dance Exercise as everyone dances to the drum beat of renowned Master Drummer from Taiwan, accompanied by followers from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.

In addition, Robinsons Orchard at The Heeren has unveiled its brand new flagship store on 8 November. Spanning 186,000 sq ft, the store offers a total of over 380 new brands, of which over 280 are exclusive to Robinsons Orchard and over 200 of these are New-to-Market and Exclusive brands.

(1) As voted by the International Presence Survey 2012

Contact:

Louann Wong
Ninemer Public Relations P L
louannwong@ninemer.com
+65 6534 8020
+65 9728 8771

Tan Hui Yi
Asst Mgr, Marketing Communications & PR
Orchard Road Business Association
huiyi@orchardroad.org
+65 6733 1120

Source: Orchard Road Business Association
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