Best Christmas Light Displays For The Young And The Young At Heart

Looking for nice spots to celebrate the holidays with your family and loved ones? Check out these amazing light displays all over Metro Manila for a feast for your eyes.

Araneta City Christmas Animated Display

What: Animated characters and beautiful bright lights are brought to life by Araneta City’s Christmas Animated Display, which tells the story of five important elements of the season: The Little Drummer Boy, Frosty The Snowman, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus, and the Nativity. The shows run every 15 minutes.

Apart from the show, you can also enjoy skating on an outdoor synthetic ice rink beside the gigantic Christmas tree.

Where: Araneta City Times Square Food Park, Gateway Tower, Cubao, Quezon City

When: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays to Thursdays; and 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays to Saturdays until January 5, 2020

Tiendesitas Gift of Wonders

What: If you’re looking for an Instagram-worthy place where you can also complete your Christmas shopping, drop by Tiendesitas for their Gift of Wonders, which features holiday larger-than-life installations. Take a photo at the House of Stars, which is filled with dancing images and Christmas lights reminiscent of Singapore’s ArtScience Museum.

Where: Food and Pet Village, Tiendesitas, C-5 Las Fiestas, Pasig City

When: November 4, 2019 to January 5, 2020

Meralco Liwanag Park

What: Meralco brings back this holiday season its annual Liwanag Park, which offers light installations, rides, and light shows. The lights display happens on the façade of the Lopez Building with the theme: Smart Cities. Some of the park attractions include a giant Belen made out of copper wires, and an eco-friendly Christmas train, The Maze, Liwanag Tiangge, and different backgrounds for your photos and selfies.

Where: Meralco Liwanag Park, Meralco Center, Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City

When: November 23, 2019 to January 5, 2020

Greenhills Laser Light Symphony

What: It’s a light show and dance exhibition all rolled into one! This is the very first time Greenhills has organized a laser light show, directed by Voltaire de Jesus. And more than the dancing laser lights and electro music, there are actual laser dancers with light-up costumes that add to the performance.

Greenhills has also reopened its night market at the G-Strip to satisfy your food cravings while you watch.

Where: Greenhills Shopping Center, Ortigas Avenue, San Juan

When: Every 30 minutes from November 15, 2019 to January 5, 2020        

Gallery of Lights and Carol of Lights

What: Following last year’s Disney exhibition, Ayala Triangle Garden now showcases a unique lights and sounds show called Gallery of Lights. The show is directed by lighting directors Luther Garmia and Voltaire de Jesus, the man behind last year’s show. Their lights dance to three medleys: Techno beats by Tris Suguitan, jazz tunes from Mel Villena, and a Filipino medley by Von de Guzman.

The dome of of Tower One and Exchange Plaza also has a separate light display called Carol of Lights, where the ceiling transforms into colorful stained glass windows through 3D video mapping.

Where: Ayala Triangle Gardens, Paseo De Roxas St. cor. Makati Ave, cor Ayala Ave, Makati City

When: The Gallery of Lights runs nightly 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. from November 12, 2019 to January 12, 2020.

Ortigas East Christmas Street Musical Light Tunnel

What: Covering the stretch of the Ortigas East Estate is a tunnel filled with lights dancing to the tune of your favorite Christmas carols. They also make your trip worth it because they’ve put up a nightly street food and market so you can enjoy the lights while you eat or complete your Christmas shopping.

Where: Ortigas East, Ortigas Avenue cor. E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Barangay Ugong, Pasig City     

When: Every 30 minutes from6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on November 5, 2019 to January 5, 2020

Mall of Asia Grand Festival of Lights Parade

What: It’s no doubt SM Mall of Asia is the destination of many families throughout the year. This Christmas season, they’re leveling up their celebration with a number of entertaining shows and light exhibitions.

Six huge floats filled with dancing lights and hundreds of festive characters parade down the streets of MOA, starting from the North Arcade at 5:30 p.m., going around the mall to the South Arcade, and then leading to a spectacular fireworks display and drone lights at the Seaside Boulevard. After the parade, you can then enjoy the rides and the food at the SM by the Bay area.

Where: SM Mall of Asia, 123 Seaside Blvd., Pasay City

When: Every Saturday starting November 30 until December 25, 2019

Filinvest City Christmas Village

What: If you’re down south, then you don’t have to travel very far to enjoy festive holiday displays. Filinvest City has dressed up itself like a Christmas village with tons of beautiful, festive installations and structures, and events scattered throughout the holiday season.

There’s a light and sound show nightly until December 31; a majestic 42-foot Christmas tree for photo opportunities; scheduled band performances and fireworks during Saturday nights; and a roaming, mingling Santa Claus on Sundays.

Where: Water Garden, Festival Mall, Commerce Avenue Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa

When: The Christmas Village and lights and sounds show runs until December 31, 2019. Scheduled band performances are Unique and Jensen Gomez on December 14; I belong to the Zoo and Quorista on December 21; and This Band and The Cosmic Misfits on December 28.

TeamLab and Nuvali Interactive Water Show

What: Nuvali has partnered up with internationally acclaimed company TeamLab, who is behind the popular digital art museum in Tokyo, for an interactive water show for Filipinos. There are four separate shows in total, each one offering a different experience. The images will be displayed on massive 100 meters x 15 meters of water-screen display, which is a bit different compared to your usual light and sounds show.

The first is called “Born from the Water, a Loving and Beautiful World,” where you can use your smartphone to swipe characters into the water screen. The second is “Interactive Fishing Party: Spin your Fishing Reel” where you can catch different fish that live on the pond. The third is a historical tale drawn over the water called “Water Scrolls: Genpei Yashima Battle.” And the fourth is “Reversible Rotation in Water,” a spatial 3D Japanese calligraphy that rotates the artwork, offering different perceptions depending on where you’re standing.

Download the Nuvali TeamLab Water app from Google Play or Apple Store before you go to the venue so you can participate in the first two shows. Internet connectivity is required.

Where: Globe Lakeside, Nuvali, Santa Rosa - Tagaytay Rd, Don Jose, Santa Rosa, Laguna

When: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. starting November 22.

Xentro Christmas Mall

What: Dubbed the Christmas Mall, Xentro Mall has been adorned from top to bottom in Christmas lights and ornaments, which is extremely striking even before you enter. While the façade is already heavily decorated in lights, the inside is even more entertaining with hundreds of Christmas ornaments and installations.

Near Xentro Christmas Mall is the Cainta Christmas House inside Filinvest. Just like the mall, the Christmas House is also heavily adorned in Christmas lights and decorations.

Where: Xentro Christmas Mall, 277-303 Sumulong Highway, Antipolo, Rizal; Cainta Christmas House, Filinvest Home, Rizal

When: The Cainta Christmas House can be visited everyday starting November 20 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.