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SpongeBob’s Pineapple House, standing at a towering 11m, and Santa Village take centre stage at Terminal 3 Departure Hall this Christmas |
SINGAPORE. This festive season, Changi Airport will bring Santa Claus and SpongeBob SquarePants to the heart of Terminal 3 as part of its programme of Christmas activities.
Standing at a towering 11m, SpongeBob’s Pineapple House will be a highlight of the Christmas decorations, located just before Departure Immigration at Terminal 3.
From 15 November, during show times, visitors to the Christmas village can power SpongeBob’s Pineapple House to life by peddling on Santa’s sleigh and triggering the special effects of lights, sounds, scent and even smoke bubbles. Within the house lies SpongeBob’s bedroom, where guests increase in size as they walk from one end to the other through an optical illusion.
In addition, guests can explore Santa Claus’ log house, filled with toys such as a mechanical toy train, vintage propeller plane, giant teddy bear and hot air balloons. From 21 November to 26 December, visitors will have the opportunity to meet Santa at a fireplace where he shares the story of his life and his home country, Finland. Those curious about his workplace can peep into his mail room, where they can pen Christmas wishes on postcards and receive surprises.
There are seven shows daily for SpongeBob’s Pineapple House: 1pm, 3pm and hourly from 5pm to 9pm. Santa Claus will be in his log house from 21 November to 26 December, from 4pm to 10pm daily.
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Santa Claus interacting with children in his log house |
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Children having a bouncy good time at the SpongeBob-themed playground |
Decorations and performances
On top of the Christmas activities, Changi Airport will be decked out in festive displays, featuring massive topiaries of iconic landmarks from across the world such as The Leaning Tower of Pisa, St Basil’s Cathedral, the Colosseum in Rome, and Turkey’s fabled Trojan Horse. At these displays, visitors can read more about the destinations. Along Airport Boulevard, visitors will be greeted with the sight of shimmering reindeers and Christmas decorations donning the trees lining the boulevard.
To spread the holiday cheer, roving carollers and stilt walkers will entertain airport visitors on weekends with performances. On 21 December, award-winning Ministry of Bellz – Singapore’s only independent community handbell ensemble – will attempt to make history in the Singapore Book of Records, by delivering a non-stop, 24-hour handbell performance.
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Christmas topiaries of famous landmarks across the world such as The Leaning Tower of Pisa (pictured right), Turkey’s fabled Trojan Horse and St Basil’s Cathedral |
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Activities for children
Changi Airport has also installed a bouncy playground replica of SpongeBob’s underwater town, “˜Bikini Bottom’, at Terminal 3’s Departure Hall Row 11.
Touted to be the biggest SpongeBob inflatable playground in Singapore, the nine-metre high playground features a ball pit, maze and a slide. Toddlers can also ride the merry-go-round and take photographs at the SpongeBob Photo Booth.
Opened daily from noon to 10pm, the SpongeBob playground is accessible to holders of any single-day receipt with a minimum spend of $20 (US$16) or $15 (US$12) for Changi Rewards members. Every $15/$20 spend allows a single entry, capped at a maximum of five entries per receipt.
Collectors can also purchase the full range of plush toys featuring SpongeBob SquarePants and his friends. Shoppers and diners can purchase each of the six plush toys for S$3 (US$2.40) when they spend a minimum of S$60 (US$48) in Changi Airport’s public areas (S$120/US$96 in supermarkets), and S$150 (US$120) in the transit areas.
A new character will be launched for redemption at public areas each week, while shoppers in the transit area can choose from all six characters, while stocks last. In addition, the first 1,000 Changi Rewards members who earn 1,200 points during the promotion period can redeem a full set of six characters for free.
Celebrating the season of giving
Changi Airport is giving passengers and visitors the opportunity to make this festive season a special one for the disadvantaged. Two charity booths at the Terminal 3 Departure Hall and Departure Transit Lounge will each house a Christmas tree, where 500 handwritten wishes from students of Northlight Secondary School – a beneficiary of Changi Foundation – will hang from.
Samaritans can adopt these wishes by donating S$20 (US$16), which will be used to buy books, shoes, groceries and other items wished for by the students.
At the same time, netizens can spread the Christmas cheer to their friends across the globe through cyberspace, by sending SpongeBob greeting cards, with the chance to own a full set of SpongeBob SquarePants plush toys. A full set of SpongeBob SquarePants plush toys will be given away daily from 15 November to 24 December.
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