Spending December at Oceana on Broadbeach means a warm, beach-first Christmas with the festive action a short walk away. This guide covers four things: the lights and events, where to book Christmas dinner, what stays open on Christmas Day, and how to plan around the December rush. Here is the December-visitor version.
A Gold Coast Christmas trades snow for sand and long, warm evenings. With Kurrawa Beach out our front door and Broadbeach Mall a few minutes away, you get the festive buzz and a quiet beachfront base to come home to.
What Christmas lights and events are on near Broadbeach?
The local centrepiece is Christmas in Broadbeach, a free interactive gingerbread village at Broadbeach Mall on Victoria Avenue, next to the Oasis and about 5 minutes walk from us. In 2025 it ran across the mid-December week, roughly 15 to 21 December, from midday to 8:30pm daily, with free festive workshops from 12pm to 4pm and free Santa selfies from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. The 2026 dates land on the City of Gold Coast site closer to the season, so check before you travel.
The village is more than a photo stop. Across the week it runs gingerbread cookie decorating, Christmas craft, storytime theatre and Santa’s post office, with roving performers and light displays in the evenings. Guests keep mentioning how easy it is with young kids when you can walk down after a beach afternoon and stroll home before bedtime, no parking to sort out.
Beyond Broadbeach, the Gold Coast’s festive calendar usually includes the Mayor’s Christmas Carols in early December and Surfers Paradise beachfront Christmas events with markets, movies and fireworks in the middle of the month. Most are free and family-friendly, and the tram makes them easy to reach without the car, so you can pick a different festive outing each evening of your stay.
Where should you book Christmas dinner?
The main tip is simple: book early. Broadbeach restaurants and The Star’s dining rooms take Christmas bookings well in advance, often from October, and the 25 December sittings sell out first. If a proper Christmas lunch out is the plan, reserve as soon as you can and confirm the seating time.
For many guests, the easiest Christmas here is a self-catered one. Our apartments have full kitchens, so you can cook a relaxed lunch, spread out on the balcony with the ocean in view, and skip the crowds entirely. Stock up before 24 December, because supermarkets close on Christmas Day and the day before gets busy. A prawns-and-salad lunch on the balcony, a swim, then a nap by the pool is about as good as a warm Christmas gets. Either way, the beach and pool do the heavy lifting for the rest of the day, and there is no long drive home afterwards.
What is actually open on Christmas Day?
Plenty of the good stuff. The beaches stay patrolled on Christmas Day, with hours that can vary, so a Christmas morning swim between the flags at Kurrawa is one of the nicest traditions you can start here. Our pool, spa and BBQ area are open for guests too, which makes for an easy afternoon.
What closes is most of the retail and the theme parks, which shut for the day. Larger hotels, resorts and The Star keep dining running for those who booked, so a meal out is possible with a reservation. Boxing Day is the flip side: the shops, the theme parks and the Boxing Day sales all reopen, so many guests keep the 25th for the beach and save any shopping for the day after. Think of Christmas Day here as a beach-and-pool day with a booked lunch, rather than a day for shopping or theme parks, and it falls into place nicely.
FAQs about a Broadbeach Christmas
What Christmas events are on in Broadbeach in December?
The free Christmas in Broadbeach village is the local highlight, running at Broadbeach Mall next to the Oasis, about 5 minutes walk from Oceana on Broadbeach. Nearby you also get the Mayor’s Christmas Carols and Surfers Paradise beachfront Christmas events. Dates land on the City of Gold Coast site closer to December, usually across the mid-December week.
Is anything open on Christmas Day on the Gold Coast?
Yes. The beaches stay patrolled on Christmas Day, so a swim and a walk are easy from our front door. Larger hotels, resorts and The Star run Christmas dining, though you must book ahead. Most shops and the theme parks close for the day, so plan a beach-and-pool Christmas rather than a shopping one.
When should I book Christmas dinner in Broadbeach?
Book several weeks out, and earlier for Christmas Day itself. Broadbeach restaurants and The Star fill their Christmas sittings fast, and many take bookings from October. If you want a table on 25 December, reserve as early as you can. For an easy option, cook in your apartment and let the beach be the main event.
Can you watch New Year’s Eve fireworks from Broadbeach?
Yes. Broadbeach and Kurrawa put on New Year’s Eve fireworks over the water, and from Oceana on Broadbeach you can walk to the sand to watch, then stroll home. There is usually an earlier family fireworks display as well as the midnight one, so families with young children do not have to stay up late.
December here is about keeping it simple: festive lights up the road, a booked lunch, and the beach doing the rest. Book one of our beachfront apartments early, as December is our busiest month, then browse things to do in Broadbeach to round out your festive stay.
Image credit: Destination Gold Coast