... someone else's ends. I refer of course to Santa Claus, who once again packs away the onerous responsibility of trying not to disappoint his clients by under-promising while at the same time not setting them up for future disappointment by over-promising. And preferably not getting barfed upon or being kicked in the shins while doing so.

This is the Swarovski Crystal Garden on level 2 of the QVB, Santa's official residence in that building. I really can't describe it better than the City Of Sydney's "What's On" guide (which I'd post a link to, but I'll lay odds that it'll vanish in due course), so I won't try; I'll merely copy some of what's there:

"The Swarovski Crystal Garden, a winter wonderland bathed in silver light and dripping with thousands of crystals, will be found on Level 2 of the building. Inspired by 19th Century Victorian Christmas cards and designed to replicate the beauty of the snow at the North Pole, children will be transported to another world filled with crystal flowers, butterflies and blossom trees, all underneath a glittering canopy of suspended crystal strands. It will truly be a winter wonderland, set against a backdrop of one of Sydney’s most iconic and dramatic buildings.

Almost 13,000 individual Swarovski crystals have been used to create the garden, and it has taken over 250 hours to craft by hand. To complete the sensory experience, scents of alpine trees and cinnamon will waft through the garden and a selection of traditional Christmas carols will play softly."


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