There’s something magical about a business that only comes to life once a year for a very brief time. And you don’t have to look further than our very own Northern Beaches to find Santas Downunder.
Since 2016, Santa has ditched the conventional mall photo-op and hit the beaches, opting for a more modern twist on the Aussie Chrissy family photo, with multiple locations at some of Sydney’s iconic beaches – Manly, Collaroy, Dee Why and North Harbour Reserve, with a new venue addition at the much-loved Manly Pacific.
Santas Downunder was the brainchild of local Sonja Tye and her husband Giuliano Tye. And after 10 years in business, they still find themselves surprised and inspired by the creativity of the families who come along for a unique Santa experience.
“The creativity in these photos over the years has been incredible!” Giuliano says. “We’ve seen inflatable dinosaur families, fully functional props, hilarious signs, naughty t-shirts, snakes, rabbits, and cats in bubble bags, plus some of the cheekiest and most energetic dogs you’ll ever meet.”
And that’s the vibe you get from Santas Downunder. They embrace the chaos in their photos. They focus on candid, perfectly-imperfect photos. Families laughing, kids crying and refusing Santa. Grandparents hugging their grandchildren. Parents jumping off benches with their kids. Dogs photobombing! The whole range of motions and emotions of Christmas really.
“And that’s the heart of what makes Santas Downunder special and such an icon on the Northern Beaches,” Giuliano says.
“Whether it’s Santa strolling down the Manly Corso in his Okanui board shorts or popping into BarXBar for a tidy beard trim. Santas Downunder has always kept the Northern Beaches community at the centre of its spirit. With our promotions, content, giveaways, set design. Everything is local, so locals find it resonates.”
With 200+ reviews with a well earned five-star rating, the Santas Downunder experience is unbeatable value.
At $100 for 10 favourite photos from a gallery of 30 to choose from. And they give you the option to unlock the full gallery (30+ photos) for just $55 more. And yes, they print, frame and deliver. And following them on socials gives you access to loads of giveaways, Christmas raffles and competitions every season.
The whole thing is an experience and the number of families who bump into one another is uncanny. It’s easy to see why families keep coming back.
