I am traveling in Malaysia during Christmas, what can I expect?
When someone mentions ‘Christmas’, snow, decorated pine trees, presents and of course, Santa Claus comes to mind. It’s close to impossible to have a white Christmas in Malaysia but this doesn’t mean that the celebrations are less festive, for Christmas is celebrated the Malaysian way!
Many look forward to the Christmas decorations put up by the shopping malls. The set up is certainly pretty with gigantic Christmas trees; some are even as tall as six storeys and are heavily decked with baubles, candy canes and angels. The malls change their theme each year and try to outdo each other, only to our benefit. One year, we had one mall ‘scattered’ with life-sized teddy bears in line with their ‘Beary Christmas’ theme while another had real fake ‘snow’ falling, leading to an elderly man exclaiming, ‘Wow, there’s snow, there’s snow!’. We were actually there the first time Pavilion KL started this snowwy tradition. Hundreds came to the square in front of the mall, to see the snow coming down (it was actually a soap-like substance, but nobody minded and everybody had a great time).
As Christmas approaches, don’t be surprised to find the Christmas spirit in even the non-Christians. Malaysians from all walks of life spend the Christmas holidays visiting their friends with their families. At Christmas countdowns in selected locations, you can see people enjoying the festive cheer and wishing each other happy holidays and Merry Christmas.
You can see people wearing the signature red cap of St Nicholas and grooving to the beat of Christmas songs. There is even caroling in some malls and the audience are from different walks of life and religion too. At the workplace, colleagues organize a secret Santa event to exchange gifts, where every member of the team shares the spirit of giving, regardless of status, age or race. Christmas is not exclusively for Christians here in Malaysia but it’s celebrated by all in their own unique way without disrespecting their own religion.
Most Malaysians, celebrating or not, flock to the shopping malls – a typical Malaysian past time. There, they enjoy the activities and events organized by the malls and even do some shopping, taking advantage of the Christmas and Year End Sale. On the night of Christmas eve, when the clock strikes twelve, various locations perform firework displays to welcome Christmas with a bang. Malaysians flock to these locations earlier during the day to get good spots to view the magnificent displays of fireworks. As usual, you can find Malays, Indians, Chinese and even foreign visitors enjoying the show together. In Malaysia, you don’t need to be a Christian to enjoy Christmas and have the holiday spirit in you.
In Malaysia, Christmas is only celebrated on Christmas Eve. The actual first day of Christmas is often business as usual for many Malaysians. The lush decorations cannot be taken down soon enough after Christmas, as then all the mall will repeat the same ‘contest’ for the nearing New Years Eve (which is immediately followed by Chinese New Year preparations). The is no second day of Christmas, as this is only custom in a few countries in the world. Many restaurants have special Christmas Eve menus. This is your chance to eat out at a fancy restaurant, as due to competition prices are often very low. Usually western oriented restaurants also have a special Christmas menu for the 25th of December.
Many expats in KL take a few days of holiday during Christmas, to travel to a nice destination within Malaysia. Though it is quite fun to spend Christmas at one of the islands of Malaysia, for example at Langkawi or Penang, the most popular place in Malaysia to visit around Christmas is Cameron Highlands. The highlands have a cold(er) climate, and the setting is perfect to replicate that cold Christmas Eve. Many hotels and resorts are fully booked during Christmas, so make sure you book beforehand. This goes especially for the more exclusive and romantic places. Three very popular places to stay overnight during Christmas are The Smokehouse Hotel ***, The Lakehouse **** and Cameron Highlands Resort *****.
nicholas
10 years ago
December 18, 2015 at 2:35 pm
buy me food!!!!
jane
7 years ago
November 27, 2018 at 2:02 pm
OK
shasha
7 years ago
December 20, 2018 at 6:07 am
These are the nice place to visit at Christmas.
murazik
2 years ago
December 13, 2023 at 8:10 am
so cool with all those colourful lights.. merry christmas everyone. This is your ultimate goal. Navigate through the city, avoiding police roadblocks and traps, to reach your destination in getaway shootout.
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1 year ago
August 10, 2024 at 2:01 pm
Informative article on celebrating Christmas in Malaysia! Learned a lot about the local traditions. Thanks!
Unryie
5 months ago
March 24, 2025 at 3:09 am
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funny
4 months ago
April 22, 2025 at 6:40 am
The Christmas decorations in Malaysian malls sound absolutely magical! Which shopping center would you recommend for the most spectacular holiday displays? I’d love to experience the “snow” falling at Pavilion KL!
Kyle Cook
4 months ago
April 22, 2025 at 6:40 am
Cameron Highlands seems like the perfect Christmas getaway with its cooler climate. Do the tea plantations and hotels offer any special Christmas-themed activities or dining experiences during the holiday season?
Cookingdom
3 months ago
May 14, 2025 at 1:25 am
Considering Cameron Highlands’ cooler weather for a Christmas trip, what specific Christmas-themed activities or special dining options do the tea plantations and hotels typically provide during the holiday season?
TextNow
2 months ago
June 18, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Great insights on Christmas in Malaysia—thanks for the festive details! If you’re coordinating holiday plans or group meetups, a free U.S. texting number from TextNow APK is a great tool that works seamlessly over Wi‑Fi or mobile data. 🎄
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2 months ago
June 22, 2025 at 4:49 am
Just try greggs menu
Flux Context Ai
2 months ago
June 30, 2025 at 9:52 am
Christmas in Malaysia sounds like a blast! I mean, who doesn’t love a giant teddy bear theme, right? Check out this tool for creating cool holiday pics to remember it all—it’s a game changer. Flux Context Ai
White Screen
2 months ago
June 30, 2025 at 9:52 am
Weird to think of Christmas without snow, but hey, Malaysia makes its own fun! Some good ideas for your next art piece can help capture those memories. White Screen
Ragdoll Archers
2 months ago
June 30, 2025 at 9:53 am
Seems like everyone gets into the holiday spirit there! Bet a game like Ragdoll Archers could be a fun thing to play after all the feasting. Ragdoll Archers
Sand Blast
1 month ago
July 11, 2025 at 5:06 pm
Honestly, Christmas in the malls sounds like a blast. The festive vibe, shopping, and even the caroling? Count me in. And hey, here’s a puzzle game to keep you entertained during all that downtime: Sand Blast
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1 month ago
July 15, 2025 at 5:08 am
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MirageLSD
4 weeks ago
July 19, 2025 at 8:52 am
Christmas in Malaysia sounds like a blast—who needs snow anyway? The mall decorations must be over the top. If you’re curious about cool tech related to video, check out this MirageLSD.
Tennis Zero
4 weeks ago
July 20, 2025 at 5:03 pm
Christmas in Malaysia sounds wild! People from all backgrounds getting in on the festive spirit—it’s pretty cool. And if you’re curious about some good spots or events, check out this helpful site here: Tennis Zero.
Flux Krea
2 weeks ago
August 3, 2025 at 7:49 am
Christmas in Malaysia sounds wild! It’s all about the vibe, not the snow, huh? Check out this cool tool that might help you capture some of that festive spirit in images: Flux Krea.
Sophronia
2 weeks ago
August 5, 2025 at 3:16 am
This article is amazing! It answered all my questions about Christmas in Malaysia. The parts about shopping malls and Cameron Highlands gave me so much travel inspiration. By the way, try Ragdoll Archers for super fun archery gameplay when you want to relax!
Andreana
2 weeks ago
August 5, 2025 at 3:17 am
Very interesting! I’m curious, besides Cameron Highlands, are there any other recommended cool-climate places suitable for a Christmas getaway? When you need to reduce stress, you can play drive mad game
Osterhaus
2 weeks ago
August 5, 2025 at 5:14 am
As a Malaysian, I totally agree! Going to the mall to see the decorations on Christmas Eve has become a family tradition for us. The artificial snow is really fun. Finally, recommend a stress-relieving Drift Boss game.
Giacomo
2 weeks ago
August 5, 2025 at 5:24 am
Haha, so a “white Christmas” in Malaysia is achieved with soap bubbles! It feels even more tropical than real snow, so cute. By the way,When you need to reduce stress, you can play doodle baseball.
Brizzolara
2 weeks ago
August 5, 2025 at 5:26 am
The article mentioned that Christmas Day is “business as usual” for many, which is different from my previous impression of the holiday. I guess that’s the unique characteristic of festivals in different cultural backgrounds. For instant naming inspiration, Name Generator offers custom categories and endless ideas!
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2 weeks ago
August 6, 2025 at 8:34 am
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1 week ago
August 7, 2025 at 8:55 am
Malaysia sounds amazing! Those tea fields look stunning, and the islands are calling my name!
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4 days ago
August 13, 2025 at 4:20 am
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