Christmas is once again upon us and for the most part, this spells the agonising process of Christmas shopping. Bracing ourselves, we retreat to the pastel interiors of shopping malls bedecked with monochrome baubles, and suffer through crackled renditions of “Silent Night” blaring through overcrowded food courts. Fortunately, the series of Yuletide markets popping up all over Sydney this month suddenly renders the whole affair not only tolerable, but also delightful, tasty, and totally free. (Well, it’s free until you spot the handmade oven mitts shaped like snowmen and insist that you need ten). Here’s our guide to the top Christmas markets around town.

1. RANDOM XMAS MARKET

When: December 17 – December 24, 11am – 7pm Daily.

Where: He Made She Made Gallery, 70 Oxford St, Darlinghurst 2010

This pop-up Christmas market hosted by Darlinghurst concept gallery He Made She Made may well be random, but we all know that’s a modest code word for describing something as hip and awesome anyway. Spreading the seasonal cheer 11am – 7pm until the Eve of Christmas, it’s an art market celebrating all things local design and featuring stalls from the likes of designers Peek Art & Co, Dear Pluto and Square Peg Studios. If you’re looking to revamp Christmas, this arty market is the best place to ditch the glittery baubles and unearth multicoloured designer treasures with which to fest-ify your home. No money? Local creative lady Kit Palaskas will be holding daily decoration crafternoons from her craft bike! Yes, real thing. Photographic evidence above.

2. THE CHRISTMAS SHOW AT 107 PROJECTS

When: 13th Dec – 23rd Dec

Where: 107 Projects, 107 Redfern St

Brand new creative space 107 Projects have been putting on exhibitions, performances, tech nights and almost anything you can think of since they opened a couple of months ago, always with an interesting spin on events that you wouldn’t find anywhere else. Their Christmas show takes inspiration from the Australian landscape and traditions. Read: not a snowflake in sight. Arty Christmas trees and arty decorations and arty art for the sake of art, all of which is for sale. They’re having an opening night celebration with spoken word, performance, and sound art pieces inspired by the Australian bush.

3. SYDNEY SUSTAINABLE CHRISTMAS MARKET

When: December 20, 4pm-9pm

Where: Taylor Square, Oxford St Darlinghurst 2010

A quick name-tag switch is all it takes. If the onslaught of reused gifts handed out at this time of year is anything to go by, Christmas is all about sustainability (or passing off unwanted household devices out of laziness, whatever.) Keep up the spirit this year by buying your gifts at the Sydney Sustainable Market’s pop-up Christmas event. With over twenty stalls selling homemade and up-cycled goods, you’re bound to find a lovely pressie that will actually stay in the hands of the receiver this year. But take heed, it’s a one night only affair – so make sure you head down to Taylor Square between 4-9pm the week before Christmas. And if you feel that it’s just not Yule time without somebody telling you to jingle all the way, catch the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir performing Christmas Carols from 7pm.

4. PADDINGTON CHRISTMAS NIGHT MARKETS

When: December 20, 4pm-9pm

Where: 395 Oxford St, Paddington 2021

The seriously dedicated might want to consider a market crawl on Thursday 20th December – as the last late-night shopping Thursday before Christmas, Paddington Markets is bound to attract craft and vintage lovers in droves with it’s special festive event. Offering up live music, tasty bites and holiday themed treasures, finding a present at this iconic market means you get to treat yourself, too.

5. THE ROCKS VILLAGE BIZARRE AT MARKETS BY MOONLIGHT

When: Every Friday until December 21, 6:30pm – 10:30pm

Where: The Rocks 2000

And for those who just can’t take any more holiday spirit in any shape or form (even in delicious, gingerbread-man shaped form), The Rocks moonlight markets offers some respite from the season’s merry themes. Transforming its classic moonlight market into a seductive carnivalesque fair, curious characters and burlesque performers pepper the intimate laneways of old- world Sydney. And if the Christmas mood does strike afterward, The Rocks “living” Christmas tree is just around the corner. Made up of 600 living plants and 143 metres of pipe, the tree was designed by a local landscape architect and is a glorious sight to behold. Better yet, there’s no wastage involved – when the holidays are over, the plants will be reused and the pipe will be recycled, in keeping with the goodwill spirit of the season.