25/12/2025
Carols in the Domain was something I dreamed about as a child. Watching on TV at Christmas, completely in awe, telling myself, one day, I’ll be there.
In 2022, I took a leap and reached out to see if Mr & Mrs Hill could be part of the show through lighting. When I didn’t hear back straight away, I thought maybe I’d been a little too ambitious. Then the reply came… and everything changed.
Our original idea was wrapping the historic grandfather trees in the Domain. When that wasn’t possible due to heritage restrictions, we reimagined how to light them from beneath. That first year was a small role, but it marked the beginning of becoming part of the Carols family.
The following year, we were trusted with the first-ever Carols in the Domain Christmas tree, a 10-metre-high tree. We said yes before fully knowing how we’d do it. We trusted our instincts, brought in a skilled fabricator from our hometown, and worked through months of pressure, engineering challenges, and very little sleep.
Seeing Geoff FaceTime our girls from rehearsal, standing in front of that tree with tears in his eyes, is a moment I’ll never forget.
For the past three years, we’ve brought the Carols tree to life alongside an incredible team of electricians and lighting creatives. What was once a childhood dream is now a tradition, one we hope to continue for many years. Sharing it with my best friend and her family makes it even more special.
It’s more than carols. It’s a feeling, where families come together, leave the heaviness behind, and simply feel joy.
And this year, after everything that happened in Bondi, that feeling mattered more than ever. The love, warmth and tributes shared meant there weren’t many dry eyes. Huge respect to the hosts and performers for holding that space so beautifully.
A gentle reminder for anyone building something:
Don’t lose sight of your dreams. Be brave enough to send the email, pitch the idea, and say yes. You’ll learn as you go, and realise you were capable all along. That one email could change everything.
And I encourage you to come along to in 2026. It might become a new tradition for your family too ❤️
Merry Christmas ✨