A festive weekend

Christmas is almost here, and with just two days to go, you are perhaps looking at a weekend jam-packed with last-minute shopping, brunch or high tea with cousins, dinner with family, and parties with friends. 

If this is the case, there are many options you can choose from to make the most of the festive season, from Christmas sales to specially curated menus, and entertainment that will keep the spirits high. In order to make your planning easier, The Morning Brunch put together a few events taking place in Colombo that caught our eye.

The Sugar Shack

If you are looking for freshly baked, seasonally decorated cakes, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, and much more, The Sugar Shack will have it all at their annual Christmas bake sale tomorrow (24). This is their 12th bake sale, and sadly, their last, but The Sugar Shack is making it the perfect stop for all your Christmas shopping, with a range of stalls as well as traditional Christmas cake, yule logs, and breudher.

Colombo Shopping Festival at BMICH

If you have any last-minute Christmas shopping to be done, the Colombo Shopping Festival at BMICH will take place until tomorrow. This is the 35th edition of the shopping festival and has almost anything you could need, from household items and clothes to electronics, toys, and art.

Viharamahadevi Park

Wicked Revelations is bringing the North Pole to the Viharamahadevi Open Air Theatre tomorrow, with a 12-hour rollercoaster of revelry, amazing food and drinks, and heart-pumping music. The event will take place from 12 noon onwards at Green Path, with the concert kicking off at the Viharamadevi Open Air Theatre at 6 p.m. featuring Dinna and Kaiz, Mihindu Ariyarathne, Ridma Weerawardane, Supun Perera, Ashanthi De Alwis, Centigradz, Dhanith Sri, and Chanuka Moragoda, and Dilo with Yaka Crew.

Snow World

Snow World is back at Excel World after a three-year hiatus and is open until 31 December from 5 to 10 p.m. and is the perfect place to be if you are looking to be transported to a winter wonderland. They have made lots of improvements to the place, making it even more festive and fun.

The Kingsbury

This Christmas, The Kingsbury is willing to do all the hard work so you can relax and enjoy a feast that includes roast turkey, delicious desserts, and a range of international cuisine. Christmas classics and live music are offered at Harbour Court, with dinner buffets on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, as well as a brunch buffet on 25 December. For those looking for something slightly different but still festive, The Kingsbury’s SteakBar, The Ocean, Yue Chuan, and Tenku are ready to serve you as well.

Cinnamon Grand

Everything you want for Christmas is awaiting you on 25 December at Cinnamon Grand, with special lunch menus at Plates, The Lagoon, Noodles, Cheers Pub, and Chutneys; while Plates, Nuga Gama, The London Grill, Noodles, and Cheers Pub have something special prepared for dinner as well. Cinnamon Grand also has a Christmas day brunch planned for diners as well as a holiday high tea at the Tea Lounge until 25 December.

Cinnamon Lakeside

If you are looking for an endless Christmas high tea, the festive high tea buffet accompanied by live entertainment at The Lounge at Cinnamon Lakeside is the place to be, or if you are looking to dip into the Christmas spirit, Colombar has a special Christmas cocktail menu until 25 December. The hotel also has a spread prepared for Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas lunch, and Christmas dinner.

Jetwing Colombo Seven

Make this a Christmas to remember at Jetwing Colombo Seven, which is serving festive high tea platters throughout the month. Jetwing Colombo Seven also has a four-course menu paired with Gluhwein (German mulled wine) planned for Christmas Eve dinner and a three-course menu paired with mulled wine for Christmas lunch.

Shangri-La Colombo

A delectable feast awaits you on Christmas Eve at Shangri-La Colombo’s Capital Bar and Grill, where Executive Chef Patrick and his team have drawn inspiration from the diversity of local ingredients to create a four-course set menu that perfectly balances premium meat and seafood, local flavours, and seasonal favourites. You can also enjoy festive treats and live instrumental music at the Sapphyr Lounge.

Cyril Rodrigo’s Green Cabin

Christmas dinner at Cyril Rodrigo’s Green Cabin is a three-course menu, which follows their endless Christmas brunch, both accompanied by live music. They also have Christmas high tea that will take the Christmas spirit well into the new year, as it is available on one-day prior booking until 15 January.

The Bayleaf 

The Bayleaf restaurant is one of the finest places to celebrate Christmas this year, with a menu that consists of mouth-watering dishes like roasted young turkey roulade, Christmas beetroot ravioli, herb-crusted roast pork loin, and Christmas pudding with brandy butter sauce. You can enjoy their special Christmas menu until 30 December, and complement the meal with a delicious festive cocktail.

The Bavarian

If you are looking for something German this Christmas, The Bavarian has you covered. Their Christmas menu has everything you are looking for: Festive cocktails like the white Christmas martini, Christmas cherry mojito, eggnog, mulled wine, Italian hot chocolate, savouries such as oven-roasted turkey roulade and maple cranberry glazed pork ribs, and desserts like Christmas pudding with brandy butter.

Rare

At Rare Bar and Kitchen, you can indulge in a range of festive cocktails, like the Irish affogato, or take home sweet treats like Christmas cake, breudher, stolen, spice cookies, yule logs, and Christmas pudding with brandy butter sauce, and savouries like roast turkey, brandy barbeque chicken, and crispy pork knuckle. On 25 December, Rare will also treat patrons to a festive brunch with live music.

The Love Bar

If you are looking for something different this season, The Love Bar and Candi Room have been keeping things festive with a great “Merry X’mas Ya Filthy Animals” line-up until 24 December. Tonight’s headliner is Hitch, while tomorrow (24), The Lunatics will keep spirits high at The Love Bar.

SunsetBlu

Hilton Colombo’s SunsetBlu, located at the hotel’s poolside, has a seasonal feast planned on 24 December and 25 December, with a specially curated festive dinner menu available at the location from 7 p.m. onwards on both days.

Industri

Celebrate a white Christmas at Industri tonight, 23 December, with Trev D, DJ Demo, Kakes, The Lunatics, and Clifford Issac, or opt for a festive Christmas Eve with “Merry X’mas Ya Filthy Animals” with Trev D, DJ Demo, and Ace tomorrow.