Stories

Want to Know Which Workshops Are on Our Christmas Wishlist

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By Tiffany Fung

Hint: There’s something in here for everyone.

6 Festive and Fun Christmas Activities to Try in 2025

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By ClassBento Team

Whether you’re searching for team building exercises or organising a family gathering, our fun-filled Christmas activities are suitable for everyWhether you’re searching for team building exercises or organising a family gathering, our fun-filled Christmas activities are suitable for every occasion! ...

Make a Watercolour Christmas Card with Blair Zhang

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By Courtenay Turner

From picking up a kid’s watercolour kit to becoming a full-time illustrator, Sydney-based artist Blair Zhang shares her creative journey.

Top Eco-friendly Experience Gifts This Christmas

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By Annie Symmonds

Delight the eco-conscious soul in your life with one of our top eco-friendly gift experiences this Christmas, from gardening workshops to potteryDelight the eco-conscious soul in your life with one of our top eco-friendly gift experiences this Christmas, from gardening workshops to pottery classes! ...

Best DIY Christmas Gifts 2025

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By Annie Symmonds

Discover unique Christmas gift experiences in 2023 and make DIY presents for your loved ones. From pottery to photography, there's so much to chooseDiscover unique Christmas gift experiences in 2023 and make DIY presents for your loved ones. From pottery to photography, there's so much to choose from. ...

Make Calligraphy Christmas Baubles with Vanessa Opazo

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By Kellie Maloney

From full-time architect to calligraphy artist, Vanessa Opazo from Bondi Letters shares her inspiring journey into teaching and her mission to empowerFrom full-time architect to calligraphy artist, Vanessa Opazo from Bondi Letters shares her inspiring journey into teaching and her mission to empower students through creativity. ...

Top Gift Card Ideas for Plant Lovers This Christmas

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By Katie Milton

From terrarium workshops to DIY plant propagation, these amazing gifts for plant lovers in Australia will delight this Christmas.

7 Experience Gifts for Grandparents This Christmas 2025

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By Annie Symmonds

Spoil your grandparents this Christmas 2025 with experience gift cards! From flower arranging to pottery classes, they're guaranteed to feel theSpoil your grandparents this Christmas 2025 with experience gift cards! From flower arranging to pottery classes, they're guaranteed to feel the love this year. ...

How to Pull Off an Unforgettable Office Christmas Party

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By Annie Symmonds

Take your office Christmas party to a whole new level with these unique team building activities in Australia.

9 DIY Christmas Decoration Ideas for 2025

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By Sarah Hinds-Friedl

Celebrate the holidays with these DIY Christmas activities in Sydney. From wreath-making to bauble decorating, create festive, handmade decorationsCelebrate the holidays with these DIY Christmas activities in Sydney. From wreath-making to bauble decorating, create festive, handmade decorations that last. ...

Valentines Gift Experiences for Couples to Spend Quality Time Together

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By Annie Symmonds

Spend quality time together on Valentine's Day with a selection of Valentine's gift experiences for couples seeking romance and connection

Support Local with Experience Vouchers This Christmas

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By Kellie Maloney

Give back this Christmas with experience gift cards! Delight your loved ones with local workshops that support talented makers, artists, and foodiesGive back this Christmas with experience gift cards! Delight your loved ones with local workshops that support talented makers, artists, and foodies in your community! ...

Christmas Gifts for Women Who Don't Have a Wishlist

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By Jana Lepojevic

Break free from the holiday gift dilemma! Discover unforgettable and creative Christmas gifts for her—gift experiences that go well beyond materialBreak free from the holiday gift dilemma! Discover unforgettable and creative Christmas gifts for her—gift experiences that go well beyond material treasures. ...

5 Crafty Valentines Experience Gifts for Her

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By Kellie Maloney

This Valentine's Day, impress the creative queen in your life with a crafty experience gift for her. See our range of gift ideas for inspirationThis Valentine's Day, impress the creative queen in your life with a crafty experience gift for her. See our range of gift ideas for inspiration. ...

The Most Unforgettable Christmas Gifts for Couples in 2025

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By Annie Symmonds

Find unforgettable Christmas gifts for couples in 2022 they'll absolutely love! From barista courses to terrarium making classes and cocktail maFind unforgettable Christmas gifts for couples in 2022 they'll absolutely love! From barista courses to terrarium making classes and cocktail making. ...

Creative Activities Around the Vivid Festival

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By Julia Carr-Catzel

When the sun sets in Sydney during the winter, the city transforms into a hub of creativity. From 25th May to 16th June 2018, the Vivid FestivalWhen the sun sets in Sydney during the winter, the city transforms into a hub of creativity. From 25th May to 16th June 2018, the Vivid Festival will attract audiences from all over Australia in an annual celebration of light, music and ideas.   Last year, the city saw a whopping 2.3 million bright-eyed attendees roaming the colourful nighttime playground. For its 10th anniversary, attendees will be transported into an underwater world of shimmering corals, bioluminescent jellyfish at Sydney’s Darling Harbour. Wander the Royal Botanic Gardens forest, rippling and pulsing with more than 40,000 individually-controlled RGB pixels. Converse with a giant luminescent puppet, performing fire and rain rituals in celebration of Barangaroo’s Indigenous history. Contemplate the meaning of life in a 360-degree light projection of the observable universe in the North Shore.   But the creative pulse of Australia’s largest city does not always reveal itself in the form of giant puppets or luminescent jellyfish under the magnetism of the night sky. In the larger Sydney arena, pockets of creative expression and learning can be found in rain or shine.     Circular Quay/The Rocks   Night Photography The parks, bays, cafes and museums observable to the travelers’ inquisitive eye, demand to be documented. Memories of a trip past, though poignant, fall back on their ephemeral qualities. Unless you possess master storytelling skills, wielding memory to recount a trip abroad to relatives, most often results in frustration on the traveler’s behalf, who cannot possibly do justice to the magical places seen.   Fortunately enough, this can be resolved with the aid of a photograph – an immediate and tangible clarification of a sight seen with layers of emotion felt at the time. It is no surprise then, that most travelers wish to improve their photography skills – and what better place to harness the power of photography in an environment oozing creativity?   If the thought of wandering through thousands of virtual toy balls or one thousand cranes excites you, then paying a visit to Vivid on The Rocks may just provide the ultimate creative space to exercise your camera skills.    Director of Alfonso’s Photo Tours, Alfonso Calero, started his business back in 2008 with the aim of teaching locals and tourists travel photography. His Night Photography Short Course focuses on composition and shooting skills, with an emphasis on unconventional thinking as a key tool in the creative process. Equip yourself with a camera of choice and follow the professional photographer down Sydney’s historic laneways in the shadow of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.   In an entirely customizable class, request tips from Alfonso on travel photography genres, styles and composition. Learn how to control ISO, shutter speed and aperture expertly to produce low-light shots. Become well acquainted with Sydney’s architecture and landscapes in its most creative and abstract time of year. Capture the multi-coloured canvas of the Opera House for the Lighting of the Sails exhibit.   Compliment your tales with timeless photographs of a city at its prime. Collect images that will evoke wander and inspire upon reflection for years to come.   Central Business District   Whilst getting lost in electric forests or interacting with a six-metre high puppet promises all the creative stimulation in the world. There is no shortage of Sydney’s creative community during its day-lit hours. Start the creative journey early and head towards Sydney’s Central Business District for a range of workshops, including terrarium, pottery, flower arranging or cooking.    Succulent Terrarium-Making Located in the inner-city suburb of Redfern, just three kilometres South of the CBD, the creative team from Merchant and Green host a range of classes from flower arranging to terrarium making. In a Terrarium Making class, work in an immersive and interactive environment under the expertise of senior florists and stylists. Construct a personalised wild landscape of fresh soil, river stones and petite succulents, embellish your vintage style glass jar with figurines, boulders and pebbles. Take home a low-maintenance, long-living plant to spruce up your home.   Macaron Making In the neighboring suburb, Surry Hills, lies Sydney’s leading macaron makers: MakMak Macarons. Surpassing competitors such as Laduree and Zumbo, the company is known for their unique blending of texture and flavour. In a Macaron Making class, under the expertise of professional chefs, wield chocolate, slice fresh fruit and combine native Australian ingredients replicate the premium, handmade macarons delighting customers since 2010. Experiment with Maldon Sea Salt, Bombay Sapphire gin, lemon myrtle and strawberry gum. Walk away with a complimentary gift bag with ingredients to whip up your own batch at home.   Ikebana Flower Arrangement Nestled in the eccentric suburb of Glebe, rest the tranquil confines of Sydney’s most renowned floristry boutique. Familiarise yourself with seasonal flowers in an Ikebana Flower Arranging workshop. Create stunning arrangements with Setsuko Yanagisawa, boasting no less than thirteen years of experience in floristry, specializing in the Ikebana technique. Fasten and secure stems whilst learning about the history of Ikebana. Combine textures, patterns and elements to create sophisticated and elegant arrangements to take home. Visit the Yuga café next door to regain your energy for a night out.    North-Shore   There is certainly no shortage of artistic talent, light projections and lasers in Sydney’s quieter suburbs during the Vivid Festival. Across the Harbour Bridge, the understated landscapes of the North Shore will embody futuristic artworks. By night, admire the mysteries of existence in a 360 degree light display projecting the stars and planets of the observable universe.   Shodo Japanese Calligraphy In the heart of Chatswood, rejuvenate and improve your focus in a Shodo Japanese Calligraphy workshop. Learn how to make different types of sumi ink under the guidance of Ren, an artist recognised internationally. Learn Japanese characters and wield your calligraphy brush or 'fude' against a special type of Japanese paper called ‘hanshi’. Express emotion through brush stroke pressure, rhythm and tone.    Following the creative class, meander the streets of Chatswood in a pop-up street market filled with recycled materials, lasers and scaffolding. Contemplate the meaning of the universe under the star-studded light display at the Concourse.   …   The Vivid Festival encourages visitors to engage in a hub of artistic expression and conversation of big ideas. By nightfall, the romantic harbour is specked with cruise ships and vessels contoured by a spectrum of saturated colour, and the magic of the city simply continues in different forms, with the rising of the sun. ...

Make Christmas Cocktails with Pineapple Jam

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By Kellie Maloney

Pineapple Jam creator and lead cocktail shaker Clinton Weir shares how he got his start in mixology and the motivation behind his creative cocktailPineapple Jam creator and lead cocktail shaker Clinton Weir shares how he got his start in mixology and the motivation behind his creative cocktail making workshops. ...

Make a Christmas Wreath with Ferris Heart Sloane

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By ClassBento Team

Meet Natasha, the flower-lover behind decorative interior design company, Ferris Heart Sloane!

The Do's and Don'ts of Valentine's Day Gifts for Him

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By Laine Fullerton

Find the perfect Valentine's Day experience gifts for him in 2025 with our gift guide! Learn the do's and dont's of Valentine's gift giving to createFind the perfect Valentine's Day experience gifts for him in 2025 with our gift guide! Learn the do's and dont's of Valentine's gift giving to create romance ...

6 First Father's Day Gifts in Australia for New Dads

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By Annie Symmonds

Discover thoughtful first Father’s Day gifts in Australia for new dads and spoil him with gift experiences he'll remember for years to come.

Christmas Gifts for Dads Who Have Everything

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By Annie Symmonds

Ignite his creativity with the best Christmas gifts for Dad in Australia—perfect if he says he wants nothing this year!

Amazing Father's Day Presents for Grandad in Australia

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By Annie Symmonds

From hands-on cooking classes to mindful pottery workshops, these are the most epic Father’s Day presents for Grandad in Australia.

Outdoor Christmas Party Ideas for the Festive Season

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By Katie Milton

Reconnect with your loved ones and embrace the warmer weather with these outdoor Christmas party ideas.

5 Gift Voucher Ideas for Vegans This Christmas

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By Annie Symmonds

Find thoughtful gift vouchers ideas for Christmas 2022 that will surprise and delight the vegans in your life!

Fun and Festive Gift Experiences for Women

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By Jana Lepojevic

Looking for a present for a special lady? Explore a variety of festive gift experiences for her that will inspire her creative spark.

Best Valentines Gift Experiences in Australia

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By Annie Symmonds

Find the best Valentine’s gift experiences in Australia this Valentine’s Day 2025 and treat your significant other to a memorable experienceFind the best Valentine’s gift experiences in Australia this Valentine’s Day 2025 and treat your significant other to a memorable experience! ...

Last Minute Father's Day Gifts in Australia

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By Annie Symmonds

It's never too late to find last-minute Father's Day gifts with a meaningful experience gift for dad. Get inspired with gift ideas that are readyIt's never too late to find last-minute Father's Day gifts with a meaningful experience gift for dad. Get inspired with gift ideas that are ready instantly. ...

Christmas Presents for Couples Who Are Hard to Buy For

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By ClassBento Team

Searching for Christmas presents for couples who have everything? These couples Xmas presents are sure to please even the toughest pair!

Top 7 Experience Gifts for Christmas

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By Annie Symmonds

We wrap up our top 7 experience gifts in Sydney, perfect for Christmas in 2023. Designed to help your gift recipients unplug, get creative and makeWe wrap up our top 7 experience gifts in Sydney, perfect for Christmas in 2023. Designed to help your gift recipients unplug, get creative and make memories! ...

Make Christmas Flower Arrangements with Peony Story

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By Charlotte McKewen

Fall in love with the art of floristry at Nikki Zeng's fun flower arranging classes with The Peony Story in Sydney.

Valentines Experience Gifts for Every Type of Girl

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By Kellie Maloney

Find a Valentines Day gift for her with our range of experience gifts to suit every type of girl. From arts and crafts to cooking, surprise her inFind a Valentines Day gift for her with our range of experience gifts to suit every type of girl. From arts and crafts to cooking, surprise her in 2025! ...

DIY Christmas Gifts

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By Kellie Maloney

Make Christmas extra special with these DIY experience gift cards!

Get Crafty This Holiday Season and Make Your Own Christmas Door Wreath

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By ClassBento Team

Ready to get festive? Read on for our complete guide on how to get crafty this holiday season and make your own Christmas door wreath!

Valentine's Day Gifts for Him - Be Alternative

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By ClassBento Team

Stumped for Valentine's gift experiences for him? Check out these 7 alternative workshops that will leave your special someone feeling all lovedStumped for Valentine's gift experiences for him? Check out these 7 alternative workshops that will leave your special someone feeling all loved up. ...

I Tried the 7 Biggest Craft Trends of 2023. You Can Too

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By Laine Fullerton

Dust off your yarn balls. The hottest crafts of 2023 are here and we promise anyone can give them a go.

If You Try One Craft in 2022 This Should Be It

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By Laine Fullerton

Can you guess what hot new craft accessory comes in baby pink and looks like it’s straight from a 1980s action movie?

7 Trending Crafts to Sink Your Hands Into in 2022

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By Katie Milton

From glass and flame to looping, arranging and painting with thread, our Head of Editorial shares the mesmerising crafts you won’t be able to stepFrom glass and flame to looping, arranging and painting with thread, our Head of Editorial shares the mesmerising crafts you won’t be able to step away from in 2022. ...