Christmas Concerts & Carols
Details for the two December celebrations: Carols on the Green on Friday 4 December 2026 at 6:00pm on the College Green, and the Junior Christmas Concert on Thursday 10 December 2026 at 6:00pm in the Hall — run sheets, what to bring, dress, wet weather and collection.
Updated 25 August 2026
Two evenings bring the College community together at the end of the year. Carols on the Green is a whole-school picnic evening on the lawn between the Hall and St Mary of the Cross Church, with carols from every Junior year level and our Senior ensembles. The Junior Christmas Concert the following week is the Junior School's own end-of-year performance, with every class from Prep to Year 6 on stage. Both are free.
Carols on the Green — Friday 4 December 2026
| Date | Friday 4 December 2026 |
| Time | 6:00–8:00pm (food trucks from 5:00pm; Junior students to class rugs by 5:45pm) |
| Where | The College Green — lawn between Mary MacKillop Hall and St Mary of the Cross Church |
| Who | Whole College community; all Prep–Year 6 students perform |
| Cost | Free, no RSVP; bring cash or card for food |
| Wet weather | Moved into the Hall; decision posted on the Parent Portal by 2:00pm that day |
Run sheet
| Time | Item |
|---|---|
| 5:00pm | Food trucks, P&F sausage sizzle and Brew Brothers coffee open; SRC selling battery candles ($2) |
| 5:45pm | Junior students sit with their class on marked rugs in front of the stage |
| 6:00pm | Welcome by Dr Helen Carmody; Junior Band opens |
| 6:10pm | Prep–Year 2 Nativity tableau |
| 6:25pm | Year-level carols: Prep, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6 (one carol each) |
| 7:00pm | Junior Choir |
| 7:10pm | Senior Chamber Choir |
| 7:20pm | Stage Band |
| 7:30pm | Staff item (traditionally a surprise) |
| 7:40pm | Community carols with lyric sheets; P&F Christmas raffle drawn |
| 7:55pm | Blessing from Fr Michael Dwyer; Silent Night by candlelight |
| 8:00pm | Finish |
What to know
- Dress: students wear casual clothes in Christmas colours (no uniform). Prep–Year 2 Nativity costumes are supplied by the school and put on in the Hall Annexe from 5:30pm.
- Bring: picnic rug or low chairs, a picnic if you prefer not to buy from the trucks, jumpers for later, insect repellent and a torch for the walk back to the car. Open flames are not permitted; battery candles are sold by the SRC.
- Collection: Junior students sit with their class until their year level has sung, then are released to their parents from the rugs. Please collect from the class teacher so the roll can be marked. Year 5 and 6 students may then stay for community carols with their families.
- Food: Two food trucks (wood-fired pizza and souvlaki, with halal and gluten-free options), the P&F sausage sizzle ($3, or $4 with onion) and coffee. Eftpos available. No nuts are sold on site.
- Parking: Main car park via Chapel Road fills quickly; use the Sports Centre car park off Convent Lane. The Kiss-and-Drop zone is closed to parking. See Kiss-and-Drop & Parking.
- Senior exams: Years 7–10 exams run from Monday 30 November to Friday 4 December 2026 — Senior ensemble members are still expected to perform, and Ms Whitlam has cleared this with year level coordinators.
Junior Christmas Concert — Thursday 10 December 2026
| Date | Thursday 10 December 2026 |
| Time | 6:00–7:30pm; students to classrooms by 5:30pm |
| Where | Mary MacKillop Hall (overflow live-streamed to the Recital Room, M4) |
| Who | Every Prep–Year 6 class performs; Year 6 students host |
| Cost | Free; no tickets, but seating is limited to 450 — arrive early |
Run sheet
| Time | Item |
|---|---|
| 5:30pm | Students arrive at their classrooms in costume; teachers mark the roll |
| 6:00pm | Welcome from Ms Priya Natarajan, Head of Junior School; Year 6 hosts introduce the evening |
| 6:05pm | Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 items (two songs each) |
| 6:35pm | Year 3 and Year 4 items |
| 6:55pm | Year 5 item; Junior Choir |
| 7:10pm | Year 6 finale item |
| 7:20pm | Silent Night (whole Junior School) and Christmas blessing from Sr Bernadette Long rsj |
| 7:30pm | Finish; students collected from classrooms |
What to know
- Costumes: each class teacher sends a costume note home on Friday 20 November 2026. Costumes are simple — a coloured t-shirt, tinsel, a Santa hat — and nothing needs to be bought specially. Prep students' costumes are kept at school after the dress rehearsal on Wednesday 9 December 2026.
- Seating: unallocated. Because the Hall seats 450 and we have 620 Junior students, we ask that each family bring no more than four guests to the Hall; additional family members are welcome to watch the live-stream in the Recital Room next door. Doors open 5:30pm.
- Collection: at 7:30pm students return to their classrooms and are collected from the class teacher. Please do not collect children from the stage or foyer.
- Photography: personal photos of your own child are welcome; please do not use flash or block the aisles, and see the Photography & Media Consent Policy before sharing images that include other children.
- Year 6 Graduation is the previous evening, Wednesday 9 December 2026 at 6:00pm in the Hall — see Year 6 Graduation.
Other Christmas music
- The Senior Chamber Choir sings at the whole-school Mass on Friday 4 December 2026 at 9:15am in St Mary of the Cross Church.
- Junior Choir and Junior Band perform at the Junior assembly on Friday 11 December 2026 at 2:30pm.
- Parish Christmas Masses are listed on the Masses & Liturgies page.
Questions about either evening: Ms Grace Whitlam via the Music Office, (03) 9555 0130 or music@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au. Junior School logistics: Ms Priya Natarajan via the Junior Office, (03) 9555 0100.