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Show us your Christmas Jumper!

Even at a hot Aussie Christmas, our favourite holiday outfit is still the classic Christmas Jumper – and right now, we want to see yours! Submit a photo of your Christmas jumper to our competition for the chance to WIN a family pass to this year’s event. Get crafty, start some knitting, dig through your cupboards, and you could be on your way to Carols. Need some inspiration to find your Christmas Jumper? Our Vision Australia​ Op Shops are an excellent place to start looking! Our wonderful volunteers can help you find the perfect festive fashion this National Op Shop Week at any of our locations. Find your local Op Shop through the Vision Australia website, and don’t forget to take a photo and enter our competition through bit.ly/CarolsJumpers today!  
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Behind the scenes at Carols

December might seem far away, but here at Carols by Candlelight HQ, we’re preparing something extraordinary. When our community comes together on Christmas Eve, we’ll light our candles to support kids who are blind or low vision to live the life they choose. And with only a couple of months to go, we’re busy planning a truly magical evening.     So what fills a typical October day for the Carols team? Team meetings on the priorities across marketing, artwork, logistics, sponsorship, media and communications. Taking our office dog for a training walk. Reggie is a Seeing Eye Dog in training, and a crucial part of the team. Meeting potential new sponsors to discuss the exciting activities they can help us with Talking about ticketing with our friends over at Ticketmaster. Checking our supplies of glow sticks, candles, and candle holders. Marching around the Sidney Myer Music Bowl to find the best lawn spot and a million other tasks to bring us closer to Christmas!   We can’t wait to tell you all about the wonderful plans we have for December 24th at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Keep your eyes open for our updates on tickets, competitions, and the latest news on all things Carols. We’ll be making Christmas brighter than ever!       
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Learning to read with Feelix

Literacy is such an important part of growing up – but what does that look like for kids who are blind or have low vision?   At the Vision Australia Feelix Library, children from a young age can enjoy stories with their parents and siblings, and learn about braille. Reading plays a key role in the learning and development of any child, and Feelix helps children learn and develop in a unique, sensory way to support literacy through their Story Kits for each children’s book.     Our story kits help parents, carers and teachers bring stories to life for children through books, audio and touch. Story kits include: A child’s picture book with clear braille overlay so they can learn to read. A CD so they can also listen along to the story as they read. A handmade tactile toy or object that the child can touch to help them further understand the story. A tactile book which tells the story through touch.   For more information on Vision Australia’s Library service call 1800 005 965 or contact the Library. You can also connect with our services through the Vision Australia website.  
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Carols through the years

Carols has a fantastic rich history that spans over 80 years! Here are some of our favourite snippets from the early years of this wonderful Christmas festival.     While Norman Banks is known as the driving force behind the creation of Carols by Candlelight, it was his secretary, Dot Dawson, who coined the iconic event name. The proceeds of Carols during the years of World War 2 were shared between the Red Cross and the Comforts Fund, supporting Australian soldiers both returned and abroad. In 1943, greetings from Lord Mayors across the world – including London, Ottawa, Capetown, Wellington, and even New York – were broadcast to crowds at Alexandra gardens during the event. 1949 saw the first major international spin-off, with a Carols by Candlelight event taking place in England. The Melbourne organisers sent a package of candles and sticks as a gesture of well-wishes. In 1956, Carols was broadcast by television station GTV9 via three cameras – and expected to reach as far as Ararat, 160 miles away from transmission! For a number of years through the 1950s, a parade of torch bearers would proceed through the grounds before the performances began. They were typically young women dressed in white flowing gowns. Do you have a fascinating fact about the history of Carols by Candlelight? You can contact us to share your stories!  
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Shine BRIGHT this Christmas

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Carols by Candlelight sees the community come together to support children who are blind or have low vision and their families. All of the funds raised through Carols by Candlelight provide services for kids across the country, whether it’s through orientation and mobility for schools and kindergartens, sports and music activities, or our Feelix library.

We want to make Christmas brighter for kids like Parker here to live the life they choose.

Find out more about the services we provide by visiting the Vision Australia website: www.visionaustralia.org

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