Festival of Lights Week at Sugar Bay: A Celebration of Hope, Friendship, and New Beginnings

Upcoming December 2025 & January 2026 Sugar Bay Camps:

Week 4: Festival of Lights Week: 27 December 2025 – 4 January 2026 | Sugar Bay Holiday Resort, KZN North Coast

Every parent wants to see their child feel confident, kind, and inspired. At Sugar Bay, we believe that every child carries a light inside them, waiting to shine. This December, during our Festival of Lights Week (27 December 2025 – 4 January 2026), we celebrate that light through a journey of culture, creativity, and connection.

Throughout the week, campers will explore light festivals from around the world, including Diwali, Hanukkah, Christmas, the Lantern Festival, Kwanzaa, and Norway’s Glød. Each day transforms Sugar Bay into a new country, with themed décor, activities, and food that immerse children in the beauty of global celebration.

But beyond the glowing lanterns, music, and laughter, Festival of Lights Week is about something deeper. It is a week of reflection, renewal, and gratitude. It helps children discover that light can come from kindness, friendship, and courage — even in the smallest of moments.

The Meaning of Light

Children will learn that light is more than what we see. It represents hope, renewal, and positivity. Each culture’s festival teaches that even when times are dark, compassion and perseverance can bring warmth back into the world.

At camp, that lesson comes to life through shared experiences. From creating lanterns to writing gratitude letters, every activity helps children reflect on what it means to be a source of light for others.

Global Awareness and Cultural Appreciation

Festival of Lights Week is a journey around the world in seven days. One day might be filled with bright Diwali colors and Indian dance, while the next might bring Chinese lanterns, Turkish storytelling, or Norwegian star gazing. Campers learn that while every culture celebrates differently, they all share the same values: gratitude, community, and togetherness.

By exploring traditions from across the globe, children build empathy and curiosity. They learn to appreciate differences and see how the world’s stories connect through shared light.

Reflection and Personal Growth

This week is also about personal reflection. On the first night, campers will write letters to their future selves, setting goals in three areas:

• Social: Make a new friend or reconnect with an old one.

• Personal Challenge: Try something new, whether it’s an activity or a personal goal.

• Inner Confidence: Perform, speak up, or share something brave.

  
  

At the end of camp, they receive their letters back and write a second one celebrating their achievements. It is a meaningful reminder that growth happens when they try, even if things are hard.

Gratitude and Togetherness

Lighting lanterns, candles, and sparklers together creates moments of unity. Around every campfire and evening celebration, children experience the joy of giving, sharing, and belonging. They learn that happiness multiplies when shared, and that community is built through kindness and gratitude.

From themed dinners and music to a breathtaking New Year’s Eve Lantern Ceremony, campers will celebrate not only the year that passed but also the light they carry into the new one.

Creativity and Self-Expression

Every culture tells its story through art, music, and dance. At Sugar Bay, children will express themselves through lantern making, storytelling, creative performances, and cultural crafts. Whether they are painting, dancing, or simply laughing with new friends, they gain confidence and joy in expressing who they are.

Why Parents Love Festival of Lights Week

Parents love this week because it blends fun and meaning in a way that children remember for years. Between the laughter and the lessons, kids come home more grounded, grateful, and proud of themselves.

They talk about the friends they made, the lanterns they released, and the moments they realized they could do more than they thought possible. It is not just a camp. It is an experience of self-discovery, cultural appreciation, and emotional growth.

A Week That Lights the Way Forward

Festival of Lights Week is a celebration of everything that makes childhood magical: curiosity, connection, and hope. It reminds every child that their light matters and that even small acts of kindness can brighten the world.

Join us from 27 December 2025 to 4 January 2026 at Sugar Bay Holiday Resort on the KZN North Coast for a celebration of friendship, culture, and light. Give your child a holiday filled with wonder, reflection, and memories that will shine long after camp ends.

Click below to book your child’s spot today. 🌴🏄‍♀️✨

For more information: 032 485 3778 | holidays@sugarbay.co.za | www.sugarbay.co.za 

Send us a WhatsApp: 082 525 9503