Extended trading hours, a Christmas Market and Yuletide-inspired workshops and activities plus photo opportunities with the person of the season: Santa (or Father Christmas, depending on your persuasion). 

Fourways Mall transforms into a Santa Land Adventure until Fri, Dec 22 with interactive activity zones for the whole family. Here's what you'll find: 

Zone 1 – The Mainland of Santa Land (located in the main Promotions Court) offers you a chance to chat with the resident elf, take a peek into Santa’s Bedroom and check if you (hopefully) made the nice list. Kids are invited to write letters to Santa and decorate a festive doughnut with Hotbake, while also exploring the sensory board area, before stepping into the literary world of Exclusive Books where they can enjoy book readings and character appearances from The Gruffalo and Greg from Diary of a Wimpy Kid. From here, kids can slide into Santa’s Courtyard, where they can get their faces painted and play plenty of fun games with Hamleys, Toy Kingdom and Build-a-Bear.

Zone 2 – Santa’s Workshop (located near PNA, in the Milady’s Court) has been transformed by paper crafts and accessories company Cricut. Here, families can choose from a range of festive ornaments to customise and decorate, using Cricut's machines and accessories. 

Zone 3 – Santa’s Bubble Bounce (located outside Cotton On) allows little ones to bounce their way through a globe of festive balloons.

Zone 4 – Santa’s Ball Playground (located outside Crocs) is an interactive and high-tech zone, designed for all ages.

Tickets are R40 p.p. and must be booked online through Quicket. You can also book at the mall, but you might not get the time slot you desire. 

A ticket lets you experience two hours of fun at Santa Land (except the 12.30 – 14:00 and 16:00 – 18:00 slots, which are one-and-a-half hours long). You must arrive 30 minutes before your allotted time. Your Santa Land Adventure begins at the ticket office (located between Checkers and Edgars) where you'll receive your access wristband and map. Tickets are limited per time slot, so book early to avoid disappointment. The first two-hour slot opens at 10:00 and the last one-and-a-half-hour slot starts at 16:30. Santa Land closes strictly at 18:00 daily. All Santa Land Zones are closed between 14:00 – 15:00 daily to allow for deep cleaning.

You'll collect a sticker as you complete each zone. Fill in your details on the competition entry form on the adventure map and drop the entry form off at the box at Santa Land Mainland for a chance to win up to R10,000 in Fourways Mall gift cards. 

In addition to the Santa Land Adventure, there'll be photos with Santa until Sun, Dec 24 – this does not form part of the Santa Land ticket price and must be purchased separately. Photos happen from 09:00 – 18:00 daily (until 13:00 on Christmas Eve) except between 14:00 – 15:00 each day (because he also needs a break from festive business).

Thu, Dec 14 – Fri, Dec 22 – If you've left your Christmas shopping to the last minute, you can find artisanal and small-batch goods and gifts at the Festive Fourways Market located in the passages between Game and H&M, and H&M and Truworths. 

Parents can also expect a sugar-overload challenge that the kids will love, thanks to Oh My Cake, Cotton Candy Lane, Jolly Donut Co. and Aux Petit Four, located just outside the Mainland Zone and Seattle Coffee Co., in the Cotton On Court. Note that all food and drink vendors are strictly cashless and only cards will be accepted.

During the festive fun, you can enjoy a live music line-up from talented local musicians, performing everyone’s favourite holiday tunes.

In the true spirit of the season, you can get your gifts wrapped by the Smile Foundation, for R10 a gift at the gift-wrapping kiosks located at the info desk at the main Promotions Court, and in front of Sportscene and Cotton On, on the lower level. The gift-wrapping service is also cashless. 

Spread some festive cheer by donating to Reach For A Dream Foundation which helps terminally ill children by making their wishes come true. Donate via QR code at the Disney Chari-tree, located down the Cotton On passageway. Or donate a new or previously loved toy to The Angel Network, in partnership with Safripol, at the branded donation boxes, located outside Woolworths on the lower level or Hamleys and Toys R Us on the upper level. 

Of course, entertainment favourites include Adventure Golf, Bounce, The Fun Company, the movies, a play park and a jungle gym, a carousel, the Hamely's train and go-karting.

We think that Christmas is officially covered!