From bilbies to sea turtles, young Aussies have reimagined Santa’s sleigh, with their designs celebrated in a new Christmas story by children’s author Sophie Beer.
The LEGO Group has unveiled a magical holiday display at the World’s Largest LEGO Store in Sydney, featuring six sleighs built from LEGO bricks. Reimagined for an Aussie summer, these builds were designed by talented young Australians who were tasked with creating a sleigh for Santa that would be fit for deliveries down under.
10-year-old Owen Harris from Bondoola, Queensland, has had his unique sleigh design brought to life as a large-scale LEGO build. A conservation advocate and former Wildlife Warrior of the Year, Owen created a concept inspired by Australian native animals. To ensure Santa’s sleigh is ready for summer deliveries, he swapped out reindeer for the ultimate bilby-powered, four-wheel-drive sleigh. Featuring a green-tree python to guard Santa’s sack of presents and a koala jumping on board for the ride, Owen’s sleigh puts a playful twist on Santa’s traditional form of transport.
Other young designers include 11-year-old Amelia Bryant from Melbourne, who created a surfboard sleigh pulled by sea turtles, allowing Santa to glide across the Tasman Sea. Nine-year-old Apolosi Fosita from Melbourne designed a swamp strider sleigh, featuring feathers that tickle crocodiles, making them laugh instead of bite, ensuring Santa’s safe passage.
Not only will these sleighs be showcased in brick-form until Christmas, they will also be featured in a new digital book, downloadable by visiting — LEGO.com/Christmas.
LEGO Australia has partnered with award-winning children’s author and illustrator Sophie Beer to turn this into an exciting Christmas story families can enjoy together. Perfect for cozying up with loved ones, it makes a magical ‘night before Christmas’ listening experience that adds a fun Aussie twist to holiday traditions.
Sophie Beer, children’s author and illustrator, said: “Bringing these incredible sleigh designs to life has been such a joy. Each one captures the playful imagination and festive spirit of Christmas in Australia, with surfboards, bilbies, and turtles giving Santa’s ride a true Aussie twist! I hope Santa’s Summer Sleigh becomes a story families love sharing, inspiring kids everywhere to see the magic in their own ideas and holiday traditions.”
10-year-old Owen Harris said: “I’m so excited to see my sleigh idea brought to life, not only in LEGO bricks but also in a book. I wanted it to be perfect for Santa’s trip across the outback, and since I love animals, especially Australian wildlife, it’s pretty cool to see bilbies pulling the sleigh just like I imagined. I hope Santa loves his Aussie sleigh as much as I do, and I can’t wait for everyone to play and create their own holiday adventures with LEGO bricks.”
Justine McKenny, Senior Director, Head of Marketing at LEGO Australia & New Zealand, said: “It’s been wonderful to see the creativity of Australian children who have reimagined what Santa’s sleigh could look like for down under. We believe every LEGO build tells a story which is why we’re also delighted to team up with beloved children’s author, Sophie Beer, to create a Christmas story that will inspire families to embrace the magic of the holiday season together.”
Families can view the sleigh display at the LEGO Certified Store Sydney Pitt Street from the 28 November – 27 December and access the book at LEGO.com/Christmas, on Spotify, Apple Podcast and all key podcasting platforms.
This article originally appeared in Edition 13 of The Toy Universe Magazine
