Honour tradition with a visit to Santa’s Cave
Santa’s Cave is a much-loved Palmy institution.
It’s a favourite holiday treasure that’s been enchanting generations for more than 100 years.
Enjoy time-honoured displays, Christmas music and visit with Santa himself.
Open mid November - early January every year.
Visit the Cave
For some, it is a magical trip down memory lane. Others find its kitsch-factor totally endearing. There are those who even find it curiously creepy… but all agree, it wouldn’t be Christmas in Palmerston North without the Cave. Since 1918 its sparkle and joy has put a smile on the faces of thousands of visitors every year.
Opening hours
For some, it is a magical trip down memory lane. Others find its kitsch-factor totally endearing. There are those who even find it curiously creepy… but all agree, it wouldn’t be Christmas in Palmerston North without the Cave. Since 1918 its sparkle and joy has put a smile on the faces of thousands of visitors every year.
Christmas Shop
Are you looking for Christmas gifts you can’t find anywhere else? Open for just two months of the year, Santa’s Cave Christmas shop stocks a special selection of merchandise. From festive puzzles and games to Te Manawa’s very own line of Christmas toys, we’ve got something to make Christmas special for the whole family.
Discover our Christmas Playlists
Get in the festive spirit and enjoy Christmas playlists curated by Te Manawa staff. Whether you’re in the mood for timeless Christmas classics or contemporary Christmas pop, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
The tale of Santa’s Cave
C&Cs – Where it All Began
In August 1904, Leo Henry Collinson and John Cunninghame started a clothing store on The Square in Palmerston North. Their partnership was a roaring success, and by 1910 the business of Collinson & Cunninghame Ltd employed more than 50 people. When members of the Collinson and Cunninghame families sold the business to Farmers Trading Company in 1983, C&Cs (as it had become known) was considered to have been a true family business built on delivering value, quality and excellent service
Toyland
Collinson & Cunninghame traded for 79 years. From its early days as a mail order business to the lavishly decorated department store that many felt at home in, C&Cs had come to occupy a place in the hearts of Palmerston North locals.
‘Toyland’ was the store’s toy department, in 1923. Before Santa’s Cave opened in 1918, Santa would be visited by children in Toyland.
Rebuilding a Community
1918 saw the end of the First World War but also the arrival in New Zealand of the influenza pandemic, which swept across the world in October and November that year, killing more than 8,600 New Zealanders. Concerned citizens, including Leo Collinson, organised relief aid for many people afflicted by sickness across the town. Across Palmerston North, 5,000 toys were distributed – one for every child under 10.
1918 - Santa’s Cave Opens
To generate a spirit of optimism throughout the community, C&Cs decided to go ahead and open Santa’s Cave, which it did on Christmas Eve, 1918. On that day, the Manawatu Standard ran an advertisement describing the Cave as “130 feet of winding maze”, a “wonderful subterranean maze and tunnel”, and “dimly lit, fun, surprises, laughter, presents. Big prizes for all.” Admission was one shilling (the equivalent of $11 today). Children under the age of 14 were allowed in from 6.30 to 8.30pm.
Clowns and Acrobats
In the windows of the store, displays included an electrically run toy circus complete with clowns, acrobats and animals. Santa’s Cave grew enormously in popularity in the aftermath of WWI. One of the store’s catalogues recorded that in 1921, 11,000 people visited. Numbers continued to grow as each year a new set of displays was added.
Making the Displays
Merchandising in department stores has always required the skills of display artists and designers. Shop windows were usually filled with specially built displays showing off clothing, fabrics, toys and other goods. The display artists who worked at C&Cs were responsible for creating the displays in Santa’s Cave.
Sometimes the displays were themed around a particular event. After World War Two, a model Victory Parade was built. In 1952, an elaborate scene celebrated the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. This included parades of lead soldiers and a royal carriage fixed to a constantly running conveyor belt. A large-gauge railway set was also added.
Santa can’t wait to see you!
Don’t forget your Christmas wishlist!