Credit: Courtesy of events
Events
11 family-friendly Christmas activities to book now that guarantee festive fun
By Stylist Team
5 months ago
6 min read
Whatever your family’s age, Stylist has rounded up all the best ways to get involved in festive fun this Christmas, from open-top bus tours to light trails.
As glorious as the holiday season can be, we all know that Christmas comes with a lot of admin. Between gift shopping, organising nativity costumes (how do you make a shepherd’s outfit from scratch?) and planning the perfect menu for the big day itself, the thought of putting together a festive and fun social calendar on top of that can be stress-inducing, to say the least.
Thankfully, we’ve done some of the hard work for you by rounding up all the best (and bookable) Christmassy events to get you and your family into the spirit. Whether you have smaller ones who will love Legoland in the winter or older Harry Potter fans excited to see Hogwarts at Christmas, we’ve got you covered. These are 11 of the best family-friendly activities to get you into the winter spirit.
Heligan Night Garden, Cornwall
Running from 15 November to 4 January; tickets start from £20.50 for adults and £11 for children
Paddington Christmas Lights Bus Tour
Each table also comes with a special built-in screen providing guests with a Paddington-guided animation of the tour of London – with Paddington and Mrs Bird telling you all about some of the city’s most famous landmarks.
Running from 11 November to 5 January; from £45 per person for adults and £35 per person for children
Phizz-wizzing Winter at the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, Buckinghamshire
For a truly splendiferous day out this Christmas, head to the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden. The attraction, which celebrates the life and stories of Roald Dahl, has a host of festive activities lined up to keep families entertained, including a Santa experience and the Child Heroes Christmas Trail, where children can track down Christmas stockings belonging to their favourite Roald Dahl characters, including Matilda, Charlie and Sophie. There will also be regular story-telling, guided walks through the countryside that inspired Dahl’s stories and the chance to get up close and personal with some of the minibeasts and bugs that featured in James And The Giant Peach.
Running from 23 November to 28 December; tickets start from £9.95
Hogwarts In The Snow, Hertfordshire
Harry Potter fans of all ages will lose themselves in the magic of Hogwarts In The Snow, which sees the typical Warner Bros studio tour transformed into a winter wonderland. After walking the cobbled streets of Diagon Alley, exploring a snow-covered Forbidden Forest and attending a real-life Yule Ball, the whole family will enjoy a two-course Christmas dinner sitting at house tables in the Great Hall, surrounded by wizarding Christmas decor.
Running from 16 November to 19 January; tickets start from £56 per person
Legoland at Christmas, Berkshire
Running from 29 November to 4 January; tickets start from £29 per person
Christmas at Warwick Castle, Warwickshire
Running from 23 November to 5 January; tickets start from £22 per person
Sea Life London’s Snowy Conservation Crew, London
While the aquarium might not seem like the most Christmassy place on earth, this year families are invited to join Snowy’s Conservation Crew to meet some of the incredible Arctic animals as well as the amazing Sea Life regulars. Learn all about them and how to help keep them safe – informative and fun.
Running from 7–24 December; tickets start from £40 per person
Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market, Hampshire
Running from 22 November to 22 December; tickets start from £18.50 for children and £6 for adults
Open-top Christmas Lights Bus Tour, London
Who doesn’t love taking in the city’s Christmas lights? But save your feet and hop on an open-top bus tour instead. Jump on board a classic Routemaster that has been decked out in Christmas decor to get you in the festive mood and take you on a tour to see London’s most iconic Christmas light attractions, including Oxford Street, Harrods and Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park.
Running every day in November and December, excluding 24th, 25th and 31st; tickets start from £25 per person
Christmas at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
Running from 15 November to 1 January; tickets start from £31.50 per person for adults and £22 for children
Father Christmas at Liberty
Unleash the magic of the festive season this year at Liberty as Father Christmas drops into the famed department store. Throughout the run-up to Christmas, Liberty is inviting kids and families to join them at their magical Christmas grotto for a special one-on-one with Mr Claus himself – with each ticket including a special festive goody bag.
Plus, parents can sneak a peak at Liberty’s epic Christmas floor to stock up on presents and decorations (or just for some festive inspiration) after the visit.
Saturdays 16, 23, 30 November and 7, 14 December; tickers £25 (include 2 adults and 2 children)
Images: courtesy of brands
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