A festive feast
Alex Middleton heralds the Christmas season with a nation-wide round-up of festive events for groups
Giving you an alternative to pantomimes, Christmas and ice shows, attractions around the country offer you a variety of ways to entertain your members this winter, most at a discounts for groups.
Christmas crowns
From Prince Albert introducing the Christmas tree to the Queen’s Speech, the Royal Family has many associations with the British Christmas.
On the Isle of Wight, English Heritage is offering groups a seasonal ‘Queen Victoria’s Osborne House’ (8 Nov-4 Jan) tour this winter, featuring a Christmas-themed guided tour of the House and a two-course Christmas lunch. There will also be a ‘Victorian Christmas’ weekend (22-23 Nov) featuring 19th century-themed sideshows and street performers.
At an even older royal residence, the Historic Royal Palace’s Tower of London, your group can enjoy its ice rink (22 Nov-31 Jan) and take a special ‘Medieval Christmas Tour’ (27-31 Dec) themed around the 13th century court of Edward I.
Another property run by Historic Royal Palaces, Hampton Court will also feature an ice rink this winter (29 Nov-31 Jan).
Heading to the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, your group can pre-book to attend ‘Carol Concerts’ at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle (11-12 Dec) and join in at the ‘Open Air Carol Concerts’ on Castle Hill (12 & 19 Dec).
At Harewood House, near Leeds, home to the Queen’s cousin, the Earl of Harewood, your group can make seasonal bouquets at ‘Christmas Floristry Workshops’ (29 Nov & 3 Dec) and take a behind the scenes tour, ‘How to Prepare a Christmas Feast’ (1 & 15 Dec). Groups are also invited to join in at the annual free ‘Carol Concert’, held in All Saints Church (14 Dec).
Moving to Scotland, your group can get into the spirit of things aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh. Featuring the traditional Christmas Tree on the Bridge, the ship will be decorated for the season and visiting groups will be offered mulled wine in the Officers’ Mess (6 & 7 Dec).
Festive coronets
Plenty more stately homes will be offering festive events for groups.
Starting in Cornwall, English Heritage’s 16th century Pendennis Castle starts the festive season with ‘Stir-up Sunday’ (30 Nov), when you can help mix the Castle’s Christmas puddings. Groups can also enjoy a traditional Cornish Christmas, ‘Nadelik’ (14 Dec).
Not far from here, at Powderham Castle in Devon, your group can attend its festive ‘Opera by Candlelight’ event (14 Dec).
In Gloucestershire, the historic Berkeley Castle will be celebrating the festive season this year with a ‘Christmas Carol Concert’ for groups (30 Nov) and a ‘Castle by Candlelight’ event (5-7 Dec).
Across the border in Wales, Cardiff Castle is also offering groups candle-lit Christmas tours around the festively decorated apartments (6-9 & 14-16 Dec). After the tour, your group is invited to join in with carollers in the library, complete with mince pies and mulled wine.
On the south coast, Beaulieu in Hampshire, will be decorated for Christmas this year. From November to January, the house will be giving groups a chance to book a ‘Festive Soiree’, featuring wine, refreshments and carols round the piano.
In the neighbouring county of West Sussex, at The National Trust’s 17th century mansion, Petworth House, your group can join one of its ‘Wreath-making Workshops’ (5 & 6 Dec) and take part in ‘Christmas Carol Concerts’ (6 & 20 Dec). You can also enjoy a Christmas murder mystery evening at the House, the ‘Medieval Murder at the Manor’ (12 Dec).
For more Christmas feasting, Leeds Castle in Kent will be holding ‘Christmas Group Lunches’ throughout November and December in the 17th century Fairfax Hall. You can also enjoy the ‘Christmas at the Castle’ event (1-24 Dec), which will see the grounds illuminated.
Staying in Kent, your group can enjoy Christmas in another historic setting at Hever Castle. Throughout December, groups will be able to pre-book a seasonal evening tour of the Castle, which will be decorated with Christmas trees. In the ornamental gardens, there will also be a series of ‘Outdoor Carol Evenings’ where husky-sled rides will be on offer (29 Nov-21 Dec).
More festive fun is on offer at English Heritage’s Audley End House in Essex. Throughout the Christmas period, ‘Festive Fun at Audley End’ weekends (29-30 Nov, 6-7, 13-14, 20-21 Dec) will take place featuring costumed servants.
In Hertfordshire, Hatfield House, the 17th century home of the Marquess of Salisbury, is offering groups ‘Christmas Banquets’ (29 Nov-29 Dec) featuring Elizabethan music and dancing.
At another Hertfordshire mansion, Knebworth House, groups can hear traditional readings of Dickens at its ‘Christmas Carol’ evenings (19-21 Dec).
At Blenheim Palace, the decorations will be themed around Christmas past, present and future (15 Nov-14 Dec). The Great Hall will be decked out in Victorian decorations, whilst the table in the Grand Saloon will be laid as it would be for the present Duke’s Christmas feast and the Long Library will hold a futuristic display of silver trees.
Althorp in Northamptonshire celebrates its 500th anniversary this year and visiting groups will be offered new ‘Festive Tours’ of the house (24-26 Nov & 1-3 Dec).
Northamptonshire is also home to Rockingham Castle, where groups will be transported back in time this Christmas for its ‘Christmas Eve 1895’ events (24 Nov-15 Dec). Costumed staff will be re-enacting Christmas Eve in the late 19th century and your group will be able to enjoy a three-course seasonal lunch. The events are offered privately to groups and lunch is inclusive in the price.
Moving to the Midlands, Shugborough Historic Estate, formerly the Staffordshire home of the photographer, Lord Lichfield, is offering a range of festive tours to groups. These include the ‘What the Dickens Tours’, which will give you a chance to meet costumed characters from Dickens’ classics, and the ‘Lord Lichfield’s Christmas Pudding Experience’, which includes a glass of sherry, a tour of the servants’ areas and a chance to see how the house prepares its own Christmas puddings. Both are available throughout November and December. Groups can also attend a ‘Candlelit Christmas Evening’ events (3-6 Dec).
Also in the Midlands, Leicestershire’s Belvoir Castle will give your group a chance to see how its gothic interior would have appeared over a century ago during a series of festive music evenings, ‘Belvoir by Candlelight’ (2-5 Dec).
In neighbouring Derbyshire, groups can enjoy ‘Christmas at Chatsworth’. Throughout November and December, the house will feature decorations such as specially commissioned nativity artwork by Jan Pienkowski and will also offer seasonal food and drink and special evening openings with live entertainment.
Another large house, English Heritage’s Brodsworth Hall in South Yorkshire, will be dressed for Christmas this year (6-21 Dec). and will feature choir concerts (6-7, 13-14 and 20-21 Dec).
In West Yorkshire, meanwhile, the Jacobean Temple Newsam near Leeds, will feature ‘Christmas Crafts Masterclasses’ for groups, where you can learn to make decorations such as wreaths (9 Dec). There will also be a range of activities during its ‘Victorian Christmas Week’ (13-20 Dec).
Your group can also make for North Yorkshire’s Castle Howard this Christmas, where a familial welcome from the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire awaits. The house will be holding its ‘Family Home at Christmas’ (29 Nov-21 Dec) featuring the Devonshires’ own decorations as well as entertainment from carollers and bell ringers.
Further north, in Northumberland, English Heritage’s Belsay Hall is giving groups a chance to learn more about the history of Christmas this winter. Its ‘Christmas Through the Ages’ tour (29-30 Nov) explores a range of facts about the evolution of the festive season.
Across the UK
From Christmas parties to seasonal concerts, further attractions around the country will also be inviting you to get into the festive spirit this year.
In Kent, ‘Santa’ will make an appearance at Dickens World (8th Nov) as part of a free annual event in the piazza outside the attraction. The day can continue with mince pies, mulled wine and a choral recital inside Dickens World.
Moving to East Sussex, groups can enjoy a ‘Medieval Christmas’ at English Heritage’s Battle Abbey (22-23 Nov). The event will feature costumed characters talking about medieval festive customs. The site will also hold a ‘Tudor Christmas’ weekend (29-30 Nov).
Also in the capital, the high-level walkways of the Tower Bridge Exhibition will be trimmed for the festive season from the end of November to January. This will give you a roof-top view of the Christmas lights along the Thames and across the city.
Following the Thames eastwards, the National Maritime Museum, in Greenwich, will be holding a ‘Festive Fun Day’ (14 Dec). It will feature Christmas gift-making workshops, carol singing and special seasonal guided tours of the Queen’s House looking at the history of Christmas in the building.
Christmas past is also on the bill at the Black Country Living Museum near Dudley in the Midlands as it invites groups to enjoy its ‘Traditional Christmas Evenings’ (18-19 & 20-22 Dec). The recreated Victorian streets and buildings will be lit by gas, whilst carollers and street entertainers stroll the cobbles.
At the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in Shropshire, Blists Hill Victorian Town at Ironbridge will be throwing three Christmas weekend events (30 Nov, 6-7 & 13-14 Dec). The recreated 19th century town will feature brass bands and carollers in period costume.
Your group can enjoy the ‘Christmas Adventure’ at Stockeld Park in Wetherby near Leeds (24 Oct-11 Jan). Free to enter, the Park will be packed with features such as an ‘Enchanted Wood’ with magical sculpture, an ice skating rink, an illuminated hedge maze and cross country dry-ski track.
More outdoor Christmas adventures can be enjoyed by groups at The National Trust’s Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Gardens this year. Its many events include free ‘Winter Abbey Tours’ (7-12 Dec), which look at how Christmas was celebrated at the Abbey, a ‘Christmas Musical Evening’ (10 Dec) and ‘On the Hoof’ (13-14 Dec), a chance for your group to see live reindeer in the grounds.
Christmas travels
Boat operators and steam railways will also be throwing themselves into Christmas this year.
Not far from Bristol, the Avon Valley Railway will be inviting groups to join its ‘Santa Steam Specials’ (29-30 Nov, 6-7, 13-14, 20-21 Dec) whilst moving to the south east, Santa will also be travelling by train on the Kent and East Sussex Railway this year. Its ‘Santa Specials’ will feature free port and mince pies. (6-7, 13-14 & 20-24 Dec).
In Yorkshire, meanwhile, both the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway (6/7, 13/14 & 20/21 Dec) and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (6-7, 13-14, 19-22 Dec) will be running ‘Santa Specials’ featuring a Father Christmas and festive food.
In the capital, the riverboat operator, City Cruises, is offering groups the chance to enjoy a ‘Christmas Lunch or Dinner’ whilst sailing the Thames (4-20 Dec).
Another festive cruising option is available from Bateaux London (7-23 Dec), featuring live jazz and a three-course ‘Christmas Lunch’.
Wild celebrations
With beautiful scenery and exotic animals, a festive event at a zoo or a garden is another way to enjoy the Christmas season.
The Eden Project in Cornwall will feature a Christmas ice rink (25 Oct-22 Feb) as well as its seasonal festival, ‘A Time of Gifts’ (28 Nov-4 Jan). Featuring fake snow on firs and silver birches, the festival will give your group a chance to enjoy events such as lantern processions, festive choirs and traditional Cornish Christmas food and drink.
Staying in the west, Bristol Zoo Gardens will be welcoming groups to its ‘Carol Singing Evenings’ (20-21 Dec) whilst in nearby Tetbury, your group can enjoy the festive ‘Enchanted Christmas’ celebrations at Westonbirt Arboretum (28 Nov-21 Dec). The site will be lit by themed lights and there will also be choirs, roast chestnuts and mulled wine.
On the other side of the country, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, you can enjoy Christmas decorations and skate on the temporary ice rink (29 Nov-4 Jan).
With a traditional white Christmas provided by a snow machine, the West Midlands Safari Park will also provide a chance to get outdoors during the festive period. Offering complimentary mulled wine and mince pies throughout December, the Park will feature a variety of unusual festive activities such as a Christmas-themed sea-lion show (23-24 Dec).
On an aquatic theme, you can enjoy a seasonal visit to The Deep in Hull this December. Featuring a Christmas grotto with animatronic polar bears, ‘Festive Dive Shows’ will be held, with effects such as shark food bursting into the tanks from giant crackers.
Moving further north, The Alnwick Garden in Northumberland will be decked out for the season with lights and decorations. From November to December, your group will be able to enjoy carollers and bands at the site and book a high-altitude Christmas lunch in the Garden’s elaborate treehouse. Said to be one of the largest in the world, it is capable of holding up to 90 people.