Christmas Guide for 2022

I am so late getting this up this year sorry, life has been very busy lately! For anyone looking for a last minute Christmas day out this one’s for you!

Christmas Days Out and Santas Grottos

Farmer Christmas at Hogshaw Farm (formerly Green Dragon Eco Farm)

Availability in the afternoon on 21st and 22nd December

Go for a magical walk through their wintery wonderland, where elves play, reindeer relax and Santa can be found on-board his big red tractor. As you journey through Farmer Christmas Land you’ll enjoy festive crafts and animal encounters before making a Christmas wish and meeting the big man himself. We did this last year and it was lovely. The Christmas experience itself lasted about 30 minutes last year, but all the activities on the rest of the farm make it a full day out.

Location: Buckingham, Bucks

Price from £21.95 per child (aged 2+), £9.95 for under 1 year and £12.95 per adult. Concession tickets also available.

For more information and tickets click here.

Christmas Adventure at Chobham Open Farm

Availability 21st to 31st December for entry, The Reindeer Lodge and ice rink

Chobham Adventure Farm have changed their Christmas experience this year so it’s no longer the immersive experience that they ran last year (shame as we absolutely LOVED this). The new experience sounds great though and the good news is that it’s all included in your normal entry ticket so this is a really affordable option. They have transformed the animal barn into The Reindeer Lodge, where Santa’s real reindeer will be staying while they get ready for the big day. There’s even a baby reindeer! They also have an ice rink this year which you can add on. Penguins and skate aids are available. Whilst the Santa experience itself isn’t a ‘Big Christmas Day Out’ combined with everything else at Chobham you could easily spend a whole morning or afternoon here. Please note the Santa’s Grotto add on is sold out.

Location: Chobham, Surrey

Price from £5.50 per toddler (1 -2 years), £8.50 per pre-schooler (3-4 years), £13.50 for children (5 – 18 years), £8.50 for adults and under 1’s are free. Price increases at weekends and once the schools break up. Concession tickets also available.  Add on ice skating for £7.50pp.

For more information and tickets click here.

The Magical Christmas Adventure  at 4 Kingdoms Farm Park

Tickets available 21st – 24th December

We went here in 2021 and absolutely loved it! The attention to detail throughout the whole experience is incredible. The actors were all fantastic at engaging with the little ones and making the whole experience completely magical. 4 Kingdom’s Farm Park is home to the largest indoor Christmas immersive experience in the UK.  Your 3 hour journey begins with checking-in to Santa’s Airways where you’ll then board a sleigh for an interactive journey to the North Pole. As part of your visit to the North Pole children will build their own special Christmas Bear, visit Santa and choose their own gift from the toy store. For more information on the day it’s really worth looking at the full itinerary on their website.

You can read my full review from 2020 here. My most asked question on Instagram at this time of year is whether I think it’s worth the price and I do think this is an experience worth paying more for – I can only base this on our experience 2 years ago though.

The price for these dates is £60 for children and £40 for adults. Under 1’s are £10.  Click here for more information and to book.

Santa Spectacular at Willows Activity Farm

Availability on 21st December

As well as being able to do all of the usual activities on the farm including seeing the animals and adventure play your little ones will get to wander through the winter wonderland and meet Santa in his grotto,  choose a toy from the Toy Shop, make-a-bear with cuddle filling, hop on their new reindeer funfair ride, watch festive shows (of which there are loads), decorate gingerbread men, write and post a letter to Santa and receive a free reply, watch a festive 3D film, festive arts and crafts, meet real reindeer and travel on Tristian the Runaway Tractor into the festive wood. They also have a synthetic ice rink (which I’ve heard isn’t the best) and PETER RABBIT™ will be holding meet and greets at the adventure playground.

Location: St Albans, Hertfordshire

Price is £53.50 for children and £29.50 for adults and under 2’s with a gift are £24 (or free without). Again the price jumps up the closer your get the Christmas.

Click here for more information and to book. Tickets

The Magic of Christmas at Mead Open Farm

Tickets available from 21st to 24th December

This sounds like another really good immersive experience with lots included. Your little ones will receive a Magical Passport before wandering through the enchanted woods and taking part in lots of fun challenges with the elves, like a Naughty or Nice detector. Meet Gather Christmas and enjoy a group story. If you’re on the nice list you can choose a toy from the toy shop. They will also make a bear in the workshop, decorate gingerbread with Mother Christmas, make reindeer food and watch The Tree Trimming Training Show with lots of festive singing and audience participation. Plus you get all the usual fun of the farm too!

Location: Billington, Bedfordshire

Prices from £34.50 for children (1-15 years), £10-£12 for under 1’s and from £24.50 for adults.

For more information and to book your tickets click here.

Christmas at Hobbledown Heath

Tickets available 21st – 24th December (check website for exact dates)

We did the group experience ‘Christmas at Buckbridge’ here on the opening weekend. We love a day out a Hobbledown, the inside soft play is enormous and it has areas for all different age groups including a great baby/toddler area. Outside there are loads of brilliant playgrounds but I would say children need to be at least 5 to properly enjoy these as otherwise they will need a lot of help from you. The Christmas experience unfortunately suffered from some first day teething problems when we were there. We didn’t get to do a lot of the activities listed and the group experience itself with Santa and his elves lacked the usual magic you’d expect from Hobbledown (perhaps this will improve once they’ve been playing the characters for longer).

You can visit Hobbledown and pay normal ticket price and have a great day out and they have included some Christmas experiences for free within this. Making reindeer food, writing a letter to Santa and seeing the Santa’s reindeer is all included as well as evening entertainment. The evening entertainment didn’t happen when we visited but I’ve since seen videos from other days and it looks great, with dancers all lit up.

  • Meet Santa in his grotto – Meet the elves for a Christmas story and singsong, build your own teddy in the teddybear workshop and meet Santa in his magical grotto. £35 per child.
  • Christmas at Buckbridge – Group experience where you will meet Santa and his elves for a meet and greet, singsong and Christmas story time. All children will receive a gift and you can take as many photos as you like. £15 per child

Prices from £16 for adults and children and free for under 2’s.

For more information and to book your tickets click here.

Christmas at Hobbledown Epsom

Exactly the same experiences and add ons as at Hobbledown Heath. Same pricing.

For more information and to book your tickets click here.

Christmas Grotto at The Hellfire Caves

Availability 21st – 23rd December

This is a brand new experience for this year. Follow a magical trail led by elves as you walk through the underground caverns deep into the Chiltern Hills and the story unfolds. Children will go to santas workshop with the elves and write their letter and then have the chance to meet Father Christmas and recieve a gift. There will also be a photo booth to enjoy and bespoke print to take home.

There’s alsoa café and covered area full of Christmassy wonder where you might like to buy a hot chocolate and take in some of the Christmas atmosphere.

Price: £25.63 for children and £15.38 for adults

Click here for more info and to book.

Santa’s Grotto at Denham Country Park

Availability 21st December 

Bring your little one to visit Santa’s Grotto at the Denham Country Park! They will get 5 Magical minutes with Santa, a Nature Trail and a Present to take home!

Location: Denham, Buckinghamshire

Price: £6 per child. Click here to book.

WycombeSanta presents… Enchanted Wonderland

Availability 21st – 24th December

Visit Enchanted Wonderland and travel to Santa’s famous arctic home in the North Pole. Guided by Mrs. Claus, children will go undercover as an elf. Their mission: to break into Santa’s workshop and return the Christmas Fairy to the top of the tree. Afterwards they will be invited to meet Father Christmas and receive their gifts. It’s part theatre, part grotto; a bite-sized pantomime that can be enjoyed by the whole family. This experience is suitable for children aged 4 to 8 years old and lasts 20 minutes. Proceeds from the event will be going to Wycombe Food Hub.

Price: £12 per child (aged 4-10). Adults (and children over 11) £3. Children aged 3 and under and free (but receive no gift).

Click here for more info and to book.

Garden Centres

Frosts Garden Centre in Woburn Sands

Their Santa’s Grotto has already sold out for 2022 but they have fantastic Christmas displays that are worth visiting for alone. They also do a Christmas afternoon tea (with a kids version) which looks great! They even run special Grotto sessions for dogs to meet Santa!

Location: Woburn Sands, Buckinghamshire

Click here for more info.

Christmas at Toad Hall Garden Centre in Henley

There’s no grotto here but the Christmas decorations are lovely and there are a few photo spots dotted around, including a sleigh with reindeers and a short Christmas walkthrough.

It’s completely free to visit.

Location: Henley, Berkshire

Magical Sleigh Ride VR at Longacres Garden Centre in Bagshot

13th November to 24th December

This garden centre always has brilliant Christmas displays that are well worth a visit. This year they they also have a festive VR ride and there’s a lovely Christmas walkthrough on the way to it!

The ride promises to be a magical way to get your family ready for Christmas in a safe and exciting environment. You will enter a magical walk waiting area before riding on the sleigh. You’ll be given a VR head set, or if younger children prefer not to wear it they can watch it on the screen in the front of the ride instead. As the sleigh moves, the wind blows and you experience the magic of 4D virtual reality!

Price is £5 per person and you can book from two to five people per ride. You can also treat your little one to an extra special early Christmas present from Santa for just £5 per child. To book click here.

Location: Bagshot, Surrey

Christmas at Van Hage Garden Centre in Great Amwell

21st to 31st December (selected dates) 

The Santas grotto is sold out but the garden centre is beautifully decorated at Christmas and there’s also a miniature railway and fairground carousel there. This year they also have a Christmas Circus which has availability from 21st December to 24th December,

Click here to book.

Location: Great Amwell, Hertfordshire

Christmas Lights

Shepherd Family Christmas Lights

For the most impressive house light display you’ve ever seen head to the Shepherd families lights in Marlow. The whole house and garden is covered in lights and the display is timed to music.

Click here for more info

Bank Street Peter Pan Ship Jolly Roger Lights

Every year Nathan and his Dad build the most impressive light displays out the front of their house to raise money for charity. In previous years they’ve had the Coca Cola truck and Hogwarts Express. This year it’s the Peter Pan Ship Jolly Roger! The lights will be on until 3rd January from 4 pm to 11 pm or to visit with music go between 6.30 pm to 9 pm Monday to Friday, or 4 pm to 8 pm on the weekend.

Head to Bank Street in High Wycombe – you won’t miss it! Click here to donate.

Christmas in the Park Marlow

Availability 21st December

This is a new Christmas experience in Marlow, by the people that run Pub in the Park. There’s a light trail, fairground rides, food stalls, a market, live music, a silent disco and an elves workshop. We went a couple of weeks ago and had a really lovely evening. The light trail is short but we enjoyed the bright neon lights and it’s perfect for little legs and it was lovely to have a few rides at the half way point and some live music to listen to whilst we ate. There’s been really mixed reviews on this one due to the price and it is expensive for what it is.

Tickets are £23.43 for adults and £14.91 for children (3-15), under 2’s are free. Click here for more info.

Ashridge House Illuminated

Availability 21st December – 2nd January (selected dates)

We visited Ashridge House for their preview event and it’s a really beautiful light trail around the grounds. The house itself is lit up with projections onto it and there are loads of beautiful light features on the walk including a couple of interactive ones. The trail starts with a small market with food and drink stalls – I recommend the bratwurst, it was amazing! The trail itself takes about 30 minutes to walk round, but allow longer if you’re with little ones. It is quite muddy so I’d recommend wellies and a baby carrier rather than pram.

Prices are between £16.50 – 19.50 for adults and £10.50 – £12.50 for children under 12. Under 4’s are free and they also do discounted family tickets. Click here for more info and to book.

Neverland Illuminova at Wellington Country Park

Availability 21st – 23rd December

This is a brand new event at Wellington Country Park and we absolutely loved it. It’s the most interactive light trail we’ve done and so the kids had an absolute ball. They were running around from one section to the next. The trail starts with a ride on the miniature railway which is all lit up. Tickets for the train are extra and I recommend adding them as you’d be disappointed not to. They’ll get to see Santa on their way round, dance and make funky colored shadows, make sounds by jumping on paths that light up, bang drums to make lights and more.

Prices: £20 for adults and £16 for children (2-15). Click here for more info and to book.

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