Mr Claus, I presume
Christmas simply wouldn’t be Christmas without taking the youngsters to see you-know-who.
National Trust properties across the country are helping Father Christmas out this year by providing special locations for his grottoes, from Victorian-style country homes and beautiful gardens, to an old-style kitchen and an ancient castle.
The National Trust looks after more than 250,000 hectares of countryside, 710 miles of coastline and hundreds of historic places across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Here are some of the best grottoes to visit:
1 HATFIELD FOREST, ESSEX Father Christmas trail, 1 to 2, 8 to 9 December: 10.30am to 1.30pm Follow the magic trail through the woodland wonderland to find Santa in his enchanted grotto. Collect craft items along the way and make a festive picture in the classroom as a memento. £6.80 per child, including gift, craft, drink and a biscuit. Booking is essential. 0844-249 1895
2 RUFFORD OLD HALL, LANCASHIRE Santa’s grotto, 24 to 25 November, 1, 2, 15, 16 December: 11am to 4pm Come and visit Father Christmas in Lancashire’s finest Tudor building. Santa will also be appearing at the two-day Christmas Fair on 8 and 9 December: £5 per child, including a gift. Last admission is at 3.30pm. 01704-821254
Hatfield Forest, Essex
3 CALKE ABBEY, DERBYSHIRE Christmas at Calke, 1 and 2, 8 and 9, 15 and 16, 22 and 23 December: 11am to 6.30pm Discover Calke Abbey, visit Father Christmas in his grotto and take part in some children’s crafts in Squirt’s stable. Normal admission charges apply. There is an extra charge for the trail and grotto. 01332-863822
4 KILLERTON, EXETER Father Christmas visits Killerton on 8, 15 and 22 December: 2pm to 3.30pm Killerton’s Father Christmas is dressed in green, as he traditionally was in the Victorian era. He’ll be greeting guests by a roaring log fire in the Music Room. Normal admission charges apply: plus £3 per child to visit the grotto, which includes a present. 01392-881345
5 RED HOUSE, LONDON Olde Father Christmas, 8 and 9 December: 11.30am to 4.30pm Quirky and intriguing home with another Victorian Father Christmas, dressed in the traditional green robes. Enjoy stories of old Christmas traditions and gifts will be presented. Normal admission charges apply: plus £2.50 per child to visit Father Christmas. 020-8304 9878
Calke Abbey
6 THE ARGORY, CO ARMAGH Santa’s Christmas grotto, 8 and 9, 15 and 16 December: 4pm to 8pm Children can meet the elves in their workshop, while mum and dad enjoy festive refreshments in the tea room. Then, take a magical journey to see Santa and Mrs Claus in their winter wonderland grotto. £8 per adult and £10 per child. Booking is essential. 028-9024 6609
7 WALLINGTON, NORTHUMBERLAND Santa at Wallington, 8 and 9, 15 and 16, 22 and 23 December: 10.30am to 3.30pm Santa will be making a special visit to Wallington on weekends throughout December – visit him in his cosy grotto and receive a special gift. Normal admission charges apply: plus £8 per child for grotto, including gift. Booking is essential. 01670-773600
8 STUDLAND BEACH, DORSET Santa at Studland on 15 and 16 December at 10.30am to 12pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm Santa will be doing something different this Christmas – coming to Studland by canoe! He will be staying in his beach-hut hideaway, and all children who find him will receive a present: £5 per child. 01929-450500
9 KEDLESTON HALL, DERBYSHIRE Breakfast with Santa on 1 and 2, 8 and 9 December: 10am to 11am Experience breakfast with Santa in the old kitchen restaurant. Includes breakfast, a gift and a chance to see his reindeer: £7.50 per adult, £10 per child (including gift). Booking is essential. 01332-842191
Kedleston Hall
10 ARLINGTON COURT and the National Trust Carriage Museum Devon, brunch or tea with Father Christmas on 15 to 21 December: 10.30am to 12pm, 2.30pm to 4.30pm Enjoy a brunch or tea with Father Christmas, then join in the festive fun and games, plus all good girls and boys will receive a present. £7.50 per adult, child £6, family (two adults, two children) £24. Must book. 01271-850296
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Contact Wendy on wendy.gomersall@ lady.co.uk
Star chef Meet Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens at Royal Palm, Mauritius, on 25 to 27 March 2013. Guests take part in masterclasses and enjoy dinners cooked by Tom. Seven nights with Beachcomber Tours costs from £3,950 per person. 01483-445685, www.beachcombertours.co.uk
Singer at sea Russell Watson will perform on two P&O Cruises trips in 2013. A threenight cruise to Belgium and Guernsey on Aurora departs 18 May (from £299 per person) and a fournight cruise on Azura departs 5 July, calling at the same destinations (from £399 per person). 0843-374 0111, www.pocruises.com
National Trust properties across the country are helping Father Christmas out this year by providing special locations for his grottoes, from Victorian-style country homes and beautiful gardens, to an old-style kitchen and an ancient castle.
The National Trust looks after more than 250,000 hectares of countryside, 710 miles of coastline and hundreds of historic places across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Here are some of the best grottoes to visit:
1 HATFIELD FOREST, ESSEX Father Christmas trail, 1 to 2, 8 to 9 December: 10.30am to 1.30pm Follow the magic trail through the woodland wonderland to find Santa in his enchanted grotto. Collect craft items along the way and make a festive picture in the classroom as a memento. £6.80 per child, including gift, craft, drink and a biscuit. Booking is essential. 0844-249 1895
2 RUFFORD OLD HALL, LANCASHIRE Santa’s grotto, 24 to 25 November, 1, 2, 15, 16 December: 11am to 4pm Come and visit Father Christmas in Lancashire’s finest Tudor building. Santa will also be appearing at the two-day Christmas Fair on 8 and 9 December: £5 per child, including a gift. Last admission is at 3.30pm. 01704-821254
Hatfield Forest, Essex3 CALKE ABBEY, DERBYSHIRE Christmas at Calke, 1 and 2, 8 and 9, 15 and 16, 22 and 23 December: 11am to 6.30pm Discover Calke Abbey, visit Father Christmas in his grotto and take part in some children’s crafts in Squirt’s stable. Normal admission charges apply. There is an extra charge for the trail and grotto. 01332-863822
4 KILLERTON, EXETER Father Christmas visits Killerton on 8, 15 and 22 December: 2pm to 3.30pm Killerton’s Father Christmas is dressed in green, as he traditionally was in the Victorian era. He’ll be greeting guests by a roaring log fire in the Music Room. Normal admission charges apply: plus £3 per child to visit the grotto, which includes a present. 01392-881345
5 RED HOUSE, LONDON Olde Father Christmas, 8 and 9 December: 11.30am to 4.30pm Quirky and intriguing home with another Victorian Father Christmas, dressed in the traditional green robes. Enjoy stories of old Christmas traditions and gifts will be presented. Normal admission charges apply: plus £2.50 per child to visit Father Christmas. 020-8304 9878
Calke Abbey6 THE ARGORY, CO ARMAGH Santa’s Christmas grotto, 8 and 9, 15 and 16 December: 4pm to 8pm Children can meet the elves in their workshop, while mum and dad enjoy festive refreshments in the tea room. Then, take a magical journey to see Santa and Mrs Claus in their winter wonderland grotto. £8 per adult and £10 per child. Booking is essential. 028-9024 6609
7 WALLINGTON, NORTHUMBERLAND Santa at Wallington, 8 and 9, 15 and 16, 22 and 23 December: 10.30am to 3.30pm Santa will be making a special visit to Wallington on weekends throughout December – visit him in his cosy grotto and receive a special gift. Normal admission charges apply: plus £8 per child for grotto, including gift. Booking is essential. 01670-773600
8 STUDLAND BEACH, DORSET Santa at Studland on 15 and 16 December at 10.30am to 12pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm Santa will be doing something different this Christmas – coming to Studland by canoe! He will be staying in his beach-hut hideaway, and all children who find him will receive a present: £5 per child. 01929-450500
9 KEDLESTON HALL, DERBYSHIRE Breakfast with Santa on 1 and 2, 8 and 9 December: 10am to 11am Experience breakfast with Santa in the old kitchen restaurant. Includes breakfast, a gift and a chance to see his reindeer: £7.50 per adult, £10 per child (including gift). Booking is essential. 01332-842191
Kedleston Hall10 ARLINGTON COURT and the National Trust Carriage Museum Devon, brunch or tea with Father Christmas on 15 to 21 December: 10.30am to 12pm, 2.30pm to 4.30pm Enjoy a brunch or tea with Father Christmas, then join in the festive fun and games, plus all good girls and boys will receive a present. £7.50 per adult, child £6, family (two adults, two children) £24. Must book. 01271-850296
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Contact Wendy on wendy.gomersall@ lady.co.uk
News in brief
Festive tea London Hilton on Park Lane’s afternoon tea, Confessions Of A Chocoholic, is served on a chocolate plate with gift-shaped chocolate fancies, plus other delicacies: 17 December to 4 January 2013, from 2pm to 6pm. £32.50 per person, or £39.50 with champagne. 020-7208 4022, www.parklanehilton.comStar chef Meet Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens at Royal Palm, Mauritius, on 25 to 27 March 2013. Guests take part in masterclasses and enjoy dinners cooked by Tom. Seven nights with Beachcomber Tours costs from £3,950 per person. 01483-445685, www.beachcombertours.co.uk
Singer at sea Russell Watson will perform on two P&O Cruises trips in 2013. A threenight cruise to Belgium and Guernsey on Aurora departs 18 May (from £299 per person) and a fournight cruise on Azura departs 5 July, calling at the same destinations (from £399 per person). 0843-374 0111, www.pocruises.com