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Christmas

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Original poster

Booking things for Christmas

81 replies

Ratbagcatbag · 07/06/2014 08:24

I love this topic, anyway I'm that excited I wanted to let you know that we've booked Christmas dinner for us all at a lovely local pub, have no ideas on menu or price yet, just wanted to get our booking in as its already filling up. Will have to pay for dm, dbro and dmil but who cares.

And, and, and, and I've book beanbag music club for me, dh and my dd who will be 18months old. It's at a local theatre, in a huge foyer, 45 mins of all Christmassy music, carols etc, all sit on beanbags and have instruments etc. dh is sooooooo impressed Grin

So what if anything have you booked yet?

OP posts:
HiawathaDidntBotherTooMuch · 22/07/2014 15:23

We saw Room on the Broom at our local theatre about six months ago. It was fantastic. I'd really recommend it. DS was 6 yo at the time, if that helps.

jamtoast12 · 22/07/2014 15:54

Avoid the guillivers christmas event...it's terrible!

HiawathaDidntBotherTooMuch · 22/07/2014 15:54

Tickets for The Snowman at the Peacock Theatre, London are 35 each in the stalls. Rather steep. But it would be lovely ...

SweetSummerSweetPea · 22/07/2014 16:49

room on broom is coming near me, just two days from dd 2nd birthday....she loves the tv short....thinking of going.

I dont like the snowman,..i find it bleak and miserable!

Original poster
Ratbagcatbag · 22/07/2014 19:45

Really Jam? Why is it so bad?

Have never been so interested. :)

OP posts:
BaconAndAvocado · 22/07/2014 20:25

hiawatha'there is a lovely Santa Express day out run by the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch railway in Kent.

It's a sort of miniature train that you board for a 30 minute journey then you alight at Romney and go to see Santa in his grotto (fab pressies!) then you get a light lunch included (mince pies and mulled wine for the bigguns). They also make it snow, you get a look around the toy museum and see Santa arriving on his sleigh via the railway!

We did it for a couple of years with our wee ones, it's lovely!

HiawathaDidntBotherTooMuch · 22/07/2014 20:51

Bacon, that sounds lovely. We are very familiar with the RH&D as both DSs are such big train lovers Smile. I hadn't realised that they did a santa express type thing. The DSs will love it. Do you get to go in the model railway exhibition at New Romney too, or is that space what they use for the toy and santa part?

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 22/07/2014 20:55

I took my DS to see The Snowman 10 years ago, (I've always loved The Snowman, it's a compulsary tradition in our house Grin )

When they were 10 and 7.6 we went to Gullivers for Hallowe'en, and they loved it, DS was just on the verge of 'too old' so I wouldn't go again, but I did consider the Christmas events (but we didn't go)

TheFutureSupremeRulersMum · 22/07/2014 21:22

What kind of christmas activities are suitable for a 2yo? I want to take her on the Watercress Line but I think she'll be too young this year.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 22/07/2014 21:23

We used to take DS to Mangapps (Burnham-on-Crouch in Essex) for Thomas the Tank Engine days , and a Santa Train .
He was about 3yo, everything like that is magical to a 3yo Grin

BaconAndAvocado · 23/07/2014 23:35

hiawatha yes you do get to go in the exhibition.

HiawathaDidntBotherTooMuch · 24/07/2014 18:30

Thanks Bacon. It sounds lovely.

jamtoast12 · 28/07/2014 09:13

The gullivers really is bad. They only have a very small selection of rides open for starters, in fact my kids were 6&4 and most rides that were open were for toddlers. In fact I'd say if your kids are older than 3 don't go.

The whole place is poorly (and sparingly) decorated with fake ceramic Santas and snowmen, half of them are broken and tatty. There's probably one to two Xmas trees at most.

The day is rather rushed as you are given time slots for lunch and Santa. The lunch is pretty much a turkey stuffing barm cake and chips and you are ushered in and out. Literally, you won't have taken your seat before the half hour show starts and then they are turfing you out as it ends for the next group! You then queue for an hour or so to get the train to see Santa.

At the grotto you queue again (upto an hour) to walk through an area of lit up trees, pretend snowmen etc which is tacky but nice enough. The worst bit is the Santa itself. You all queue at a door and then when they open it, all you see is a long corridor with say 6 numbered doors on and you are directed to a door by an elf. So literally it's very obvious each door has a Santa behind! It's so fake it's unreal. In each room there is a £5 Xmas tree (like the pink ones in b&ms!) and one Santa sat on a school-like chair and that's it. It's the worst Santa experience I've ever had! Afterwards they just ask you to nip the shop to choose your own present (cheap craft stuff, not wrapped and you take to till with your vouchers!). We get offered free tickets with dh work but have since never gone!

They have some nice touches like the Xmas cookie making and elf school but honestly it's very poor for any child who can actually see past the decor so only for toddlers really. I'd say it could actually destroy their belief in Santa if older as it's so obviously fake.

I would however recommend the Alton towers sleepover as that was excellent and very well done. The rides etc are not all open but the panto and disco were good. The Santa experience was brilliant (real reindeers, fake snow etc) and they lay on a huge Xmas style dinner evening. Plus you get free access to splash zone the next day so much better (though it was 5 years ago and it's obviously more expensive).

YourHandInMyHand · 29/07/2014 21:28

Is there more than one Gullivers? Your experience JamToast12 sounds completely different to mine! Confused

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 29/07/2014 23:29

There's 3 Gullivers I think - we did the Hallowe'en at Milton Keynes (not Christmas) but after I read the reviews , I was kicking myself.

(Reviews were - scruffy, dirty, unfriendly staff, loos dirty, food bad)

Well - it was ideal for younger DC. I'd say mine were amongst the older ones. It wasn't busy, they didn't have to queue and on some of the rides they went straight back on again.
The staff were lovely, some really chatty to the DC, the ones who weren't were polite if distant, but not ubfriendly.

Loos were clean.
We took a picnic then had baked potato/pizza (it was ok for price)
The rides closed for the end of the night play, bit of hanging around. Play mainly for younger DC.
Then the best fireworks.

Worst part was DC and DH fell asleep the minute we got on the M1, leaving me (in my Witch Outfit Blush ) to drive us home.

jamtoast12 · 30/07/2014 09:58

Yes sorry this was the Warrington one!

dreamcometrue · 31/07/2014 14:55

Oooh reading this I've booked in for Nottingham! No idea what to else is good for a two year old.

ChocolateWombat · 31/07/2014 15:04

The Snowman, at the Peacock London, does tickets from £15 which I think is pretty good, bearing in mind the cinema can be £9 these days.

We always do a show...been to The Lion King and did Matilda last Christmas. Booked the cheapest seats at £25 each and went on Christmas Eve. Brilliant, except for the trouble getting into London because of the floods.

Also love The Nutcracker at The Coliseum in London. Last year they were doing child priced tickets from £7.50....amazing value.

I8toys · 31/07/2014 16:48

Horrible Histories Christmas in Birmingham

KnittedJimmyChoos · 31/07/2014 16:49

Also love The Nutcracker at The Coliseum in London. Last year they were doing child priced tickets from £7.50....amazing value.

is that seating anywhere> i had a look and its hideous pricing....

ChocolateWombat · 31/07/2014 19:02

They are doing the same deal this year. If you look at the ENB nutcracker website, you will see Balcony seats are £14 for adults. You choose the seats you want for adults and then click on the Child button to choose their seats, which are half price at £7.
Bargain!
Hope you get some. Enjoy!

ChocolateWombat · 01/08/2014 08:29

Has anyone ever done the Thursford Christmas Spectaculor in Norfolk? I know kids have to be 8 to go, but I hear it truly is Spectaculor, but expensive and sells out very quickly.

KnittedJimmyChoos · 01/08/2014 10:43

thanks choclate going to have a look now, the ROH also does amazing seats at top they are doing alice in wonderland this year....but DD doesnt fancy that.

KnittedJimmyChoos · 01/08/2014 11:04

choclate

Thanks sooooooo MUCH for this tip!!! I had looked a while ago and thought prices hideous but this is fabulous!!

I think I will take DD ...brilliant!!!

ChocolateWombat · 01/08/2014 12:41

Great!
You will really enjoy it...so Christmassy and fantastic!

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