What Christmas days out / treats do you have booked?

[NeverNic]

Am so excited to be taking my son to see The Snowman Ballet! I will also book a Fc trip and looking at a Christmas play for preschoolers at our local theatre too. What have you booked?

Spotty, they are down every Friday evening in December before Christmas. We've never done the Christmas one, but have done Halloween there and they do go all out. Can't wait.

They are doing a Christmas theme throughout December though if you'd rather go through the day.

We will go to some christmas light switch ons in smaller areas as the city centre one isn't very festive. We will go to Winterfest ethical indoor Christmas market in Leeds then have a look at the german markets, we will do the festive craft workshop at the art gallery, probably a few trips to places other than Manchester to look at shops and markets - we both work in Manchester so see the markets there alot! And we always take the dog to see santa paws, fill shoeboxes, give presents to homeless.

Might treat dd to a girly day getting our nails done at some point, we always go for an extremely posh meal so if they co-incided that would be nice. DD is 17 so lots of things aren't suitable but I am lucky in that she absolutely loves christmas! Grandson will know whats going on a bit at 18 months though so that will be nice, DD loved taking him to see santa last year!

I am TOO EXCITED about the run up to Christmas! :excited face:
My DS will be 15 months old so while he won't 'get it', he will adore all the attention and visits and twinkly lights.

I have friends with slightly older kids, so we have made a couple of plans already. We are going to the grotto at Penshurst Place on December 14th and then on the Spa Valley Railway Santa Special on the 22nd.

I'm looking for a few more festive things to go to locally. Christmas markets and the like. I absolutely LOVE Christmas. DP is always a bit "meh" about it, so it'll be up to me to arrange anything.

Nothing, unfortunately I will be working and the earliest date I have off is Jan 6th.

I am in the throes of booking the Panto for us - as per family decision last night.

I have booked a chamber choir lunchtime concert for myself, as both DH and DD have said no musical events for them (we went to Carols by Candlelight last year, which I thought they enjoyed, but don't want to repeat). I will probably also book at least 1 more musical event (there are a few good performances of the Messiah by different groups local to work, and various other good concerts in the run up) to go to one evening alone, or maybe with a friend from work.

No one wanted to go on the Santa Train this year so I am not booking that. In fact, I am debating not booking any grotto as DD is almost 10. We are certainly not going to the kids party in my office - apart from age factors, DD is now fully booked every Saturday all day, so couldn't go anyway.

In my own diary though, I have blocked out a half day that is an annual trip for DD to come into town "shopping" after school. She generally has very little to buy, I have nothing I NEED that day (I may buy something but it's DD's day) - it's more about seeing the shops in city centre, going to the Live Crib local to them, having a hot choc and buns break in a coffee shop people watching, and listening to lots of different school choirs and other groups singing on the shopping streets, basically enjoying the atmosphere.

(We were going to organize a family weekend in London, to shop and have a day at Harry Potter World, and maybe catch a show or something, in December - but we've decided to do that another year as we have had too busy and expensive a year to contemplate the hassle of travelling. Perhaps next year instead.)

I can't stop looking at Lapland holidays we wouldn't be able to afford it but it looks amazing!

spotty I looked a while ago, but the houses seem disappointing in some of hte places ie like corrugated iron sheds rather than cosy wooden cabins...

disney on ice is something i would like to try next year maybe but it seems very very pricey and i wonder if 4 year old would like...

Haven't booked anything yet but I really want to!

It's harder now older dds are teens, they are 14 and 12.5. Dd3 is 8. It's becoming increasingly difficult to find things they all enjoy. We went to our last family panto last year Think even dd3 is getting bored with them.

Has anyone got any recommendations for my dds' ages? We are within easy reach of London.

September we went to Disney on ice last year and my dc loved it! Ds wasn't quite two and dd was four and a bit. Ds danced all the way through.

Do you think teens would like Disney on Ice?

Nothing - also have a teenager. .

DH loves going to the pantomime but DS and I can't think of anything worse .

Probably not dancer tbh.

Spotty I think we might do W&D after seeing your post, we were going to go to the Michelam Priory one which is the same weekend I think but I've never taken the kids to Weald and Downland museum and I have lovely school trip memories from there.

We've got a Polar Express train ride booked. We're also doing a day out at Beamish and of course going to see the Fenwick Christmas window at least 3 times

We aren't far from W&D but have yet to go to the market. I've heard good things though and it's really reasonably priced.

We booked horrible histories christmas months ago. No doubt ds1 (8) will whinge throughout and ds2 (will be 6) will love it. Would love to take ds2 to see a real ballet too, but it needs to be relatively short I think.
they will see a santa too but haven't sorted that out yet.

My teenage dd2 has agreed to see this with me - www.theplaythatgoeswrong.com/peter-pan-goes-wrong - hope it's good!

Dancergirl, what about Harry Potter studios, Thorpe park, London dungeons, a musical?, shopping trips, pamper days, winter wonderland, ice skating, skiing, christmas markets, afternoon tea at hotel or harrods? ice cream sundaes at harrods, trip to disneyland paris on the eurostar, trip to actual germany to the german market x

Great ideas marguerite!

Thanks. Think we might try Winter Wonderland this year. How far do you have to book in advance?

Have just asked 12.5 year old dd about disney on ice and she's up for it Just have to convince the 14 year old and thats a family outing sorted.

Does anyone know if the tubes run as normal on Boxing Day? Or at least a limited service?

Winter wonderland is free you only have to book the big wheel, ice skating etc and you can do it any when it think

On the 23rd, I have tickets to see Elf the musical with my mum and brother. So excited! We are also going to dinner beforehand and will really be nice to do something without toddler ds for a change. I am also going to see carols at the Royal Albert Hall again.

For ds, I have tickets for a Christmas character breakfast. It's basically a party and he meets lots of characters and Santa. He really enjoyed it last year. We will also go to a Christmas party at our local soft play and he has his church playgroup's nativity. At 2 I still think he is too young for panto so saving it for next year.

Where is Horrible Histories Christmas on please?

Horrible Histories is playing at the Cambridge corn exchange:
www.birminghamstage.com/shows/horrible-christmas/tour-info