Festive activity/places to go ideas with young adults

[redskydarknight]

Looking for suggestions for days out/activities we can do as a family (myself, DH, 2 young adult children)?
We don't have any extended family, so Christmas is just the 4 of us, so want something to make it a bit more exciting.

We were thinking about going away but couldn't find dates/locations to suit with everyone's schedules, so now looking at day/half day trips from home (South East England) or possibly a short break in the UK (e.g. last year we went to the Peak District and went to the Chatsworth Christmas activities, which everyone enjoyed). Or just fun festive things to do at home!

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Have you been to Christmas at Kew? It's amazing, but gets booked up quickly

Some of the NT properties are well worth a visit Polesden Lacey is usually beautifully decorated . There is a garden centre in Wickford Essex that has a German Christmas market , I’ve not been but my sister has it pencilled in . London for shopping / lights / show .

Whatever your nearest good festive lights show is. Might be National Trust or, for me, the Chester Zoo one.

Christmas market in a nearby city?

London for a few days, before or after, to see the lights and shops.

Christmas films at local cinema or at home, or another themed film marathon.

For at-home, a Gingerbread House decorating (competition), and games like Christmas Articulate, or we have a random one that’s ‘name that tune’ with kazoos and all the song cards are Christmas songs.

Ice skating. They sometimes do this at Hampton Court, which would be a decent day out.
Trip to the pantomime.
A cookery class, where you learn to make a Christmas dish.
My local garden centre do "make a Christmas wreath" sessions which might be fun. Most garden centres offer something like this. Mine also does making a planter filled with spring bulbs, and they do a Christmas themed afternoon tea in the restaurant.
Pottery painting.

Christmas-themed Escape Room! 🎄

York is lovely at Christmas

Theatre. Not necessarily panto but many theatres will have a show on for Christmas & new year.

Any Christmas market, local garden centre for a lunch, nice pub lunch, I bought a big Christmas Lego set this year (festive village ) that we will do with a takeaway in between building session with festive music on, carol concert, Xmas movies. Can all be a bit low-key if you want and just spend family time together… and let them also do their own thing. December isn’t that long a month!

My young adults like to go to the German style outdoor bars for food and hot wine/cider, ideally lit by fairy lights etc. also outdoor drinking more generally - thankfully Bristol is excellent for this. They like a ferris wheel too. This year they are both going to their dps familes for Christmas so won't see them

I agree with a light trail, like Kew, Blenheim or Windsor if you are in the south east. They all have nice food and drink stalls too.

I would also go into London for a matinee of something (think Christmas Carol is on or the aduly panto at the Palladium, I think it is) and then a walk around afterwards in the dark to see the Christmas lights. You can also do open bus tours of the lights.

The lights at Longleat are amazing and you could combine that with an overnight stay in Somerset and look around Bath or similar, if diaries allow.

Christmas markets in Winchester or various other places. Waddesdon Manor, national trust, has a lot of Christmas stalls and a light trail.

Research a rural village near you with a traditional pub with open fire and book a Sunday lunch together, go for a walk afterwards.

As you are South East, Windsor is a nice place to head. They have decorations/lights, shopping, food, project a light show on to the castle, walk by the river. Good places for hot chocolate or lunch.

What about incorporating an outdoor sauna into the mix?
I know they have them in Margate and Whitstable and Hastings - all good places for a bit of Christmas shopping..

Oooh - Hastings has a ice rink too!

Sauna, shopping, skating, big pub lunch, overnight stay?

Or - hear me out - Paul McCartney at the O2?

It will be expensive (you'd have to buy resale) but you'll see a Beatle and he'll definitely make it Christmassy! You can explore Greenwich too - great shops, ice rink etc etc...