Best father christmas for older children!

[Gracie8991]

Please can anyone help me with authentic father christmas experiences for 10 year olds? I'm really struggling to find anything that looks good. (Not Lapland UK).

Child still believes but obviously is at an age where can spot things, he is aware that most of the Santa's you see aren't the real big man of course, so worst case scenario if I take him somewhere and he doesn't think it's the real one but is an authentic festive experience that he thinks is a helper of the real guy and doesn't ruin the magic, I can live with that. But absolutely don't want a tacky amiture experience that is only aimed at younger ones.

Would need to be London Or south east.

Can anyone help? I'm going round in circles trying to find something, need it to be a magical year for him after a difficult time and may be the last one he believes!

Many thanks 🙏🎅🎄

@Gracie8991

The Langham is offering special Festive Packages which might appeal.

https://langhamlondon.christmas/hamleys-partnership/

I know that the 30 minute Grotto visit tickets have sold out, but I think that the Festive Tea and the Festive Stay might still be bookable. The Festive Stay includes a Grotto visit as part of the package.

@TheSquareMile Thank you for your suggestion, I had ruled out hamleys as have seen bad reviews from last year! Have you been?

@Gracie8991

I've been to the Langham and like it there.

Were the bad reviews you had seen for the shop in Regent Street?

I can imagine it being pretty hectic there.

It's the Festive stay/Festive Tea at the Langham Hotel which I thought was appealing.

It's a very short walk from the Langham to the lights in Oxford St/Regent St; All Souls Langham Place is just across the road for Carol Services; the BBC is next to All Souls, there's often something happening outside there at that time of year.

Polhill Garden Centre near Sevenoaks is where the real Father Christmas goes.

@TheSquareMile yes the store is the bad reviews, not just because its manic but apparently jt was terribly done last year. I have seen now this is different at the landon, any idea how much the stay is? It only shows 275 for the grotto visit I think which is a lot!

@TenThousandSpoons thank you I will have a look!

You could have a fun day out together and have Santa be the added extra. Chessington World of Adventures or a Zoo like Whipsnade?

I haven't been for a long time but years ago Harrod's Santa was very good and an excellent experience

We've had very good Father Christmas visits at Centre Parcs with my older children. Also nicely decorated.

@EmberAsh thank you, already done Chessington when was younger and he had started to be over that one! Will look at Whipsnade though, also looked at London zoo but that one had questionable reviews last year so had ruled that out. This seems to be the issue everything I consider it has bad reviews!

@kiwiandcherries I was thinking of harrods but apparently you can't go unless you are a member and have spent at least 2000 there this year! Thank you though

@SplendidPendips thank you, I was actually really considering this after someone else recommended it but unfortunately had seen a load of current bad reviews of the parcs ie smelly infested dirty lodges, water parks being shut and bad food so that has put me right off. Which is a real shame as I liked that idea!

I went to london zoo last year and it was good. Probably a bit young for a 10 year old as the storytelling bit is for under 5s really. We did the package where you got a tour and marshmallows and then met Santa at dusk and it was quite magical.

Oh! I didn't realise this ... we were taken by a friend 😳

Our friend is the Father Christmas at Hever Castle in Kent. He is extremely popular! :)

I would just do a nice Christmas Day out and not bother with a grotto he could get teased by his friends.

@TenThousandSpoons absolutely this is where the real Father Christmas is! He's so lovely & the photos are always amazing 🤩

This. Don't waste your money. He's 10 not 5.

@purser25 @RuthW I find those comments a little rude to be honest, you could say your opinion without implying I don't understand his age and that I could make him be teased.

FYI he has said he wants to go see santa, I would not take him if he didn't. Im only trying to give him a special time whilst he still wants to go and believes. There's plenty of other children that still go at this age (if they wish) including some of his friends! And he could chose if he wants to tell them or not, I'm asumming he wouldn't tell anyone that would be the kind to tease as he isn't silly. But thanks for your input.

Tulleys have an entire Christmas village set up, tickets went on sale in march though so I don't know if there'll be any left now. I've not been but it's definitely on my to do list.

We're taking the kids to keydell nurseries in horndean this year (been a few times now). They have a woodland walk that's just beautiful that you get access to after seeing the big man.

Drusillas do a lovely grotto in the middle of the zoo. I've been told that old barn nurseries do a nice one too but I've not done that one.

Personally I think it's lovely that a 10 year old still believes and I hope my son still believes at 10!

@Gracie8991

Would he like something like this, OP?

The link says Portmerion but it's actually Santa on a steam train departing from Victoria Station!

https://steamdreams.co.uk/journey/portmerion-hotel-24/

@TeddyBeans thank you for all those suggestions, I will have a look into them. And yes I think it's lovely he still wants to see father Christmas and believes too, not sure why it would ever be a negative a child still being a child for as long as possible, it's how it should be and I'm sure was more often a few years back before kids started being obsessed with growing up too fast like they are these days! I hope you and your children have a lovely Christmas 🎅

@TheSquareMile Thank you, sounds fun! I will have a look

@Gracie8991

Yes, I thought the train looked fun!

There's a choice of days and times, you can see more of them here:

https://steamdreams.co.uk/journeys/

I took my DS on a couple of Steam Train Santa Rides when he was little , one was where he'd already been to see Thomas the Tank Engine and they did a Christmas Train to visit Santa ( log cabin , fire burning )
The other was a Steam Train where Santa walked along to talk to everyone .

If your DS likes trains then the one @TheSquareMile linked would be lovely . Steam Trains are universally adored and the Father Christmas is a bonus .

It is difficult to gauge things as they get older .

Open Top London Bus Tours are good fun , see the lights and there's a very entertaining commentary .