Christmas days out to avoid!

[Outspokenhippo]

Just wanted to give anyone who is interested a heads up about a place to avoid for a Christmas Day out. Last year we went to the Four Kingdoms and I honestly could have wept. It was awful. Think Nessa’s (Gavin and Stacey) Christmas grotto and you’re not far off. The place is filthy. I spent a considerable amount of time filling out profiles for each of us, with information to be used for said visit. Hardly any of it was used. IT COST A FORTUNE. I’m talking over £400 for 3 kids and 2 adults. I thought maybe a post about places to avoid would be helpful. This year we are doing the polar express at Churnet, if that’s crap I’m quitting Christmas for good. 🎅🏽

card readers are pretty cheap though

Went a couple of years ago and never again. Couldn't get near most stalls and everywhere to eat or drink was rammed. We were staying at Acomb so went back there for food and peace. 😁

We went to 4 Kingdoms back in 2022 and read awful reviews about it before but actually had a good time. The hilarious thing is we went to Lapland UK in 2023 (mega expensive) and when my daughter talks about it now she actually doesn't know the difference between the 2 🥴 Lapland UK is great but I think the detail is wasted on kids. Also like others have said huge money spinner.
Did Polar Express in 2024 and really enjoyed that but I have noticed they aren't doing it locally for us this year.
We go to Longleat most years but for us it is an after Christmas treat so we go in January. We have started to do the non safari day ticket - (use BLC if you have it) and then it is not such a long day. We head up in the afternoon so do a bit of the park before it's dark enough for lights. Agreed it is rubbish if raining but we have been lucky most years.
Tbh though my take away from many years of Christmas activities is that my kids are just as happy with the garden centre Christmas thing, it doesn't have to be a big expensive experience.

😂

Here's the post: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdWw4L9BDMG/?stkn=MWV0YTNqYTJwdDFsdg==

It put me off going to Christmas markets even more (if that was possible...hellish places).

I’ve seen a lot of videos of popular Christmas markets on social media and they look horrendously crowded and horrible

Aberdeen Christmas market ..money spinner for local amusements to set up in city centre.
As the same as other places food mega bucks see also tat mega bucks.

Yes, since they jammed it into the gardens it’s awful I used to like a wander through but now it’s just utterly jammed!

Agree! It used to be fairy light and magical and the singing teee in the square was wonderful. It matches up with projections around the courtyard. Now they’ve moved it to a shit muddy field and it has no atmosphere. It’s also giant light up structures which I guess look good on photos but feel shit and bright and not chrismtassy when you are there

Possibly controversially, I really didn't like Kielder Winter Wonderland. Parts of it were nicely done, but I wasn't expecting to have such a lot of Christianity as a focus of the day. Most similar events are a bit more "Santa and reindeers" than "baby jesus".

Also their Santa was rubbish, didn't properly read the info parents have provided in advance so got things wrong in a confusing way. Plus we didn't get a 1:1 with Santa, we saw him as a big group so the dc had to sit still for ages until it was their turn for Santa to speak to them.

It might have been ok if it hadn't been quite so expensive, but I honestly expected better!

Hard agree re Bath Christmas Market. If you live in the city it’s the last place you want to be.

Mine is the Ideal Home Christmas Exhibition. We were so bored by it we took the early coach home. We found it crowded, overpriced and uninspiring.

I will say that a friend was there on the same day and found it endlessly enjoyable, she spotted all the celebrities and bargains that we didn’t, so it could just be me!

Windmill animal farm is the worst Christmas ‘experience’ we’ve done. I can’t be arsed going into it too much but it was truly horrific. Trapped us all in a horrible dirty freezing marquee with awful ‘elves’ in awful costumes making everyone play cringey games

Yes that’s the one, thank you. I thought they’d have to pay a lot of money for the pitch but was shocked at the 20% of all takings. Someone told me that’s normal now for a lot of events, festivals etc.

That's akin to a protection racket.

This made me laugh out loud! We’ve had some family holidays like this 😳🤪

A lot of the Christmas markets in the UK are run by the same company which is why they are so sameish.

Don't go to Oxford Street in London for Christmas. Apart from Selfridges at the Marble Arch end, there's SFA to see & do. The lights are utter shit too. There's loads of other places to see at night, like Covent Garden market. For proper shopping (take out a mortgage) go to Sloane Square or Westfield Shepherds Bush.

Lapland UK. Utterly overpriced crap. Went a few years ago and vowed never again, it was a shambles. No one seemed to know what they were doing, despite being there 45 minutes early, we still missed the beginning of our time slot because it was taking them so long to check everyone in. The ice in the ice rink was practically water so you could hardly skate on it. Food was absolutely extortionate and gross, which I get that you expect, but given it cost £600 to go, I at least expected quality food. Huskies paraded around with kids being allowed to put their hands all over them.

All in all, it needed to be MUCH better for the price!

We're going to Edinburgh the weekend of 21/22 November. Will it be crazy then?

Gothenburg Christmas market was a massive non event! The rest of Gothenburg was all closed down by 9pm and the area very intimidating in the dark .

All the markets are the same aren't they - sheds full of shite. And I've never been to a Xmas "event" yet that was worth the money.

Really for a good Xmas experience you have to go old school ie panto or church.

This, absolutely shocking £50 - £85 for a drive around Silverstone circuit in 30 minutes.

We did it at the end of lockdown as was the only thing we could do in isolation and not a bad idea for that year. It was average at best then but they’ve carried it on with a few overpriced extras

https://www.silverstone.co.uk/events/christmas-at-silverstone/lap-of-lights

Chatsworth House/cmas market.

they have so many people booked that you are herded round the house super speed in a big crowd of people so you can’t look at anything/enjoy it.

Christmas market has lots of food stalls but not enough seating.

not worth the price

Some of these experiences really do depend on the day. We went to Warwick Castle a few years ago and that had potential to be really magical but it chucked it down all day, which made it really hard work and impossible to enjoy the atmospheric castle grounds. The light trail was an endurance hike, our kids were probably slightly too young for it and the thing 2 year old DS enjoyed most was the bus between the castle and the car park!

I live in Birmingham and have hated the Christmas market for years, but that said, poppping into town for a quick wander through and a go on the carousel is a little tradition now and I’ve developed a soft spot for it through the eyes of my children.

I think national trust houses all decorated are some of the best value festive experiences- usually can do these as part of your ordinary membership! Local garden centres are usually cute too.

As a kid we didn’t do any of this commercialised crap and Christmas was still magical! The rotary club sleigh going through the local streets was the highlight.

Winchester have a cathedral forecourt Christmas market. A really awful experience - dangerously overcrowded to the point of being crushed in the narrow areas. People take dogs on extending leads, extra wide buggies, etc, etc.

Complete insanity. The prices are absurd. The stressed parents get very angry.

Why why why?