Visits fo Father Xmas - shall we have a list?

[SolidGoldBangers]

Remembering the debacle of that 'magical wonderland' last year that turned out to be a muddy field full of pissed off non-English speaking elves on less than minimum wage and rabid reindeer, let's pool info on the worth-doing Santa Special stuff.

We got taken to Polhill Garden Centre yesterday and their festive grotto was not bad at all, only a fiver and included a ride on a little train as well as a quite decent gift (DS got a games compendium of Ludo, SNakes & Ladders and draughts).

Good idea.

We're off to Harrods this year.

Last was Selfridges, good if you are up in town but not worth a special trip.

Bocketts Farm near Leatherhead is usually excellent.

And the Bluebell Railway Santa Special for train-spotters of all ages.

Adventure Wonderland Opposite Bournemouth Airport is great. We go there every year and they have such a lovely Father Christmas. Just like the real thing. I think they make a real effort,we went last week end and they have a brilliant mini Panto, and animals to cuddle, and your children can stay and play for ages. The foods much better than it used to be too. Anyway, a good place, worth a try

Anyone got any good ones to add that they went to last year? We're in Wales but willing to travel for a great one as Lapland a little over our budget!

Anywhere in South Yorkshire would be appreciated too, my oldest is not keen on actually seeing FC but still likes all the other stuff that goes with it iykwim? (She has a thing about beards & baseball caps, not keen on either)

Ooh, I've been thinking about this today - am thinking maybe Paultons Park

A bit pricey - £74 for family of 4, but that does include normal entrance to the park.

Does the Harrods or Selfridges FC usually have their own beard? This apparently proves whether FC is real or not according to my cousin who I will be taking with DS.

Oh I agree with the beard thing! Starting to wonder whether the fancy grotto is more for me than dd!

We went to Lapland UK last year (in Kent).

It's pricey, but was great.

(We got free tickets - bit out of our league otherwise).

They 'justify' the cost by marketing it as an alternative to flying to the real Lapland.

Best Father Christmas I've ever seen though - real beard and all.

Plus we had to walk through a (snow-sprayed) wood to find him.

We have just booked to see Father christmas at the Severn Valley Railway - my parents used to take my sister and I when we were children and DH wants to take DS. I am hoping it is still as good as I remember it as a child!

I went through a snowy wood at our local garden centre - I mean DD and I of course .

They turn the glasshouse that usually has animals and tropical plants into a Narnia with elves and some moving displays an you have to walk through to get to the grotto. The FC is ace, really lovely and you get a living mini-tree in a pot (ours is still going but not much bigger) and a good gift, DD got an Angelina BAllerina Uno game. Twas a fiver.
It was worth it for the elves who were twins, aged about 17 and really gauche in a sweet way. They were not 100% confident with children and kept asking "so, do you like, um, toys?"

StJohns in Barnstaple, North Devon if anyone fancies the trip

There doesn't seem to be much near me, or maybe I'm looking in the wrong places

Anyone know of anything in Scotland?

Geordieminz, that's not the Christmas spirit! Drive down to Devon at once.

I tried to get tic keys for harrods but stupid booking system crashed.... There is never anything good up here ((((((wails and weeps))))))

tickets not tic keys

We're trying out harrods this year, hope it's good as we're in Cambridge!

We were going to try Harrods or Selfridges but my friend did both last year and said it was only worth it if you were going to be in London anyway. They didn't even have real beards and the Harrods one was quite slim. If I'm going to make the effort to go further afield then I want Father Christmas to be old, with a fat, chubby face and a proper white beard.