Tag: Father Christmas
Where to Meet Father Christmas in Cornwall
November 11th, 2019
Cornwall is a brilliant place to be for the festive period, with exciting winter wonderlands and cosy Christmas grottos found across the county! In this blog, we take a look at where you can find Santa this Christmas.
Father Christmas Experience at the Eden Project
Meet Father Christmas and his Elves while they stay at the Eden Project and catch a glimpse of what life is like for Santa behind the scenes! You’ll be able to take a peep at where the elves sleep each night, as well as where all the letters that children from around the world send get stored! Settle down in front of the open fire and enjoy a magical tale read by Santa himself! The experience runs several times a day from Saturday 30th November and will run on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from this date until the 18th of December. Booking is recommended, and tickets cost £10 for one adult and one child, with additional children at £6. To access the grotto, you will also need an admission ticket or pass to the Eden Project.
Bedruthan’s Sugar and Spice Grotto
Bedruthan Hotel is known for going all out on their grottos and this year is certainly no exception! Walk into a winter wonderland as snow falls around you, settling on the twinkling Christmas trees. A magical grotto awaits, but first, you must journey through the labyrinth of ice caves, where you can make snow angels and throw a snowball or two! The helpful elves along the way also like getting creative, giving you the chance to craft some lovely decorations or gifts. Once you’ve finally reached the Sugar and Spice Grotto, you can help Father Christmas, and Mrs Christmas gather up the gifts for the sleigh – there may even be one in there for you! Finally, make a magical Christmas wish to Mawgan the magic wishing tree!
Open every day from the 30th of November to the 23rd of December, this is one of the most popular Grottos in Cornwall, with some dates already sold out, meaning that booking is essential. Tickets cost £15 for one adult and one child, and £5 for an additional adult.
Santa by Steam
A popular Christmas activity run by Bodmin & Wenford Railway; Santa climbs on board this magical steam train and embarks on an incredible journey for an hour. Bringing his elves along for the journey too, his helpers will lead little ones to the magical grotto where you will meet the man in red himself! As well as getting an early Christmas present, and a photo with Santa, you can also enjoy a tasty mince pie while you wait! Booking is essential, and the train will be running on Saturday’s and Sunday’s from the 30th of November to the 22nd of December, as well as Monday the 23rd and Tuesday the 24th.
Father Christmas at Trebah
Building their magical factory in the gardens, Father Christmas and his elves have created a wonderful place to create amazing gifts. Watch the elves handcraft unique presents before collecting your own gift from Santa himself! Father Christmas has a very busy schedule this year, so will only be visiting Trebah Garden on the 14th of December and the 15th 2019. Tickets cost £9 for children and £5 per adult and booking is essential.
Redruth Public Library Christmas Grotto
Father Christmas will be making an appearance at his special Christmas Grotto at the Redruth Public Library on Saturday 7th, 14th, and 21st of December. Santa and his elves can be found at the cosy reading corner from 10 am until 2 pm for this free event.
Father Christmas Visits Lost Gardens of Heligan
Father Christmas and his elves are warmly welcomed back to the Lost Gardens of Heligan this year. From the 14th to 24th of December, visitors to the Gardens will be able to follow the magic Christmas Trail and discover Father Christmas’ cosy home, where good children will receive a small gift. To be sure he brings the present you want on Christmas Day, you can also write a letter to Santa and pop it into the magical post box underneath the twinkly Christmas lights. Tickets cost £7 per child, and £2 per adult on top of the admission fee for Heligan and advanced booking is recommended.
Santa’s Grotto at Paradise Park
After spotting the delightful collection of creatures that find their home at Paradise Park and playing in the Jungle Barn indoor play area, get into the Christmas spirit by paying a visit to Santa at his grotto. From the 30th of November, Father Christmas will be visiting his grotto from 12 pm to 2 pm on weekends and then every day from the 18th to 24th December! Tickets cost £5.45 per child in addition to entry to the park and can be bought on the day.
Here at The Valley, we offer family-friendly holidays in Cornwall that are perfect for children and adults alike who cannot wait to experience the excitement and magic of this festive time of year. To continue with the festivities, discover the Christmas markets that are taking place near our luxury holiday cottages.
Christmas Markets Near Truro 2019
October 11th, 2019
As we reach the run-up to Christmas, our festive feelings begin to grow, and we spend each day on the lookout for the ideal gift for family and friends. Luckily, there are many opportunities to find the perfect present in Cornwall this year, with a wide variety of festive fairs and markets taking place throughout November and December. Head to some of these Christmas markets to discover the wonderful local produce and creations on offer!
Made in Cornwall Christmas Fair
27th November – 1st December 2019
If you’re after a truly Cornish gift, then head to the Made in Cornwall fair on Lemon Quay in Truro. Everything on sale at the fair is certified by Cornwall Council as being ‘Made in Cornwall’, so you can be sure that all produce and gifts will have been locally made and crafted. There will be over 80 stalls at the fair, ranging from pottery to clothing and from handmade chocolates to local ales! You are sure to find some incredible gifts amongst the beautiful selection of artisanal foods and impressive artworks from craftspeople around Cornwall.
Etsy Made Local Christmas Fair
15th – 17th November 2019
Featuring 70 talented crafters, illustrators and designers, the Etsy Made Local Fair is coming to Penryn Campus Sports Centre. Stalls lined with unique handmade treasures await, accompanied by local street food and live music performances. The Etsy fair was previously held in St Ives, but a growing demand for this fair has seen the event double in size, moving to the larger venue at Penryn. Cornwall is full of incredible artists and designers, and many will be present at this event, and will be happy to chat about their works. The fair is open from 6pm-9pm on Friday 15th, 10am-5pm on Saturday 16th and 10am-4pm on Sunday 17th.
Flambards Christmas Fayre
30th November – 1st December 2019
Flambard’s Christmas Fayre is back again this year, offering a shopping experience filled with festive family fun. Over 80 local traders will be set up throughout the park, with some stalls even found within the Victorian Village and Britain in the Blitz exhibits, making for a truly unique Christmas shopping experience. With a selection of gorgeous gifts and delicious local produce on offer, you’ll be tempted to keep everything you find as a treat for yourself! The Helston Town Band will be there to get you into the festive spirit with their live performances, and the little ones will love meeting Santa and his elves in his grotto! Entrance to the fayre costs £1 per person and includes parking, as well as entry into the exhibits.
Primestock Christmas Craft Fair
6th December – 8th December 2019
Following the annual Primestock Show in Cornwall, Lemon Quay will be filled with local produce, gifts and crafts at the Primestock Christmas Craft Fair. Featuring stunning hand-crafted items from local artists and craftspeople, you will discover a range of soaps, candles, ceramics, jewellery and other wonderful giftware. Alongside the arts and crafts, there will be a number of food stalls, with Christmas hampers brimming with local delicacies. With Father Christmas in his Grotto at the fair, little ones are bound to be good as you browse the stalls in the hopes that they don’t make it on the naughty list before Christmas!
Boscawen Street Market
Wednesdays & Saturdays (27th Nov, 30th Nov, 4th, 7th, 11th, 14th, 18th and 22nd December 2019)
Boscawen Street in Truro will be lined with market stalls every Wednesday and Saturday from the end of November and throughout December. In Truro, Wednesday is late night shopping night during the Christmas period. With the market running until 9pm, you can take a look at the festive treats on offer at the stalls as you browse the high street shops. As well as an assortment of local craft and food products on gift stalls, there will be a range of street food on offer to fuel your shopping experience!
Cathedral City Market
15th-17th November 2019
The Cathedral City Market is a regular market that runs throughout the year in Truro on the Lemon Quay Piazza. The last Cathedral City Market of the year will be held on the 15th, 16th and 17th of November, so you’re sure to find some festive offerings from the local artists and food stands set up here.
The Winter Gift Fayre
11th – 19th December 2019
Another fair to be hosted on the Piazza on Lemon Quay, The Winter Gift Fayre will welcome producers from across the South West to display their beautiful gifts and festive decorations. The magic of winter is the key theme of this fair, so if you need to find some Christmas spirit, this is certainly the place to go! Decorated with warm twinkling lights, you’ll be in a winter wonderland as you browse the incredible stalls filled with jewellery, art, food and more!
Christmas Craft Fair at the Museum
7th December 2019
The Royal Cornwall Museum is getting into the Christmas spirit again this year, with their craft fair offering a variety of goods from local producers, ranging from works of art to tasty treats. Find a truly one of a kind gift at the Museum, as you shop in style. With Father Christmas paying a visit for a storytelling session, little ones will be on their best behaviour as you browse the stalls. Entry to the fair is free, seeing Father Christmas will cost £5.50 and requires advance booking.
Take the stress out of Christmas shopping by combining your present finding with a relaxing Cornish getaway! Our luxury Cornish cottages are the perfect place to go for a festive break, and being located close to Truro means you’ll be in the ideal place to visit all of these wonderful winter fairs!
