Lots of you start looking at Christmas activities & events across Buckinghamshire months and months in advance so I’ve updated this guide as early as I can. We all know, some festive events can be incredibly expensive, but plenty are either FREE or really cheap. I’ve put together the details of the events that I can currently find, but new ones are being announced all the time so I’ll be updating the post regularly.
This Christmas events what’s on guide only covers Buckinghamshire. For what’s on guides covering the other counties, the latest festive reviews, craft ideas and some Christmas blogs make sure you visit the Christmas page. Don’t forget to check out the Facebook events page for lots more events all over the area.This page has been updated with Christmas events and activities in Buckinghamshire for 2023 where the detail are known. Some event details haven’t been announced yet, but I’ll highlight if that’s the case. I’ll be adding more to the Facebook page and updating this page as I find them. If you know of any that I’ve missed just get in touch.
The National Trust Christmas Events in Buckinghamshire
Waddesdon Manor at Christmas is a must-see event for many families. There is a Christmas market from the 22nd November to 17th December (when the grounds are open). Winter light runs from 22nd November – 1st Jan. Closed 24-26 and most Mondays & Tuesdays. Little tip Winter Light usually Friday – Sundays in January but there’s nothing on the website yet so I don’t know if it’s happening. One thing I will say is that the cost has sky rocketed, even for members – Adults are from £35.50, children are £16.50. Member adults are £16.50, member children are £7. Plus you have to pay for the bus. Visit the Waddesdon Manor at Christmas website here. You can also read my review of previous years here.
Various National Trust properties in and around Bucks usually all run the same Christmas event or trail. The details of that haven’t been announced yet, but the details of individual activities have;
Hughenden Manor will once again have decorations in the house and gardens (have a look at some from previous years). Free with admission. The house will be decorated from the 20th November until the 1st January with a 12 days of Christmas theme – which is actually the same theme as last year. On the 10th December there’s family craft sessions, £3 per child. There’s also a free trail in the gardens on the same dates. Create a watercolour Christmas card on the 22nd November (£10), jazz singers every Saturday, storytelling on the 2nd, 3rd, 21st & 22nd (£4) and free Christmas crafts on the 10th & 17th. You can also do a twilight Christmas tour from the 27th November – 1st December (£16). For all the details visit their website (affiliate link)
Cliveden have a Christmas activity trail. Free with admission. The trail runs from 9.30am to 4pm from 2nd – 31st December.
Stowe have a free seasonal wildlife trail walk from the 18th November – 4th January. The New Inn Courtyard and Parlour room are decorated from the 18th November and there’s an annual Boxing Day pilgrimage. All included with admission.
Christmas Activities near Aylesbury
Father Christmas is back at Hogshaw Farm. Weekends from 25th November and then daily from 16th – 24th December, plus there are SEN sessions every Saturday. It’s such a popular family Christmas event in Buckinghamshire, and it often sells out. Of all the local farm park/garden centre experiences Hogshaw offers really good value for money. If you’re interested then make sure you book early. It’s £13.45 per adult and £24.95 per child. It’s not just a chat with the big guy, there are lots of other activities included as well, including admission to the farm and the chance to see real reindeer so you can make a full day of it. You can read my review of Hogshaw Farm here.
Christmas on the Cobbles is on the 26th November in Aylesbury Town Centre. It’s entirely free with the entertainment starting at 1pm – 4.30 pm. Then the illuminated parade and light switch-on is from 5.30 – 6pm. Activities take place in Market Square, Friars Square and Kingsbury Square.
Aylesbury’s big panto at the Waterside Theatre this year is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs** starring Andy Collins, James Bye and Leon Craig. It’s running from the 1st Dec – 3rd Jan. If you’re looking for something more intimate then the Norman Bragg Studio is showing Santa’s New Sleigh** (which includes a gift from Santa for every child in the audience) from the 18th – 24th December.
Discover Bucks Museum haven’t announced all of their Christmas events yet. Their I Grew Up 80s exhibition is running from now until March and is included with admission. The Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery is open on Saturday’s and Monday – Saturday during school holidays. Read my review of that here.
The other choice for Panto in Aylesbury is at the Queens Park Centre. This year it’s Peter Pan – Christmas in Neverland and will be running from the 8th – 30th December. Tickets £9-£14.
Santa’s Grotto is apparently going to be back at Friar’s Square in Aylesbury this year. I haven’t got any details about prices yet but hopefully it will still be walk-up. I’ll update this guide when I know more.
Penns Flowers usually open their Christmas Grotto the last weekend in November. It’s free to visit, but they are raising money for The Rennie Grove Hospice so all donations are welcome.
Christmas events in and around Wendover
The Santa’s Grotto at Dobbies in Wendover is open from the 23rd November. The Grotto is £11.99 per child. Sadly, once again there will be NO WINTER WONDERLAND at World’s End this year. This is such a shame because I know it’s one of the most popular cheap family Christmas events in our bit of Buckinghamshire! Alternatively you can have breakfast with Santa on selected dates. £13.99 per child, £8.60 per adult.
Chiltern View Ice Rink will be open from 17th November 2022 until Mid January. Tickets are £8 for kids and £11.50 for adults. Skate hire is included. Skate aids are £3.50. For my full review click here. There’s also the chance to meet Santa.
Christmas events in Milton Keynes
There’s a Santa’s Grotto at Milton Keynes Museum in Buckinghamshire Fridays to Sundays from 1st December to the 17th December. £12 per child, adults go free. Admission to the museum is separate and is required for admission to where the Grotto is. There’s a Victorian Christmas Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays until the 18th December. You can read my review of the museum here.
The Christmas lights switch-on events in Milton Keynes is on the 18th November from 3pm. Lights go on at 5pm. Lots of free entertainment.
Bletchley Park (reviewed here) is going to be decorated in vintage 1940’s style during their Christmas event. There’s a free children’s trail around the museum. On the 16th, 17th, 20th-22nd December there’s a “make do and mend” Christmas craft session. There’s also a vintage Santa’s Grotto. £11 per child. Museum admission is required and the grotto must be pre-booked.
Thrift Farm (read my review here) is running festive sessions every weekend in December. You’ll meet Santa, there’s gingerbread decorating, animal petting sessions, farm yard trail and a gift. Entry to the farm is included. Tickets are £16.50 per adult and £24.50 per child. (BTW of all the farms in Bucks this is the biggest price increase by far)
At Milton Keynes Theatre** Brian Conley will be putting on Cinderella from the 9th December to 14th January
Christmas events in High Wycombe
The Christmas lights in High Wycombe go on on the 18th November 202. The free event takes place from 12 noon with lots of free Christmas activities including lots of performances. The light switch-on is at 5.15pm at Frogmoor.
Elf School at the Eden Centre in Buckinghamshire was hands-down my favourite Santa’s Grotto, heck it might be my favourite Christmas event. We’ve been twice and LOVED it, not least because it was FREE. The only reason I say was is because they’ve changed a few key details and I’m not sure how I feel about it. It’s was £2.50 last year but the details haven’t been released yet. When they do it’ll need to be pre-booked here
Joe McFadden, Suzanne Shaw and La Voix are starring in Beauty and the Beast at Wycombe Swan from the 8th – 31st December 2023.
There’s a WWII Christmas family fund day at Wycombe Museum (reviewed here) on the 10th December 2023. £6 per child. On the 21st December there’s a Christmas candle crafts session, £4.50. On the 26th November there’s a Christmas craft fayre. Most activities are included with admission.
Have you heard of Wycombe Santa? It’s not just your ordinary Santa’s grotto. It funds the community sleigh around Wycombe AND raises money for Wycombe Food Hub If that wasn’t good enough reason to go then look at what you do when you’re there “Enchanted Wonderland is more than just a grotto – it is a pantomime squeezed into a bitesized chunk! A visit to Enchanted Wonderland includes everything you love about grottos and so much more- there’s theatre, interactive play, magic, and puppets.” The details haven’t been released yet. You’ll be able to book your Santa’s Grotto experience here.
Christmas events across Buckinghamshire
Buckingham Christmas lights switch-on is on the 23rd November 2023 from 4-7pm. There will be carols and lots of other festive entertainment. Free event.
Bucks Railway Centre near Quainton is running the Panto Express as their Santa’s Grotto this year. You’ll have a 25 minute train ride, when you get to meet Santa, and then there’s a short panto afterwards. Price options vary between £17.50 – £20.50 pp. 25th & 26th November and weekends in December.
The Christmas events at Chiltern Open Air Museum in Buckinghamshire are on the 2nd & 3rd December from 10-4. £14 per adult, £8 per child. Find out how Christmas was celebrated in the past and see some of the houses traditionally decorated. Have a look at my review of Chiltern Open Air Museum here.
Odds Farm Park in Buckinghamshire is running their Christmas spectacular event this year from the 25th November – 24th December 2023. The experience involves festive storytime, Christmas crafts, Santa’s grotto and visit, create your own cuddly toy, present and walk through the Enchanted Woodland. They say it’s a 90 minute experience. You have to pay for farm admission as well so it’s £43.95 per child and £15.95 per adult, making it the most expensive farm grotto in Bucks!
Black Park Country Park haven’t yet announced their Christmas events but they do usually do something.
The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire has a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory celebration on the 2nd December, included with admission. There’s also Wonka walks on the same day. Through December there’s plenty of Charlie events. Then from the 21st – 23rd & 27th – 30th & 2-7th January there’s a Charlie themed trail and pop-up Factory and there’s story telling sessions too.
Lillingstone Pick Your Own have a Santa’s Grotto as well as pick you own Christmas Tree. There’s stories with Mother Christmas, Santa’s sleigh ride around the farm. Tickets and details haven’t yet been released. Pre-booking required.
That’s all for now. I’ll be adding lots of free and cheap Christmas events in Buckinghamshire between now and the big day so keep checking back for more ideas. Of course, there are lots of places in and around Buckinghamshire that are open but not necessarily running Christmas events. You can search for all of the reviews on the Free Time with the Kids map here. For all of the other what’s on guides and reviews of Christmas events the Free Time with the Kids Christmas pages are here.
The details of these Buckinghamshire based Christmas events are correct at the time of writing, but double check with the venue before visiting/booking.
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Hi, I’m Vicky. My husband and I live in Aylesbury with our three children; a 14 year old son, an 12 year old son and a 6 year old daughter. I (mostly) love spending time together as a family. We visit all kinds of places and we’re quite happy to drive a fair distance for a decent day out. A few years ago I decided to set up Free Time with the Kids as a way to share our experiences of these family days out.
You’ll find the essential information you need to know before your visit that can be surprisingly hard to find out. Where do I park? How much will it cost me to get in? Are there any discounts available? Are there loos? Can I take a picnic or get food? My aim is to be your go-to guide for all your free and cheap family days out across Bucks, Beds, Oxon, Herts & slightly beyond. I really hope you find the reviews helpful. If there’s anywhere that you’d recommend please get in touch contact@freetimewiththekids.com or get in touch via Facebook