CHRISTMAS IN THE UK   >   UK   >   INDEX


Christmas Markets & Christmas Fairs in the UK.

Regions: England, London, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales




 
Superbreak offer leisure hotel breaks and features 2-5 star hotels, with the majority in the 3-4 star+ rating.

  Cook's Coaches   -   operating in the Southend-on-Sea area of Essex
Brugge via shuttle - see the town dressed for Christmas, Canterbury Christmas Euro Market, Christmas Music Hall Variety Show, Christmas Lights of London, Lincoln Christmas Market, Maldon Victorian Christmas, Rochester Dickensian Christmas, Thursford Christmas Spectacular.
  Diamond Holidays   -   Coach Holiday Company from Wales
British Christmas Markets: Lincoln Christmas Market,  Manchester Christmas Market,  Rochester's Dickens Festival and York St Nicholas Fayre
  Kirbys Coaches   -   based in Rayleigh, Essex
Thursfords, Osborne House / Isle of Wight / Victorian Christmas
  Palmer's Travel    -   West Kingsdown in Kent  -  Yuletide & New Year
German Christmas Markets,  Christmas in the Lake District



  Pick your own christmas tree 

 
Picture the scene: it's the week before Christmas, and the morning post arrives with a special Santa letter for your child. Imagine their face as they open their very own personalised letter from Father Christmas.


Christmas in England

  Birmingham  [ Heart of England ]   -   Frankfurt Christmas market
Victoria Square, Additional information see Birmingham in the Heart of England.
  Bournemouth in Southern England   -   German Christmas market
Bournemouth town centre will be transformed into a winter wonderland with the arrival of a traditional German market and festive live entertainment. Up to fifty traditional wooden huts will be transported from Germany and set up in the Square, selling German products and delicious food and drink, including bratwurst [ sausage ] and gluhwein [ hot red wine ]; perfect for hunting down unusual Christmas gifts.
Bournemouth is a large resort town on the south coast of England, about 105 miles southwest of London. The town overlooks Poole Bay. Hotel? Additional information see Bournemouth.
  Canterbury in Kent
For the 2nd time Whitefriars Square, which is situated right in the centre of the picturesque, medieval City of Canterbury, will be transformed into a traditional German Christmas Market. Visitors can enjoy the festive atmosphere of the yule-tide market, whilst relaxing with a glass of "Glühwein" (German Mulled Wine) and listening to traditional Christmas music. See for more Canterbury
  Lincoln, East Midlands  -  Lincoln Christmas Market  
Lincoln Christmas Market is based on an idea from Lincoln's German twin town Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, The Market is now the biggest in Europe, and after Lincoln Cathedral, is perhaps the attraction for which Lincoln is best known. Additional information see Lincolnshire.
  Leeds [ Yorkshire ]   -   Christmas Market Leeds 
Location: Millenium Square, Leeds LS1 1UR. See Leeds.
  Leeds Castle  [ see Kent ]   -  Christmas at the Castle  
A special mediaeval frost fair featuring Father Christmas, skating and seasonal delights awaits visitors to the winter wonderland of Leeds Castle. With the castle decorated in classic country house style, lights twinkling in the trees and all manner of good cheer, it's the perfect family day out throughout the festive season.
Leeds Castle, set on two islands on the River Len in the heart of Kent, has been home to royalty, lords and ladies for over 1000 years.
  Manchester [ Northwest-England ]   -   Christmas Market Manchester 
Location: St. Ann`s Square
  Nottingham [ East Midlands ]   -   Christmas in Notts  
From designer and boutique shopping and award-winning attractions to fascinating market towns and countryside dripping with history and legends, Nottinghamshire is the perfect destination for your Christmas visit.  See Nottinghamshire.
  Rochester   -   December Christmas Market
See
  Somerset   -   Wookey Hole Caves   -  Santa Land   -   the West's largest Christmas Grotto
Meet the elves and a host of other magical characters including real reindeer and the wonderful wordt of Santaland. See also Somerset [ southwest England ].
  Tynedale   -   South Tynedale Railway   -   Santa Special in December
The South Tynedale Railway operates narrow gauge passenger trains along a 2¼ mile line along the scenic South Tyne valley between Alston, in Cumbria and Kirkhaugh, in Northumberland. Train services operate "Santa Special" trains on certain dates in December each year.
  York   -   Yuletide York 
York is magical at Christmas time with its cobbled streets and snickleways, welcoming inns and restaurants and its candlelit churches. Christmas events around the city are diverse and offer something for everyone. If you're in need of some retail therapy, enjoy an excellent variety of quality shops in York's historic streets and bustling market place or combine your visit to one of York's three out-of-town shopping parks featuring the best in designer clothing and high street names.
York boasts some of the best specialist markets in the country, starting with St Nicholas Fayre. This four day Fayre across the city offers an array of markets ranging from gifts, craft, medieval, antiques to the best in local produce. Newgate Market is open 7 days a week and the city centre will fill up with more market stalls every weekend leading up to Christmas.
The enchanting Festival of Angels will take place in The Quarter -  experience a winter wonderland of ice sculptures, snow and a true festival atmosphere. York's venues, museums, theatres and churches come alive throughout the season with a variety of festivities along with the city's many cafés, pubs and restaurants - bringing Christmas cheer to everyone.
St Nicholas Feyre | Christmas Markets | Christmas Shopping | Christmas Lights | Festival of Angels etc.

Christmas in London

  London
London is famous for its Christmas lights and you can now see the Oxford Street lights, Regent Street lights and the unusual display at Carnaby Street. There's also the chance to see switching on the Christmas lights in Marylebone High Street.

  Christmas at Kew, Royal Botanic Gardens
This Christmas the Gardens will glisten and sparkle as it celebrates a Crystal Christmas.  
Throughout the festive season Kew is also hosting a range of traditional family activities; from horse and carriage rides, to Santa in his spectacular ice cave.
Don't worry about the cold, the stunning glasshouses at Kew cover over 4 acres. They'll take you to tropical rainforests and arid deserts, you'll be sure to warm up in there. See Royal Botanic Gardens 

Christmas in Northern Ireland

  Christmas Lights Switch On Ceremony Bangor, County Down
  Christmas Craft Fair Down County Museum
Yuletide fair with local crafts, plus festive music, seasonal food and a visit by Santa!
Down County Museum, The Mall, Downpatrick, County Down
  Twas the Night Before Christmas
A magical tour of Christmases past and present. Visit Santa and see his elves at work in his enchanting wonderland. Festive art and craft activities for all ages
An Creagan Visitor Centre, Creggan, Omagh, Co Tyrone

See more ... Discover Northern Ireland and search for Christmas

Christmas in Scotland

  Edinburgh   -   Capital Christmas  -  Christmas Market Edinburgh  - 
  Edinburgh Christmas market  
With a glittering choice of festive celebrations, chic shopping and fine dining set against the shimmering backdrop of this historic city - in December Edinburgh truly sparkles. See Edinburgh.
  Glasgow on ice   -   from late November   -   see Glasgow On Ice 2007
With George Square's famous Christmas illuminations as a sparkling backdrop, you'll be able to show off your ice-dancing moves on one of the largest outdoor ice rinks in Europe, all set to non-stop music.
  Spectacular Christmas Light Switch-Ons   -   From mid November 2006 across Scotland
Take the family to see one of Scotland's spectacular Christmas light switch-ons. These vary in size from major celebrity events in the big cities to more local, community-based affairs.
See Visit Scotland and look for 'Events Calender' and click on 'December'.
There are vents all over Scotland : Aberdeen & Grampian, Angus & Dundee, Argyll, the Isles / Loch Lomond, Stirling & the Trossachs, Greater Glasgow & Clyde Valley, Highlands of Scotland, Kingdom of Fife, Perthshire, Edinburgh & the Lothians, Ayrshire & Arran, Scottish Borders
  The Land, The Light and The Locals  -  various venues, Scottish Borders
Over 100 musicians and performers from all over the Borders, in sessions, concerts and ceilidhs, as well as the numerous informal afternoon music sessions and other daytime events. See The Scottish Borders New Year Festival

Christmas in Wales

  Bath   -   see Wales
  Dickensian Christmas Market Day   -   Ruthin, North Wales
  Ironbridge, Shropshire   -   see Shropshire Tourism 
Shropshire is on the border of North Wales and is surrounded by Cheshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire & Worcestershire. Shropshire is approximately 3 hours from London, an hour or so from Manchester and only 40 minutes from Birmingham.
  Swansea, Wales   -   City of Swansea  

A Child's Christmas In Wales
Dylan Thomas (Author), Edward Ardizzone (Illustrator)
A charming account of Dylan Thomas's own childhood and of a Christmas Day in a small Welsh town. This book has become a popular classic and includes illustrations by the award-winning Edward Ardizzone.
Hardcover: 48 pages; Publisher: Orion Childrens; New Ed edition (30 Sep 1993); ISBN-10: 1858810116; ISBN-13: 978-1858810119.


Links / Books

Christmas at Thrush Green 
Miss Read (Author)
The villagers of Thrush Green celebrate Christmas traditionally, in a way that has hardly changed over the generations. Children eagerly hang up their stockings, families go to church together, everyone enjoys treats of the festive season. And when it snows as the carol singers make their way round the cottages on the green, it seems as if Christmas will be perfect this year. But not everything is as peaceful as it seems. Phyllida and Frank have their work cut out for them when they agree to take on the Nativity play - made all the more difficult by an outbreak of chicken pox. The indomitable Ella has lived in Thrush Green for as long as anyone can remember, but lately she has been behaving strangely. Then there are the dreadful Burwells, newcomers to Thrush Green, who cause something of a stir with their 'home improvements'. For Nelly, owner of The Fuchsia Bush tea shop, Christmas is an especially busy time, with people dropping in for much-needed refreshment, weary from all their Christmas shopping, but then she receives an unexpected letter.
Paperback: 352 pages; Publisher: Orion (14 Oct 2010); ISBN-10: 1409102548; ISBN-13: 978-1409102540.

Why Does Santa Ride Around in a Sleigh?: . . . and Other Christmas Questions
Kay Woodward (Author)
A cool Christmas-themed book for girls and boys that explains the reasons for and the stories behind our festive celebrations and traditions. Why does Father Christmas have three different names? Was there ever really a Good King Wenceslas? Why do we eat mince pies? These questions and many more are answered along with a fun make-and-do Christmas activity. Entertaining and informative, the book is illustrated throughout in black and white.
Paperback: 128 pages; Publisher: Puffin (28 Sep 2006); ISBN-10: 0141318724; ISBN-13: 978-0141318721.

Favourite Christmas Recipes   -   Carol Wilson (Author)
Paperback; Publisher: J Salmon Ltd (Nov 2001); ISBN-10: 1898435995; ISBN-13: 978-1898435990.

  Xmas-markets.com
  Absolutely Crackers
  Advent Christmas
  BBC Lifestyle - Christmas
  Christmas Jokes
  Christmas Joy   -   Christmas decorations
  Christmas UK

  National Christmas Tree Organization   -   dedicated to the Christmas tree
  North Pole   -   specially for children
What do you want for Christmas, Christmas cards, advent etc.

 
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