Christmas with kids in Hampshire

Christmas in Hampshire with kids – yes, I did mention Christmas in July… But unapologetically so as Christmas needs planning and I love Christmas with a child in tow! After two years mostly thwarted by Covid I really can’t wait for another one to arrive! There’s so much festive fun in Hampshire and a little further afield too. We’ve visited many places ourselves and friends have told us about other places they’ve found. I’ve pulled it all together for you and to give the blog some long-wanted attention!

Lights

There is a plethora of evening light shows and they’re great for adults and children alike.

My favourites so far are at Stourhead National Trust, just over the border in Wiltshire. A stunning walk through the woods down to the lake with lights, music, mulled wine and chocolate. There is also a similar set up over at Kingston Lacy but we haven’t been there. West Green we had to miss last year but a beautiful private garden used by the National Trust that lights up beautifully!

Staunton Farm was a gem last year, a new light trail. We were able to move our tickets when we got Covid and this was our first trip out. It’s a lovely light and music trail through the park and farm. It’s a little less expensive than the National Trust but just as enjoyable. Also you do from time to time see the animals and there is a maze!

Whitchurch Silk Mill tends to light up after Christmas. In the bleak month of January they have a lovely light show inside and out. It’s smaller but very impressive with fantastic lighting on the mill building as well as in the grounds.

I haven’t been, but friends rave about the light shows at Blenheim, Wisley Gardens and also at Longleat.

Kiddy fun

As well as the elegant, there is also the crazy. The lights and set up that absolutely are there for the kids, whilst the parents secretly enjoy ourselves too!

Keydells nursery do the most magical woodland walk through a lighting and tinsel wonderland. There is so much sparkle it is insane but it books up within hours of the tickets being released. There’s also Father C himself to meet here and presents for the children. Prepare to be bedazzled!

Hampshire Young Farmers tend to gather together with their tractors between Christmas and New Year for a tractor run through the country roads. If you have a tractor mad child then get to Stockbridge ahead of time, grab a coffee and enjoy watching 150 tractors trundle past! It really is quite something!

Two places I haven’t been are the Hayling Island Wonderland and the Christmas adventure at 4 Kingdoms. The former I have heard people rave about, it even has a little train. The latter sounds fantastic but a few people have mentioned queues and it taking a long time so perhaps not best for the littles.

Wintery walks

As well as lights, there are also bits of festive fun to enjoy at less anti social times of day too!

Royal Victoria Country Park, and some of the other Hampshire County Council parks, do little trails around the grounds with clues and activities. We’ve done the Netley one a couple of times now and there’s always a little goody bag and some fun activities on the signs that are put up around the park.

One of my favourite places is Chawton House and they do a lovely glimmer garden that gets switched on at dusk. I’ve included it here as they’re open in the day time too and the house itself is a festive delight as well and the grounds in the daylight are beautiful too.

Beaulieu high street whilst small, is perfect at Christmas with lovely gift shops too. To make more of a day of it there is a lovely walk along the river to Bucklers Hard, or plenty of things to enjoy at the Motor Museum and Palace House.

Markets

Newhouse Farm hosts the best markets, and at Christmas they bring together the best quality food and drink and a fabulous hot dog offering too. They do other things too (pumpkins at Halloween and tractor rides in the summer), but it is the Christmas market where it all began and well worth a visit!

Winchester Christmas Market is beautiful in the cathedral grounds and full of delicious food and drink, and stall after stall of beautiful crafts to complete the Christmas present buying. It does get busy so I would suggest a week-day afternoon for a more leisurely stroll around, mulled wine in hand!

Heckfield Home Farm is my favourite place to buy fancy fruit, veg, cheese, cakes, condiments, plants and juices. It’s linked to Heckfield Place hotel and it’s a bit of a bit of a luxury that their biodynamic market garden has enough produce to host regular produce sales. Their produce really does make Christmas lunch and tea! They’ve also got a coffee and cake van added to the offering, so watch out for their December sales!

Overton has a lovely Christmas market, normally at the start of December. I love this one as it is small but it is full of lovely local crafts and artists and bustly in a lovely villagey way. There is always yarn-bombing of the post box and bollards which always raises a smile. Hopefully Father C will stop in again this year, although that does need to be pre-booked and there is normally craft for kids while they wait too!

Theatre

Winchester Cathedral in December is dreamy, whether it is the carol service or as we enjoyed last year, The Snowman on a big screen. I love the cathedral as a venue (all year in fact) and having it host something like the Snowman for all the family is just wonderful!

The Proteus theatre in Basingstoke hosts an interactive Christmas play. Sadly we had miss last year as we had Covid in the house, but i’m looking forward to going this year already! You move through different parts of the building as the story comes together! Such a good way of keeping kids engaged in the performing arts as they get to be part of it.

The Berry Theatre in Eastleigh is somewhere that friends have for years raved about. It is a small theatre at Christmas and this year they have Kipper’s Snowy Day – The Berry (theberrytheatre.co.uk)

Trains

My oldest friend took us to Didcot Railway Centre and we discovered there was a Christmas event and we rushed back last year. It’s a small site but full of trains and steam train history. The ticket includes two little train trips, one down to Santa’s grotto and another trip in the other direction. At the grotto Santa is on the train and the children get to meet him and have a present. There are plenty of elves around too.

We are yet to go on the Watercress Line for one of their events as bedtime is a little early, but we’ve watched the steam illuminations from the station and along the route. It is spectacular and i’m told just as much fun inside the train as out. If you can’t join the train then it really is worth watching it somewhere along the train line or as it pulls out of one of the stations.

My son adores watching the Polar Express. The nearest themed event to us in Oxfordshire at the Cholsey & Wallingford Railway. I’m very tempted as it would bring the movie alive for him!

Where have I missed….

I’m fairly sure this only scratches the surface of what’s on offer. With covid, things changed so much. Please let me know where I’ve missed and I’ll add to it!