A fairytale Christmas at Hughenden Manor

I’ve mentioned Hughenden Manor a few times on my blog. It’s a local National Trust property and a great family day out. We’ve recently re-joined the National Trust as we realised how much we missed being members so I am looking forward to lots more great days out in 2017!

We visited Hughenden in October to go pumpkin carving. You can read all about our Halloween experience here. As we were leaving one of the volunteers mentioned we should book early for Christmas and I did. I read a little more about it on their website and knew it sounded like a magical Christmas experience.

There’s fairytale festivity throughout the estate at Hughenden this Christmas as the fantastical folk tales of the Brothers Grimm are explored.

As we walked through the woods to the house we followed the Hansel and Gretel trail in the grounds. There were lots of white stones shining through the woods and the children loved following them.

We had booked to go and meet Father Christmas in his Hansel & Gretel inspired grotto. The last event we went to was really well organised and this was too. There was a huge waiting area and the children were able to make paper gingerbread people, craft pipe cleaner candy canes and colour in magical pictures of Hughenden. This kept them busy, and all the other children, and it was lovely to sit and relax without having to worry about anything.

Then it was our turn to visit Father Christmas. This was a lovely looking Father Christmas and the children were quite happy to talk to him, unlike our experience at the Playmobil Santa’s Grotto we visited last month.

After our visit to Father Christmas we decided to explore the house. Although it feels like we know it quite well I knew it had been decorated for Christmas and would have a totally different feel.

The theme for the decorations was the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. Each room was decorated to reflect a different story, complete with Christmas trees, decorations and lots of gingerbread men. See Rapunzel’s golden locks tumbling from the top of the stairs, wonder at Rumpelstiltskin’s spinning wheel transforming hay into gold, see if you can find a wolfish imposter in granny’s bed, or ask the wicked stepmother’s mirror who is the fairest of them all!

The displays were amazing and I actually had time to enjoy them as the children were kept busy hunting for the gingerbread men and women who were hiding in the Manor.

We had a great morning and I would definitely recommend a visit whilst it is decorated for Christmas. A fairytale Christmas at Hughenden Manor is on from Thursday 1st December until Wednesday 4th January. Find out more here.