The nights are drawing in, the clocks have gone back and the temperatures are beginning to drop. For many it is time to start thinking about Christmas.
Christmas lights, Santa's grottos, and pantomimes are just around the corner and there are many Christmas activities selling their tickets-and they are going fast. You can keep up to date with the latest What's On news by signing up to the newsletter here.
If you want to get organised or are excited for Father Christmas to come down the chimney here are some great Christmas activities you can book now, before the tickets go.
READ MORE: 40 things to do in Wales on a rainy day
Reindeer Safari in Mold
Reindeer Lodge in Mold is offering a drive-through reindeer safari experience and theatre show that you can watch from the comfort of your own car. You can enjoy this experience in the day or at night and there is also a a hidden Elf village and a drive-through Santa's Grotto and Toy Workshop.
Book your tickets here.
Brunch with Santa at Llandegfedd Lake
Arriving on his own personal speedboat, you can enjoy brunch with Santa at Llandegfedd Lake, near Newport. After a sumptuous brunch, children will be invited to the café balcony to witness Santa’s speedy arrival. He will then join them in the café to chat to them individually and give them all a gift.
Tickets cost £16.95 for children and £12.95 for adults and the brunch is running every weekend from Saturday, December 3 to Sunday, December 18. You can book your tickets here.
Big Museum Quiz at National Waterfront Museum
For a Christmas quiz with a difference head to the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea. Gather your team and get competitive with rounds of music, photos, general knowledge and mystery museum objects.
There will be prizes and a bar and it costs £6.50 per person. The quiz is taking place on Friday, December 9 and you can book your tickets here.
Carols in the Chapel at St Fagans National Museum of History
Carols is a staple of Christmas and you can enjoy Christmas carols at Pen-rhiw Chapel at St Fagans National Museum of History. There will be traditional tunes and some more contemporary Christmas classics.
The carols are running on Saturday, December 17 and Sunday, December 18 and tickets cost £6. You can book here.
The Nutcracker Brecon Festival Ballet
Brecon Festival Ballet will be performing The Nutcracker at the newly refurbished Theatr Brycheiniog in Brecon. Welsh and British dancers will be performing alongside the Welsh Chamber Orchestra.
The performance will be running on Friday, December 16 to Sunday, December 18 and tickets start at £21.50. You can book your tickets here.
Festive events at The Angel Hotel
The Angel Hotel in Abergavenny is putting on some great Christmas activities this year. There will be afternoon festive tea, visits from Father Christmas with sleigh rides, fondu nights and a Apres Ski Bar.
Located in the courtyard, the Apres Ski pop-up bar has become an essential part of Christmas at The Angel, bringing the ambience of an alpine ski lodge to the heart of Abergavenny. Vin Brulé, wheat beer, sloe gin and authentic Bavarian snacks enhance the Après Ski experience. Kick start the festive season at the Après Ski Bar Opening Party on Saturday, November 26 (ski gear or traditional alpine attire essential). The bar will then be open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout December.
Father Christmas himself will visit The Angel in his horse-drawn sleigh. You can even take a ride on the sleigh. The sleigh rides are taking place on Sunday, December 4, 11 and 18 from 1.30pm to 4pm. The sleigh ride costs £20 per ride for up to six guests.
Santa Experience at Principality Stadium
Santa is coming to the Principality Stadium and for the first time in the stadium’s history, Santa will be taking over the Wales team home changing room for the month of December. After two years the Santa Experience is back at the Principality Stadium and will be running from Friday, December 2 to Christmas Eve.
Tickets are £10 for adults and £12 for under 16s, which includes a free gift from Santa. Or family tickets are available for £40 for two adults and two children. You can book here.
Christmas Willow Wreaths at St Fagans National Museum of History
Using traditional willow weaving techniques you can how to make beautiful, natural Christmas wreaths at St Fagans National Museum of History. The course is running on Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4 and tickets start at £40. You can book your tickets here.
Santa Special steam train at Llangollen Railway
Treat the whole family to a magical journey aboard a vintage steam train travelling through the spectacular Dee Valley to the winter wonderland at ‘Lapland’. The vintage trains, beautifully decorated for Christmas, depart from a festive Llangollen Station and pass alongside the River Dee through stunning countryside to the winter wonderland at ‘Lapland’ at Carrog Station.
Tickets start at £26 and the Santa Specials are running every weekend from Saturday, December 3 until Sunday, December 18. The trains will also run on Wednesday, December 21, Thursday, December 22, Friday December 23 and Christmas Eve.
Believe Christmas grotto
Believe, the enchanted Christmas experience is returning to St David’s shopping centre in Cardiff for 2022. The Christmas grotto launched at St David’s Cardiff for the first time in 2021 and, due to popular demand, is set to make a return this year.
Believe will open daily from Friday, November 25, right up until Christmas Eve. Believe invites guests into a mystical cavern to meet McJingles, one of Santa’s most trusted elves, along with Norbert, his magical reindeer friend. After hearing Norbert’s story, the children will take part in a festive craft activity decorating their own bag of magical reindeer food to take home with them.
Families will then be invited into Santa’s grotto where little ones will meet Santa before receiving a gift, as well as having the opportunity to capture the memorable moment on camera. Tickets for Believe will go on sale at 10am on Friday, September 9.
Tickets cost £6 for children and £13 for adults and you can book your tickets on the St David's shopping centre website.
Christmas at Bute Park
The spectacular light show is returning to Cardiff's Bute Park. Last year the park with lit up with many dazzling light displays and now the stunning trial is back. You can read more about Christmas at Bute Park 2022 here.
You can enjoy the light trail from Thursday, December 1 to Sunday, January 1, 2023. Tickets are on sale now for £19.50 for adults and £13.95 for children aged three to 16. Children under three go free and you can buy your ticket here.
Zipmas
Welsh attraction Zip World, which has sites in north and south Wales, is also gearing up for Christmas. Zipmas will be taking place at their Llechwedd site.
You can venture 500ft underground to the historical caverns to meet Santa in the grotto. Tickets start at £18 for Zipmas and you can book them here.
Cardiff Castle Christmas Festival
Known for hosting the seasonal ice skating at the castle there will be more festive fun at Cardiff Castle this year. The grounds will play host to a specially-made Spiegeltent which will show a Christmas ballet, family musical, comedy cabaret, and burlesque.
Cardiff Castle Christmas Festival will present three shows from Friday, November 25 to Sunday, January 8. You can read more about the Cardiff Castle Christmas Festival here. Tickets start at £19.68 and you can book them here.
Ballet at St David's Hall
Christmas is the perfect time to enjoy some ballet and there is plenty to enjoy at St David's Hall in Cardiff for Christmas 2022. Three separate ballet performances will be performed and shown at the hall including Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. You can read more about the shows here.
Tickets start at £10.25 for under 16s and £20.50 for adults. You can book your tickets here.
Llandudno 5K Santa Dash
If you fancy mixing exercise with Christmas this year you can take part in the Llandudno 5K Santa Dash. The 5km route takes you along the beautiful seafront of Llandudno North Shore. You can walk, jog or run the 5km dressed up as Santa.
The event is taking place on Saturday, December 3, and will cost £16 for adults to enter and £10 for children. You can book your ticket here.
Luminate Wales at Margam Country Park
Another light trail to enjoy is Luminate Wales at Margam Country Park. A mile long the light trail weaves through the stunning, historic gardens of Margam Country Park and Castle.
Luminate Wales will run from Thursday, November 17 to Monday, January 2, and tickets must be booked online and in advance. Tickets start at £11 for children and £15 for adults and you can book them here.
Luminate Wales at National Botanic Garden
Luminate Wales is taking place in two locations this year with a light trail also at the National Botanic Garden in Carmarthenshire. This light trail will also be a mile long and will be open from Thursday, December 1 to Monday, January 2, 2023. Tickets start at £11 for children and £15 for adults and you can book them here.
Cardiff Santa and Elf Dash
Set in the great location of Cardiff Bay is the Cardiff Santa and Elf Dash. Raising money for Calon Heart Screening the money raised will go towards heart screening in Wales, putting defibrillators in Welsh communities, and providing CPR and defibrillator training.
The dash is taking place on Sunday, December 4, and tickets cost £15. You can book your ticket here.
The Royal Mint Christmas Experience
The Royal Mint is hosting its own Christmas experience. At The Royal Mint Christmas Experience, visitors will take a tour of the festive coin factory and all children will meet Santa and have the opportunity to have their photo taken, before leaving with a special gift to take home.
Running from Saturday, November 26 to Saturday, December 24 tickets cost £10 for adults and £15 for children. You can book here.
Elf at Motorpoint Arena
Another show to enjoy this Christmas is Elf at Motorpoint Arena. ELF, the hit Hollywood blockbuster movie has been supersized into a live arena spectacular for this Christmas. There will be a massive stage featuring amazing film backdrops on a huge LED screen plus a mobile stage that travels the auditorium.
The show is running on Tuesday, December 27, and Wednesday, December 28. Tickets start at £25 and you can book your tickets here.
Christmas at Fonmon Castle
Fonmon Castle in Barry is hosting many activities this Christmas. There will be Santa Shows every 30 minutes, meet Mrs Claus, meet The Crazy Elf, Festive Story Trail, live music, 32 acres of festive lights and illuminated gardens, up-close Owl experience, Christmas magicians, and even more.
Tickets start at £10 and those under three go free. The events are running at Fonmon Castle from Saturday, November 26 to Saturday, December 24. You can book here.
Christmas at Tredegar House
There are many events to enjoy at Tredegar House in Newport this Christmas. Activities include a Winter Wander with Percy the Park Keeper, self-led Christmas crafts, a food, and craft market, a magical musical weekend, a production of Scrooge Returns, and Yuletide evening tours.
These events are running through December and you can book your tickets here.
Santa Specials at Gwili Railway
Meeting Santa is a highlight for many children at Christmas and meeting him on a steam train is even more magical. This steam ride at Gwili Railway in Carmarthenshire includes a meet with Santa, present, drink and snack for children, and mince pie and sherry for adults.
Running every weekend in December tickets start at £9.95 for children aged two and under and £22.50 for children aged three and over and for adults. You can book your tickets here.
Santa's Grotto at Folly Farm
Folly Farm is also hosting Christmas activities. For selected weekends during November and December, Santa will be available in his grotto to visit. There’ll be reindeer to see in their new habitat, and a Gingerbread Trail to complete as well.
Santa will be in his grotto at Folly Farm on selected dates in November and December and prices to meet Santa will be confirmed. You can book your tickets to the farm here.
Santa Specials at The Brecon Mountain Railway
Another train you can meet Santa on is the Brecon Mountain Railway. Trains will be running in late November and throughout December and there will be mulled wine and mince pies for the parents and gifts for the children.
Tickets cost £20.75 for adults and £17.75 for children. You can book your tickets here.
Cardiff Winter Wonderland
A must-visit for anyone in or around Cardiff is the Cardiff Winter Wonderland. The much-loved fairground and ice skating will make its way back to the Welsh capital on Tuesday, November 15, and will run until Sunday, January 8.
You can book the ice skating now and prices start at £11.50. Grab your tickets here.
Swansea Waterfront Winterland
Swansea’s Waterfront Winterland will return on Tuesday, November 8 where there will be an ice walk, a rink, food stalls, and the ever-popular Alpine Village with live entertainment. You can book tickets for the ice skating with prices starting at £10 and you can book here.
Royal Welsh Winter Fair
Taking place at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd is the Royal Welsh Winter Fair. There will be food stalls, animals to see and demonstrations to enjoy.
Tickets cost £20 for adults and £5 for children. The Royal Welsh Winter Fair is running from Monday, November 28 to Tuesday, November 29 and you can book your tickets here.
The Lion, The B**ch and The Wardrobe at the Wales Millennium Centre
The Wales Millennium Centre has not announced a specific Christmas show however The Lion, The B**tch and The Wardrobe will be running from Thursday, December 8 to Saturday, December 31. A more adult treat this Christmas you can enjoy this X-rated take on a Christmas classic.
Tickets start at £15 and you can book your tickets here.
Christmas experience at Forage Farm
Forage Farm will be running its Christmas experience on selected dates in December. There will be a Christmas show with a cheeky Christmas elf and the chance to meet Father Christmas.
Tickets cost £10.50 for adults, £12.50 for children, and £2 for children aged under three. You can book your tickets here.
The Big Museum Winter Trail
Running at Amguedddfa Cymru sites across Wales The Big Museum Winter Trail is taking place at National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans National Museum of History, National Waterfront Museum, Big Pit National Coal Museum, National Wool Museum, and National Roman Legion Museum.
On the trail you will find the museum elves to complete the snow friend, which can be used as a decoration for your Christmas tree. The trial costs £1.50 and you can book your tickets here.
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