It’s now officially unavoidable – Christmas is on its way. It’s useless to resist the tidal wave of tinsel and crescendo of Christmas music, so this weekend, many parents will be taking the kids to meet the Big Man himself, Santa Claus.
Christmas traditions and fashions may come and go, but one that seems to stay firm is Santa’s Grotto. From gardening stores to castles, shopping centres to museums, Santa somehow manages to be in thousands of places at once, ready to greet young children with a cheery smile and a small present. And there’s a very good reason for it too, as every business owner knows – Santa grottos are a great way to attract customers.
In turn, that means there is a lot of choice for Santa-seeking parents. Most will only go to see one Santa. So, if you want to attract children to your Santa’s grotto, you might need to offer more than a long queue and a short sit on Santa’s knee.
And if you want to take the kids to see Santa somewhere unusual, here are some of our top pick Father Christmas locations around the UK.
• Lincoln Castle
• Castle Ward, Downpatrick, Northern Ireland
• Dean Castle Country Park, Kilmarnock
• Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Halifax
• Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre, Wareham
• East Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh
• Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, Edinburgh
• Fountains Abbey, Ripon
• Santa Express, Strathspey Steam Railway, Aviemore
• Nostell Priory, Wakefield
• Mid Hants Railway Watercress Line Santa Specials, Alresford
• Kingdom of the Elves, Bluestone National Park, Narberth, Wales
• Santa Claus Tour, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
