Lotherton Hall, Leeds – The Christmas Experience 2024

Here are all the details of the Lotherton Hall Christmas Experience for 2024.  If you scroll down you will see our review and video from a few years ago.

After a sell-out success last year, popular Yorkshire family attraction, Lotherton, has announced that Santa and Mrs Claus will return with even more magic this year!

Lotherton Hall Christmas Experience Review

The most wonderful time of the year has arrived early in Yorkshire, with the announcement that seasonal sensations Santa and Mrs Claus are dusting off their suits and boots to take up residence alongside their mischievous elves at The Christmas Experience at Lotherton and tickets are now on sale. 

From 23 November 2024 to 5 January 2025, the family favourite will twinkle with magic and enchanting snow-filled paths, delighting little ones and big kids alike with its interactive and immersive yuletide wonder and joy. 

Families will make memories to last a lifetime as the historic Hall, just outside of Leeds, is decked in its elegant Edwardian finery, and the grounds enjoy a liberal sprinkle of Christmas cheer for visitors to embark on adventures with fairies, elves and Father Christmas himself in a winter wonderland.

Lotherton Hall Christmas Experience Review

 

Getting set to once again be the best festive day out in Yorkshire, grown ups are encouraged to get their little one’s name on Santa’s list early and secure their slot in his diary, which gets booked up fast every year.

This year promises exceptional value and more magic than ever before, with returning favourites and exciting new additions.

Santa and his most trusted elves will take up residence in a truly magical snow-filled North Pole. Little ones will adventure through the winter wonderland to meet Santa’s helpers in the bustling Elf Emporium, before seeing the main man himself. 

Lotherton Hall Christmas Experience Review

 

Santa will be waiting to greet boys and girls, where he will hear their yuletide wishes and give them a special early Christmas present before the big day. Pre-school children will also have the opportunity to visit Santa in his cosy cabin during the day.

No Christmas would be complete without some mischief with the cheeky elves, who will take up residence once again in the enchanting Elf Village in Lotherton’s stunning grounds. 

Little ones can take part in Christmas crafts and make their Christmas eve plate to leave a treat out for Santa and his reindeer on Christmas Eve, or be enthralled by a magic show in the Yuletide Yurts while grown ups enjoy a festive tipple or two. New for this year is the cosy fire pit, where visitors can toast marshmallows and warm up frostbitten fingers after their adventures as the season’s magic fills the air.

And family favourite Mrs Claus will be keeping an eye on those cheeky elves as she welcomes children for storytelling and keepsake crafts in the Elf Village for the first time ever this year. The first lady of the festive season will regale tiny tots and big kids with delightful tales about life at the North pole, managing those mischievous elves, and caring for Santa’s reindeer. Little ones will also create their very own festive keepsake to take home. 

Visitors can catch a glimpse of Christmas past in the Hall, being transported back in time to explore the lives of the Gascogine family from the late 1700’s and marvel at the festive finery of an Edwardian Christmas. 

Venturing outside, festive revellers will quite literally step into Christmas on the mesmerising woodland walk around the Estate’s stunning grounds. Exploring the winding paths filled with twinkling lights and playful larger than life installations of Christmas traditions past and present; families will celebrate pulling a giant cracker, searching for the golden nugget in the Christmas pudding, and playing hide and seek amongst towering presents! Tread carefully and they may even hear the fairies giggling and whispering in the enchanted festive Fairy Dell. 

The Christmas Experience will open on 23 November 2024 and is run by Lotherton and Breeze. There are a number of visit options available, including after school sessions and the chance for pre-school children to visit Santa in his cosy cabin during the day. 

Tickets are available now from just £6.75, early booking is essential as spaces are limited and strictly on a pre-booking only, time-slotted system.

Fly to www.thechristmasexperience.co.uk faster than the reindeer do on Christmas Eve to find out more and book a magical adventure this Christmas.

 

Lotherton Hall Christmas Experience Review

 

When we visited Lotherton Hall Christmas Experience we loved it!  It reminded us rather of Lapland UK but of course, being in Yorkshire it was a fraction of the cost!  The activities are payable separately, so you can then choose whether you would like to ice skate too or see Santa. 

 

 

The house and gardens are beautifully decorated with lots and lots of Christmas trees and thousands of lights!  

 

Lotherton Hall The Christmas Experience Leeds

 

We had a quick wander around the house as we were only there for the evening and we wanted to try all the outside delights.

 

Lotherton Hall The Christmas Experience Leeds Lotherton Hall The Christmas Experience Leeds

 

Lotherton Hall The Christmas Experience, Leeds

 

Lotherton Hall The Christmas Experience Leeds

 

Next we headed to The Elf Village where there are market stalls around a central seating area with tables.  It’s beautifully lit with fairy lights as you can see.

 

The Elf Village at Lotherton

 

There are food and drink stalls here so you can have a relax and something to eat.  I’ve taken a photo so you can see what is available and what the prices are like.

 

Food Prices at Lotherton Christmas Experience

 

There were also crafts for the children to do here and face painting (you will need to pay extra for these).  Then there were lots of stalls selling Christmas decorations and homewares like these cushions.  The stallholders were very friendly and I promised to include their photos!

 

 

Just beyond the Elf Village you will find the brand new Ice Skating Rink.  It has lovely lights around it and you can stand watching the skaters.  There are penguins to hire for the less able skaters.

 

Ice skating rink at Lotherton

 

After our skating the kids were hungry and we were in need of a drink so we headed back to the cafe.  There is lots of inside seating as well as lovely outside seating complete with tealights and cosy blankets.  

 

 

It’s always nice to have a nosy at what is available and prices ahead of time, so here that is.

 

Lotherton Cafe Menu

 

After our pit stop it was time to visit Santa in his North Pole workshop.  You approach through this lovely wintry wonderland (top tip, hang back if you want a photo alone here, or take advantage later on while waiting to see Santa himself, head back slightly for the best photos!).

 

Santa's North Pole Workshop

 

Your first adventure in the North Pole is a lovely immersive workshop where the children make a personalised ‘Santa Stop Here’ plaque that they then get to take home.

 

Santa's North Pole Workshop

 

After this they are taken to write their Christmas wishes before meeting Santa.  While we were waiting we coaxed this cheeky elf into having their photo taken with us!

 

 

Then it was time to visit Father Christmas himself! I must say I do get to see Santa a lot and he was really on very good form at Lotherton.  You can see how smiley and engaged the girls are!

 

Father Christmas at Lotherton

 

He chatted to them and made them laugh before inviting us all in for a photo, and finally giving them (a very good) gift each!  The girls were thrilled!  (Here is another great photo opp – get them to stand with their present before you leave).

 

 

As we were heading away from the North Pole and outside the cafe, there is a snow blower that gave the girls some fabulous entertainment!

 

 

A perfect photo would have been completely in front of the lovely snowy scene, but they were far too excited to help me out with a perfect photo at this point!  Hopefully you will have better luck with your children!  

There are lots of other things at Lotherton that we just didn’t have time for, like the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ woodland, the Enchanted Fairy Dell, the Edwardian Selfie Studio and weekend events of family magic shows. There is plenty for a fabulous family Christmas day out.  Take your camera and have a lovely time!

 

We were invited to attend the press night opening of Lotherton Christmas Experience.  As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

 

Also have a look at our big round up of Ice Skating and Christmas events in Yorkshire.   We also have a round up of Christmas events in Manchester and Cheshire if you are in West Yorkshire.

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