It doesn’t matter whether you’re travelling with children or not. Christmas in London just wouldn’t be the same without a visit from the big man in red. Santa may not stay in London for very long (he has to fly around the city at quite a speed) but he always finds time to visit some lucky boys and girls in his favorite locations across the city.
If you’ve chosen to holiday rental, using a service such as A Place Like Home – London, then there are a host of services that will bring Santa directly to your front door for a big surprise. But if you’re staying in a hotel, or just visiting the city for the day, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out. Here are some of the very best places you can visit to see Santa in London:
Mix with the Animals at London Zoo
London Zoo is pulling out all of the stops this year, offering a Santa experience that children are unlikely to forget. Visitors both young and old are invited to attend the zoo when the lights are out, long after the animals have been put to bed. At is at this point that the mile-long pathway inside the zoo bursts into light: fairy light animal models, a tunnel of lights to walk through and of course an opportunity to meet Santa and his gang of elves on your adventures. When you reach the end of the tunnel (and the heart of the zoo) you can have a ride (or two) on an old-fashioned vintage-style carousel whilst warming up with a mug of hot chocolate and a roasted chestnut or two.
Harrods Christmas Grotto
One of the most famous and well-established Grotto’s in London is the one in luxury department store Harrods. Families walk through an elaborate winter wonderland as they hunt for Santa who is (predictably) situated in the heart of the grotto sitting on a Golden throne. Children all receive a gift and are given plenty of time with the big man to tell him everything on their Christmas wish list, whilst parents are able to purchase a photograph to remember the experience. The Harrods Christmas Grotto is similar to almost every other department store Christmas grotto, but with an extra touch of magic and glamour that will make it unforgettable.
Note: in order to book tickets to see this most magical and realistic of Santas, you must be a Harrod rewards card member. These cards are free, and it’s easy to sign up online.
The Winter Wonderland Christmas Grotto
Hyde Park’s winter wonderland is a magical festive experience based on a German Christmas Market, but offering so much more. From November to January, a huge corner of Hyde Park is transformed into a Christmas experience unlike any other. You’ll find market stalls, fairground rides, ice skating, shows and circuses and, of course, Santa. All in one location. Meeting Santa here should be incorporated into a wider day out full of fun, leaving you so full of festive fun and good cheer that you’ll wish it could be Christmas every day. Complete your trip with a delicious German bratwurst and book a trip to explore the incredible ice sculpture trial for added Christmas fun.
Santa’s Snowflake Experience
If you’d like to see Santa in a familiar shopping mall environment (and enjoy a little Christmas retail therapy at the same time) then Westfield have the best in the city. Available at both their Westfield and Stratford City shopping centers, this year Westfield are offering a Santa’s Snowflake themed grotto experience.
As families enter the grotto, they are taken on a magical journey to the Snow Factory in the heart of the North Pole. When they arrive, they will find the elves responsible for making the world’s snow supply. The children will then be invited to help the elves by creating their very own snowflakes: they will then be rewarded with an opportunity to meet Father Christmas. Once they’ve discussed their wish list with the man in red, they can pop it in a cannon to Santa, where virtual reality will see it zoom up a tube and emerge as nothing more than a puff of smoke. Fun and whimsical, the experience finishes with a walk through falling snow. It’s the perfect Santa experience for young children.
