This could be your worst nightmare or… no, just a nightmare.
Busy =loads of people, buggies, drunks and couples with their PDAs.
Overpriced food and drink that’s not even the best you could get.
It is likely cold and miserable weather and dark as well, though the twinkle lights make it more tolerable
Despite all that, I love them. However, the shops are sometimes the same three on repeat, which can be tedious, so here are my favourites or the most known ones in the UK.
Manchester
I went on the opening weekend in November, and it was packed. I did go on a Saturday evening, so that’s on me. It’s enormous but spread across multiple city areas, so it’s sometimes a trek, but it's worth it. They do not have the same shops repeated in a pattern. There’s entertainment from acoustic music to Samba. It truly represents the multicultural nature of the city. It also has a range of food for cookie cup hot chocolate that has gone viral, from scrambled pancakes to classic pies. Though it is expensive, that’s a common trend. This had a lot and could be a full-day event. Though I would recommend not going on a peak day as you wouldn’t be able to move around quickly if you and the kids don’t go, it will be more stressful than fun for them, especially on Market Street where all the shops are.
Birmingham
This one is the lowest for me, it’s small, but the only benefit is it’s all on the same road, so there's not much walking, unlike in Manchester. However, there’s not much to walk around, and there’s not much range of food and gift shops. If you're looking for those tacky, personalised Christmas decorations, there are loads of bratwurst. Other than that, you're stuffed. I have been myself, and so has my mum, and we both agree it’s not worth it. You have to be in good company and have a few drinks.
Winter Wonderland
Now, this used to be accessible to enter, but COVID again put a spanner in that, and it’s £5 to enter depending on when you're going; then ice skating for students is £16:50 ish, though it’s overpriced for me; it’s traditional with my friend spanning years. We go to Covent Garden to All Bar One to get a table, though we never book. Then we get cocktail tinnings from Tesco’s Express. We then go to Winter Wonderland. We might go on a ride with no point with the game unless you have loads of money to spare. It's not worth it. They have a lot of food places throughout the whole park, and you can orient yourself based on the rides. They have live music. The shops are hit or miss. They have the same shops on repeat, like the naff personalised Christmas decorations, but they also have some independent business-type ones and a whole building for sweeties. It truly has it all, but you better have started saving from January for this experience. It’s Spenny. I once got a fake cuff for my ear to scare my mum, saying I got it pierced years later. I did get it done officially.
Waddesdon Manor
This might be a rogue one for most unless from the area. But this is a beautiful manor if you have seen the Cinderella film with Camilla Cabello it’s the castle you see from the outside. It is a grand Georgian-looking house. They decorate the inside of the house with a theme, and you can tour it with all its Christmas decorations. If you want the market, it’s perfect. It has two long lines going down the drive, with wooden cabins selling various things. All the shops are independent, so you're unlikely to find more than two selling the same thing. It is perfect for getting into the festive mood and buying unique gifts for family members. They have a food section and a restaurant, which you can book in advance. There’s a light trail through the trees next to the driveway, and illumination shows on the front of the house when the sun goes down. This is perfect for children and dogs as it’s an open space. However, it does get cold, so remember to wrap it up warm, and it shuts earlier than others on the list. But it has it all. You would need a great range of food and gifts, and they have a shop with decorations and a vast collection of wines.
Now, if you're going to Covent Garden for beautiful decorations and some shopping, pop over to Leicester Square, where there’s a mini Christmas market with food, drink and personalised Christmas decorations. I hope you see the theme. Though I would not plan a trip to the big smoke to go there, it's nice if you're going to the M&M world of Covent Garden, a jump skip away with a beautiful market and light display. My one recommendation if going to Covent Garden is to go to Leicester Square tube station as it has steps or lifts, so it gets busy and is not the most accessible. Plus, if you go to Leicester Square, you can shop in places like Arket and other shops.
There are many others around the UK nearer to where you are from. These are just the ones I have been to on many occasions and know pretty well. But leave any recommendations below for others and your genuine opinion to help others choose their festive fun.
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