Christmas at Waddesdon Returns for 20th Year
This November, Christmas at Waddesdon – the much-loved festive extravaganza in Buckinghamshire – returns for its 20th year with magical lights and the gardens aglow. For the first time since 2019, the magnificent château is throwing open the doors again and welcoming visitors inside the house to enjoy a new route through the splendidly decorated interiors and beautiful displays.
Inside the Manor
Built to entertain on a spectacular scale, where better to inspire than Waddesdon Manor? After a two-year hiatus, Christmas returns to the house with lavishly decorated rooms offering plenty to delight and surprise visitors of all ages.
Step inside a Waddesdon-inspired wonderland and see the Red Drawing Room, Dining Room and Conservatory sumptuously decorated for the first time at Christmas as you follow a brand-new route through the house.
Traditionally, much of the Manor is ‘put to bed’ for cleaning and conservation over the winter, so the decorated rooms on display this Christmas offer visitors a uniquely different experience of Waddesdon. Each room will be adorned to a theme that celebrates an aspect of the house, its history and collections to mark 20 years since the House first opened at this time of year.
From famous portraits to exquisite porcelain, festive decorations will take inspiration from the Manor’s many treasures, and, in the Dining Room, a newly commissioned peacock sculpture by renowned paper artist Andy Singleton will create an additional sense of wonder. Along the route, a series of light installations inspired by Waddesdon’s outdoor displays – including suspended butterfly lights and a corridor of illuminated clouds – will bring a touch of Winter Light magic to the Manor at the most wonderful time of the year.
In the Grounds
Outside, see Waddesdon’s spectacular landscape and magnificent trees brought to life by a kaleidoscope of colour, lights and music, as the longest-ever illuminated light trail fills the grounds.
This year’s displays feature a host of seasonal favourites alongside several mesmerizing new light installations. As twilight falls, highlights include the spectacle of the Manor’s façade illuminated with dancing lights set to music and the gardens aglow with a cascading field of flames, a tunnel of twinkling stars (the perfect photo opportunity) and colour-changing, interactive stepping stones.
Elsewhere along the trail, Daffodil Valley will be transformed with over 5,000 orbs scattered across the ground to create a glittering blanket of lights which turns into a sea of animation set to music. For keen Instagrammers, a new ‘WADDESDON’ selfie spot – with a huge sign of illuminated letters – is also sure to be a hit. Don’t forget to tag posts with #ChristmasAtWaddesdon.
At the Stables, visitors will encounter a giant conical Christmas tree standing at over 22 feet tall and composed of over 10,000 colour-changing pixels to create festive imagery. Inside the Coach House Gallery, a new interactive light experience of installations exploring colour, shapes, patterns and reflections in light will deliver a captivating sensory experience for all the family.
Christmas Fair
A much-anticipated highlight of the season is Waddesdon’s popular Christmas Fair (12 Nov-18 Dec). Housed in charming wooden chalets decked with over 1,000 meters of festoon lighting, visitors will be able to browse over 80 artisan stalls offering the very finest, and often unique, gifts and decorations. Against the backdrop of the floodlit Manor, it’s a shopping experience not to be missed.
There will also be an exclusive assortment of homeware, food, gifts and world-renowned Rothschild wines to purchase in the Waddesdon gift shops. New for this Christmas, the popular Waddesdon Rothschild Collection range of own-label wines has been redesigned and expanded to include an exemplary English sparkling wine, small batch and limited-edition gins, local chilli oils, jams and chutneys, chocolate, honey and beer, all produced exclusively for Waddesdon.
All profits go towards the upkeep of Waddesdon, a Rothschild House and Gardens.
Food Village
Also new for 2022, a dedicated Food Village (12 Nov-2 Jan) will complement the traditional Christmas Fair, offering visitors a fabulous selection of takeaway food and drink to enjoy whilst exploring the grounds.
For an extra special treat, there will also be Christmas afternoon teas in the Manor Restaurant, fish and chips at the Stables and a delicious assortment of homemade cakes and biscuits, including unbeatable crumble topped mince pies created in-house by Waddesdon’s talented chefs.
Pippa Shirley, Director of Waddesdon, says: ‘Waddesdon is breathtaking at any time of year, but at Christmas it has a particular magic. We are really delighted to be reopening the House again, after a break of two years, and with a new route, and to be extending the Winter Light trail, which brings our extraordinary landscape to life in a completely different way. I really hope that this year there is something to surprise and delight everyone, whether a first-time visitor or one of the many who tell us that their Christmas begins at Waddesdon. It’s a place where memories are made.’
Opening Dates, Times and Tickets
All visits to the grounds and house must be pre-booked online to avoid disappointment, including for National Trust members.
Christmas at Waddesdon
Wednesday-Sunday, 12 November 2022-2 January 2023 (inc. 19, 20, 27 Dec & 2 Jan 2023), 12-7pm
NB: the whole property is closed from 24 to 26 Dec
Decorated rooms in the house
Wednesday-Sunday, 12 November 2022-2 January 2023 (inc. 19, 20, 27 Dec & 2 Jan 2023), 12.30-7pm (last entry 6.30pm)
NB: Advance booking of timed tickets essential for all house visitors, including National Trust members.
Winter Light Trail (in the grounds)
Wednesday-Sunday, 12 November 2022-2 January 2023 (inc. 19, 20, 27 Dec & 2 Jan 2023), 12-7pm (last entry 6pm)
NB: The Winter Light trail will continue in the grounds from 6-22 Jan 2023, Fri to Sun
Christmas Fair
Wednesday-Sunday, 12 November 2022-18 December 2022, 12-7pm (last entry 6pm)
NB: Included with Grounds entry or House & Grounds entry
Food Village
Wednesday-Sunday, 12 November 2022-2 January 2023 (inc. 19, 20, 27 Dec & 2 Jan 2023), 12-7pm (last entry 6pm)
NB: Included with Grounds entry or House & Grounds entry
Prices from: £18.20 Adult, £9.10 Child (Grounds only) | £32.70 Adult, £16.35 Child (House & Grounds)
National Trust member prices from: £5 Adult, £2.50 Child (Grounds only) | £7.50 Adult, £3.75 Child (House & Grounds)
Full details of prices and online booking information, here: www.waddesdon.org.uk/christmas