Have a cosy Christmas in an English family cottage
Where is the best Christmas holiday destination in England?
Staying in a holiday cottage is a possibility outside of the summer season. In fact, for anyone w
anting a self-catering break during the Christmas period, England provides a wide variety of accommodation.
Why not do something different and take the family away for a Christmas they will remember?
Whether your family is large or small, you can take everyone along and choose the right size of cottage to suit. It can be as rustic or as luxurious as you desire. At the festive time, however, thoughts turn to traditional settings. Imagine sitting in front of a log fire in the bosom of your family, watching snowflakes drifting down against a backdrop of beautiful scenery. Some owners will even get you into the festive spirit by decorating the cottage for you, so it will feel like Christmas straightaway, complete with tinsel!
Different parts of England have different local traditions and events to offer over Christmas and the run up to Christmas. It’s also a good time to browse the shops, tea rooms and food stalls for local produce and gifts with yuletide appeal.
Of course, the Christmas period means streets festooned with sparkling lights. Cornwall is lit up in style, with fabulous displays at Angarrack and also at the fishing port of Mousehole, where floating lights in the harbour add something extra. Penzance is the place for a candlelight procession.
More about family cottages in England
Which festive events would my children enjoy most?
The county of Norfolk offers Christmas candlelight tours of Holkham Hall, a stately home close to Wells-next-the-Sea. The grand decorations are complemented by a guided tour. If you like to hear the best singers perform carols, Oxburgh Hall at Oxborough is the place to be. The Mildenhall Lady’s Choir presents a concert and you can also explore the grounds. Families love special ‘Santa service’ steam trains and the train from Sheringham runs up to and including Christmas Eve. Mince pies and sherry are served to the grown-ups, the kids have their soft drink and biscuit and everyone enjoys meeting Father Christmas at ‘Santaland’ at Weybourne Station.
Bath in Somerset is a wonderful setting and the City of Bath Bach Choir present a Carol by Candlelight concert every year in the famous Pump Room. Bath also offers Bath Christmas Market, with numerous stalls, plus visitors can enjoy the carousel and open-air ice rink. If it’s a pantomime you crave, Bath’s Theatre Royal hosts the annual tradition. For a truly awesome sight, go to Wells Cathedral for candlelight concerts there, where you’ll be greeted by thousands of candles. This cathedral is deservedly considered one of the most beautiful, especially at this time of year.
In the land of Shakespeare, Stratford-upon-Avon relishes its Christmas traditions with lights and markets to browse. However, for something really unusual, you can visit Ebenezer Scrooge’s grotto and have your photograph taken with him!
Your cottage, wherever it is in England, will be a festive home-from-home, providing all the amenities you’ll need whilst you have your festive adventure, surrounded by your loved ones.
