Is it too early to mention the C word – because this is what Waddesdon Manor are planning this year

Once upon a time… four words which herald the start of many a magical adventure, and there is no more magical place than at Waddesdon Manor at Christmas.

This festive season (22 November 2023 - 1 January 2024) Christmas at Waddesdon aims to transport you to a festive wonderland as classic British tales come to life inside the house whilst dazzling new light displays enchant outside.

See the fairytale château transformed with imaginative decorations inside and a specially commissioned digital projection on the Manor façade inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, CS Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and JM Barrie’s Peter Pan.

Inside the house, journey through the pages of these cherished British tales, reimagined in some of the Manor's grandest rooms, including the sumptuous Bachelors’ Wing for the first time since 2019.

A house highlight is sure to be the intricate sculptures created by paper artist Nathan Ward at large scale exclusively for Waddesdon, with creations including a Queen of Hearts in the Breakfast Room and a Peter Pan-themed tableau in the Bachelor’s Wing.

Outside, the Manor’s façade will come to life with a specially commissioned digital projection by renowned designer Jamie Shiels, whose back catalogue includes projects at Buckingham Palace, Eurovision, the 2012 London Olympics and The Fashion Awards.

The spectacular gardens will also be lit with a kaleidoscope of colour and illumination in a new light trail, in partnership with light art pioneers Luminism. As music fills the air, walk under a canopy of trees filled with thousands of orbs and see giant, colour-changing dandelions and other light sculptures. On the Parterre, shooting stars made from tens of thousands of twinkling LED lights are not to be missed.

With more interactive elements than ever, youngsters will love choosing the colour of the architectural lighting through interactive tap boxes, turning the whole Manor whatever shade they choose.

Contemporary artworks are interwoven with the festive displays. Joana Vasconcelos’s Pavillon de Thé, a five-metre-tall wrought-iron teapot, newly arrived at the Manor, will be illuminated in playful homage to the Mad Hatter’s tea party. The trail also includes another specially commissioned piece of light art by Robert Fung, who was chosen to create work for the prestigious 2019 Burning Man festival in California.

If you work up an appetite, or need some gifts for family and friends, the Christmas Fair is open 22 November – 17 December and the Food Village can be enjoyed until 1 January. You can also enjoy a special festive afternoon tea in the Manor Restaurant.

Waddesdon director Pippa Shirley said: “Waddesdon is breathtaking in any season, but at Christmas, it has a particular magic.

"This year, we have something truly special as the Manor is transformed into an immersive work of art as a unique, specially commissioned projection blends storytelling with the place and its collections brought to life through animation, colour and sound.”

Christmas at Waddesdon

Wednesday–Sunday, 22 November 2023 – 1 January 2024 (inc.1 Jan 2024), noon – 7pm (last entry 6pm).

Advance booking is essential for all visitors, including National Trust members.

Full details of prices and online booking information can be found here