Tag Archives: Christmas

Carols by Candlelight at the Pump Room in Bath

Posted on by
Reply

The festive season is now upon us, with some great seasonal performances taking place in the city of Bath. If you are planning a visit to the city during December, you might like to choose from a range of beautiful Bath Hotels for a relaxing break with your family.

To get you in the festive spirit, why not get along to the Carols by Candlelight concert at the Pump Room in the city centre. The Carols by Candlelight concert will be performed by the City of Bath Bach Choir on the 14th, 15th and 16th December. Continue reading →

A Christmas Cottage by the Sea

Posted on by
Reply

christmas by the sea

If you have decided that this year you want to do something a little different for Christmas then who could blame you? Many people often find the idea of Christmas at home more stress than it should be and can quite easily suffer cabin fever a few days into the festive break. With relatives popping over and a constant stream of other guests that you are catering for it’s no wonder more and more people think that getting away this Christmas could be just the answer.

What could be better than looking at Cornwall Holiday Cottages to stay in where this Christmas you and your family could blow the cobwebs away with strolls along the beach, warm your cockles by an open fire and play traditional Christmas games that hark back to the good old days?

Of course it’s not just Cornwall that can offer these treats; there are plenty of fantastic holiday cottages in Devon to choose from and if you are travelling from London or the midlands, Devon offers somewhere a bit closer for all the family.

Rugged coastlines, quaint little villages and character cottages could be just want you need this Christmas and if there is a sprinkling of snow then you could find you and your family in a magical winter wonderland. Leave your relatives to their own devices and catch up with them when you are back. You could even consider booking your family into one of the many fabulous pubs in Cornwall or Devon for Christmas lunch so all that is on your agenda is present opening, eating and relaxing.

Sounds like the perfect Christmas if you ask me.

Christmas in Yorkshire

Posted on by
Reply

christmas in yorkshire

The idea of enjoying a Christmas getaway is becoming more and more popular for many people. One popular destination for people to enjoy there Christmas break is Yorkshire. The area is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in all of England and even if the depth of winter the place still has a magical charm about it.

To accommodate this rising trend many fine Scarborough Hotels have begun offering special festive breaks with special Christmas touches such as mince pies on arrival, carols, mulled wine, fabulous food, Christmas entertainment and even a visit from a husky dog sled team.

Christmas can be a hectic and stressful time of year so what better way to escape this than take a break in the country. Taking a few days out from shopping and decorating can be the ideal way to really start feeling that Christmas spirit.

Christmas can really be the most wonderful time of the year thanks to the decorations, lights, music and festivities. Unfortunately not all of us get time to really appreciate this magical time of year which is why taking a festive break is such a good idea. It will allow you time to relax and enjoy all that the festive period has to offer. There are many great festive events throughout Yorkshire this Christmas to indulge in including Christmas Markets, carol services, winter festivals, Dickensian festivals, concerts, pantomimes and if you really cant resist then there is plenty of great shopping to be had too.

Christmas in Cornwall

Posted on by
Reply

Is it that time already? Christmas decorations are appearing in shops. Christmas adverts are just about starting to creep onto the television. You’re starting to think about saving some money so you can buy presents, even if you’re not actually thinking about specific gifts yet. If you’re really unlucky you might have even heard somebody whistling a Christmas song.

So, that probably means it’s time to think about booking your cottage holidays before they’re all snatched up and you’re left celebrating Christmas in a wooden hovel on the side of a motorway. Cornwall is a great destination for a Christmas holiday, known as it is for its reindeer and sleigh rides.

Ok, so it’s not known for either of those things, but you might be able to get a mince pasty at least. Besides, if you stay in Mousehole holiday cottages you’ll get to see the incredible display of harbour lights switching on each night to celebrate the coming festivities. You’ll also find that plenty of local pubs are full of people in good spirit, and finding a warming glass of mulled wine shouldn’t be hard either.

Staying by the sea in winter also lets you watch the winter waves crashing against the shore. You can get some massive ones when the wind picks up, and your children will love walking along the harbour wall and having the sea spray rain down over them, just be sure to keep an eye on them and make sure they don’t get washed away, as that would ruin your Christmas.

Torbay Autumn/Winter Events

Posted on by
Reply

christmas lights

While the summer season may be over for this year there are still plenty of great attractions and events to be had along the South Devon coast for those enjoying a South Devon break.

Cockington Apple Day – 17/10/10

Take part in a great family day out where you will find great local food and crafts as well as apple pressing displays, music and entertainment will be provided from Britain’s Got Talent Semi Finalist Cool Hand Luke.

Torbay Festival of Poetry – 28/10/10 to 01/11/10

The 10th Torbay Festival of Poetry invites you to enjoy a weekend of wonderful poetry in equally wonderful surroundings.

Torquay Christmas Carnival – 20/11/10

Begin the run up to the festive period in style with the famous Torquay Christmas Carnival. The carnival will work its way through the town centre with the beautiful Christmas lights being switched on as the amazing floats pass by and finish at the harbour side. Father Christmas will also be paying a visit to the parade and will have his own special grotto.

Brixham Christmas Market – 27/11/10 to 28/11/10

The wonderful Brixham Christmas Market is held in the heart of Brixham and features covered stalls selling a whole host of gifts and some truly scrumptious food.

Santa by Steam – 04/12/10 to 05/12/10, 11/12/10 to 12/12/10 & 18/12/10 to 23/12/10

Meet Santa aboard his very special grotto train. Children will be given gifts while the adults get to enjoy mince pies and mulled wine.

Winter Wonderland Snow Spectacular – 04/12/10 to 03/01/11

The Babbacombe Model Village is transformed into a magical winter in miniature wonderland.

Christmas in Wonderful Scotland

Posted on by
Reply

Christmas is a wonderful time of the year for people of every age and each year many people celebrate this special time in a different setting to enhance the season’s magic.

Many people head to Scotland to take advantage of its natural beauty and unique charm, with so many scenic locations to choose from it can be very hard to find your special Christmas place. You can choose anything from quaint Argyll Cottages to busy city centre breaks or anything in-between on a Self Catering Scotland Christmas Holiday.

Christmas has only been celebrated in Scotland again since the 1940′s; the festival was banned for over 400 years and was not classed as a public holiday. Scottish people have always made their main celebration of the Year ‘Hogmanay’, this festival is celebrated on the last day of the year and normally lasts several days, this is one of the reasons that Scotland has a  public holiday on the 2nd of January.

In keeping with Scotland’s rich heritage it is a custom to sing the song ‘Auld Lang Syne’ during the Hogmanay celebrations in particularly as the clock strikes midnight on New Years Eve. The poem which was reinterpreted by the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns is often sang by people with their arms linked and has become very popular around the world as a way of welcoming in the new year.

Christmas is one of the greatest times for experiencing wonderful food and in Scotland there are plenty of traditional treats for all ages. Bannock cakes are very popular at Christmas and are made from oatmeal and are just some of the wonderful food available from this magical country.

Derbyshire’s Christmas Playground

Posted on by
Reply

Andrew Frost leaning on one of the penguins he carved.Derby Market place has been invaded by wooden sculptures for the festive period. Huge penguins, soldiers, cars, a train, a plane, even a bear. But these aren’t warriors from a strange dimension where people are made of wood, nor are they fiendish barbarians who attacked the city and were cursed to remain as statues by a wizard. No, these wooden sculptures are the boring kind of wooden sculpture, the sort that was hewn from wood by somebody’s hands to create four foot tall penguins for Christmas. And to think you thought you’d have to have a Peak District holiday to see wood near Derby.

Wait! That’s not boring at all! That’s actually a little bit awesome!

Andrew Frost, a sculptor, has designed and created the statues for around £60,000, a lot of which came from grants and donations. The idea was to liven up Derby’s market and give children something to do whilst their parents are Christmas shopping, and it seems to have been a huge success, with children clambering all over these works of art with their dirty hands and feet.

Each statue represents one of the partners involved in their building, and so the penguins represent Derby university, the plane represents Rolls-Royce, the car Toyota, the bear Royal Crown Derby, the soldier Derby City Council, and the train Bombardier.

If you fancy spending the festive period in Derby and taking in the fine woodworks, then why not consider a holiday cottage in Derbyshire.

And we all hope you’re all looking forward to tomorrow.

Dreaming of a Wight Christmas

Posted on by
Reply

Independent weather analyst Positive Weather Solutions have doubled its predictions of a white Christmas on the South Coast this year, which is good news for anybody planning on spending the festive season in an Isle of Wight hotel.

As a cold spell seems to be about to hit Britain, possibly lasting for the next three weeks, the MET office is being badgered to predict whether there’ll be a white Christmas or not, but they’re keeping schtum. That hasn’t bothered independent analysts though, who are giving a 59% chance of a White Christmas in Scotland and North-East England, 55% on the East Coast, 32% in the rest of the North, Mid-Wales and the Midlands, 10% in the South West and 18% on the South Coast, which includes the Isle of Wight.

Whilst 18% might not seem a lot, it’s a lot higher than it has been for years, and we British are known for our cheery-faced optimism!

Whether it snows on Christmas Day or not, it’s still likely that the island will receive a coating of white at some point in the next month, making for a magical winter wonderland to enjoy with a holiday on the Isle of Wight.

Top Attractions to visit in Devon according to the Daily Telegraph

Posted on by
Reply

If staying in a Holiday Park Devon is something you are still in two minds about then maybe this little fact will help you along the way: Devon achieved in getting 3 listings included in the Daily Telegraphs ’50 Great Days Out in the UK’ this year along with other top leading attractions in the UK like Alton Towers in Staffordshire, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Lancashire, Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland and Beaulieu Motor Museum, Hampshire. The list which is drawn up each year is a great resource for families choosing where to go on holiday and will certainly help anyone staying in a Torquay Caravan Park or hotel for their holiday to plan their days out:

1. Castle Drogo, was the last castle built in the UK, by the late great Sir Edwin Lutyens. The fortress-style home overlooks Dartmoor and Teign Gorge. The Gardens were designed by Gertrude Jekyll, there are children’s play areas, family trails and special events organized in school holidays.

2. Paignton Zoo was opened in the twenties by an eccentric millionaire and now covers 80 acres of ground which contain everything from crocodile swamps to savannah habitats, forests, wetlands and botanic gardens.

3. National Marine Aquarium, will take you on a journey exploring life in estuaries, shallow seas and deep reefs. Sharks, Sea Horses, turtles and colourful exotic fish can be seen but the centerpiece of the aquarium is the Atlantic Reef where you get to see Bass, Whiting and Pollock through vast picture windows.

If the above list doesn’t persuade you that a Caravan Park Devon is a great choice for your next family holiday or even your Christmas family holiday then maybe the idea of meeting Santa on the Express Train will!