christmas events 2025
Christmas events 2025
Photo Darren Robinson

Christmas events 2025 for families at The Story Museum in Oxford on Pembroke Street families this Christmas with A Present for Jack, a joyful new musical from Little Seeds Music. Young Jack searches for the perfect song for his dad and shares favourite tales filled with giants, beanstalks and bold adventures. Children sing along, enjoy live music and dive into magical storytelling throughout the show.

How the Story Museum grows stories

The museum also launches its seasonal Magic Bean Appeal to support Spellbound Schools, a creative literacy programme for Oxfordshire pupils. The appeal aims to raise £10,000 and Great Communication doubles every donation. Families who watch A Present for Jack can take home Magic Beans for a £5 donation. Supporters also help the appeal online through Make A Donation | Support Us | The Story Museum.

Christmas events 2025 family fun at Westgate Oxford with character visits, choirs, and more

Meet favourite characters for free this Christmas, including Pingu, The Grinch, The Snowman™ & The Snowdog, and more 6th – 21st December in Leiden Square, and guests must book free tickets in advance to secure admittance. To receive ticket i sign up to PLUS+ for free at https://www.westgateoxford.co.uk/en/plus.

Families can also enjoy Westgate Oxford’s new Alice in Wonderland-themed trail, Hatter’s Hunt, produced by The Story Museum. https://westgateoxford.co.uk


Panto Online film trilogy Christmas events 2025

Christmas events 2025Peter Duncan’s return of Panto Online’s CinderellaJack and the Beanstalk and Pantoland – all in time for Christmas and this year’s panto season.
Panto Online began during the pandemic, when Peter created his own online pantomime for audiences across the world to watch on screens, big and small. The result was a magical combination of theatre and film streamed into homes, schools and care homes – and even a national cinema release. Panto Online has since gone from strength to strength, with a growing number of audiences enjoying the online festive theatrical treat each year.
A family ticket for all three pantomimes is just £15 (this covers friends and families watching them together and they can be viewed multiple times). There are also great video packages available for schools, community groups and care homes. An activity pack is available for schools with themes around the primary core curricula including drama and dance workshops. Book online at pantoonline.co.uk.
Family ticket: £10; Family ticket – all 3 shows: £15.  Schools: £200; School ticket – all shows: £250. Groups: £75; Group ticket – all shows: £100

christmas events 2025The Fujifilm House of Photography Santa’s Grotto (Covent Garden, London)

  • Overview: Step through a magical post-box portal and be transported straight to the North Pole! Kids can enjoy craft workshops, festive games, photo moments, and of course, a meet-and-greet with Santa himself.
  • Location:  8–9 Long Acre, London WC2E 9LH
  • Price: £30 per child (includes two accompanying adults free)

The Fujifilm Christmas Grotto at Primark Birmingham High Street

  • Overview: New for this year, families in Birmingham can enjoy a cosy and charming Santa meet-and-greet, with gifting moments, festive décor, and professional photo opportunities to capture the magic.
  • Location: PHOTO by FUJIFILM, Primark Birmingham High Street, 38 High Street, Birmingham B4 7SL
  • Price: £17.99 per child (includes two accompanying adults free)

 Morning Santa Steam Express

Saturday 20 December 2025.  Departs: London Victoria at 9:15am *Christmas events 2025

Step aboard for a magical 90-minute steam-hauled journey to meet Santa, enjoy festive entertainment for all the family, and soak up the seasonal spirit on our beautifully decorated train.The Santa Steam Express features an interactive travelling theatre that brings the spirit of Christmas to life as you embark on a circular journey through the capital.Meet Santa, sing along with his cheeky elves, and enjoy festive stories and entertainment from the North Pole.Every child travelling will receive a traditional gift, activity sheet, snack, and a drink during the journey. And we haven’t forgotten the grown-ups – they’ll enjoy freshly brewed tea or coffee and a festive mince pie.This trip is suitable for all ages and guaranteed to create magical memories – perhaps even a new festive family tradition.


St. Pancras International has officially unveiled its much-loved Christmas Tree 2025

Christmas events 2025Features of the tree:
  • Musical Moment: Take a break from the bustle of the station and immerse yourself in the soothing music played from the seating area in the base of the Music Box.
  • Accessible: Braille on the music box key and by the buttons to activate music will help to make the tree more accessible to the visually impaired.
  • Ornamental Clockwork Winder: A festive photo opportunity, perfect for families and friends to capture memories.
  • Dream Windows: A ballerina will magically guide the children’s dreams on their journey, through the ‘dream machine’ to transform into baubles adorning the tree.
  • Fundraising: Donation mechanics will be available at the base of the tree, and visitors can discover more about the incredible work of GOSH and how your support can help make Christmas feel like Christmas for children and their families at the hospital.

By Fergus McCarthy

Fergus McCarthy is a seasoned publishing professional with over three decades of experience in the media industry. In 1993, he co-founded Parents News, a pioneering publication aimed at providing busy parents in Southwest London with essential information on education, entertainment, sports, and family-friendly activities. Under his leadership, Parents News quickly expanded its reach from 60,000 to 192,000 monthly printed copies, establishing additional branches in Kent, South London, Northern Ireland, and Cornwall. In 1997, recognizing the potential of digital media, Fergus helped launch Parents News UK Online, which carried digital editions of the printed publication and offered a broader range of national information. The website's popularity soared, attracting up to 700 daily hits at its peak. Although Parents News transitioned to an online-only platform in 2017, Fergus continues to play a vital role as Publisher and Advertising Manager, focusing on providing value to businesses through effective advertorials.