This November, Christmas at Waddesdon – the much-loved festive extravaganza in Buckinghamshire – returns with magical lights and music, the gardens aglow and more for visitors to enjoy than ever.
Inside the Manor
Built to entertain on a spectacular scale, where better to inspire than Waddesdon Manor? After a two-year break, 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 magnificent setting of the Red Drawing Room, Dining Room and Conservatory sumptuously decorated for the first time as you follow a 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 celebrates an aspect of the house, its history and collections to mark 20 years since the Manor first opened at this time of year.
From famous portraits to beautiful 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 ofwonder. Along the route, a series of light installations reflecting Waddesdon’s outdoor displays—including suspended butterfly lights and a corridor of illuminated clouds—link the indoors and outdoors together and bring a touch of Winter Light magic to the Manor at the most wonderful time of the year.
In the Grounds
Outside, Waddesdon’sspectacular landscape and magnificent trees are brought to life with a kaleidoscope of colour, lights and music as the longest-ever illuminated light trail fills the grounds.
This year’s displays feature mesmerising new light installations alongside some seasonal favourites. As twilight falls, highlights include the spectacle of the Manor’s façade illuminated with dancing lights set to music and the gardens glowing with a cascading field of flames, a tunnel of twinkling stars (the perfect photo opportunity) and colour-changing, interactive stepping stones.
Elsewhere, Daffodil Valley will be transformed with over 5,000 orbs adorning the hillside 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.
At the Stables, visitors will encounter a giant 22 ft Christmas tree composed of over 10,000 colour-changing pixels creating festive imagery. Inside the Coach House Gallery, a new immersive light experience of installations exploring colour, patterns and reflections in light and sound will deliver a captivating sensory experience for all the family.
Christmas Fair
Another 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 80specially chosen 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, chocolate, honey, beer and local chilli oils, jams and chutneys, 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, bespoke 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.
Full details of prices and online booking information, here: www.waddesdon.org.uk/christmas
