4 great festive events to enjoy this December

Explore Christmases past, take a spin on the ice, encounter a Snow Queen – here’s our pick of four sparkling events to enjoy this month Photo: Owen Harvey

Get your skates on

Somerset House in London has once again turned its Neoclassical courtyard into a skating extravaganza. Don your skates, or just enjoy the sights and atmosphere, while also taking in some art in the galleries on your visit. There are DJ takeovers at ‘Skate Late’ sessions and delicious treats from Hotel Chocolat; or how about a glass of champagne from Moët & Chandon and a Swiss-inspired menu as part of a pop-up dining experience? There is even a Skate School for eager students, arranged in collaboration with the National Ice Skating Association. 

Skate tickets are available until 15 January 2023; somersethouse.org.uk

Photo: Jim Holden © RBG Kew

Enjoy the lights

Our high streets are now ribboned with festive lights. We’re loving, too, the promise of spectacular illuminated trails at venues from Edinburgh to Weymouth; check out local sites for something close to you. One such is at Wakehurst, on the High Weald of West Sussex, where you’ll find Glow Wild – a stunning nature-focused winter trail. Visitors are invited to select a lantern and encounter all manner of wonderful light displays revealing the stories of plants, insects and animals. These include the UK’s tallest living Christmas tree (at 37m), an incredible bioluminescent plant display in the Black Pond (designed by artist Malgorzata Lisiecka) and a tunnel installation filled with a tapestry of moss and lichen, lit by 300 flaming torches.

Tickets available until 1 January 2023; kew.org/wakehurst

Photo: Richard Haughton for Sony Music

Enter the realm of the Snow Queen

Here’s an event for all ages – a new magical winter wonderland created at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. Previously out-of-bounds palace rooms have been opened and turned into secret realms of the Snow Queen. Expect shimmering crystals and more than a touch of magic in the Land of Snowflakes and the Kingdom of Ice. Then head outside to enjoy gardens filled with over a million twinkling lights. There will also be a winter market featuring a whole host of street vendors offering delicious seasonal fare. You may even spot some reindeer…

Christmas at Blenheim Palace, until 2 January 2023; blenheimpalace.com

Photo courtesy of Nutkhut

Discover Christmas past and present 

The Museum of the Home has restyled its ‘Rooms Through Time’ gallery, to celebrate the ways the festive period has been celebrated throughout history. Check out a sumptuous 17th-century feast, a Victorian living room brimming with handcrafted gifts, or a tinsel-covered 1970s affair. For even more fun, the museum’s Winter Festival features three new light installations, including a section of Chila Kumari Singh Burman’s enormously popular 2021 Tate Britain illuminations(for more, see our interview with the artist at tinyurl.com/mr47rwnb). See, too, award-winning lighting designer Jessica Hung Han Yun’s Winter Melon, which celebrates East Asian night markets, and the beautiful Lotus Flower by Nutkhut, in honour of Diwali. 

Winter Festival at the Museum of the Home, until 28 January 2023; museumofthehome.org.uk

For more art and culture events to note, see The Arts Society Magazine, available exclusively to members and supporters of The Arts Society (to join, see theartssociety.org/member-benefits). And for our online monthly ‘4 brilliant things to do this month’ sign up at theartssociety.org/signup

About the author

Holly Black is an arts and culture writer