Before you hang up your stockings and baste the turkey, there’s more festive fun to enjoy than you can shake your tinsel at!
Select your local area to find things to do where you are:
Ho ho go Christmas
Round & About
Ho ho go Christmas
Round & About
Before you hang up your stockings and baste the turkey, there’s more festive fun to enjoy than you can shake your tinsel at!
Festive fun is firmly on the menu for all this month and next, so stop wrapping and start carolling!
Hampshire
Family fun
This Christmas, Mottisfont sets the stage for a festive pantomine twist on the classic tale of Cinderella as the house is transformed with a splash of seasonal sparkle. Step into the world of glittering ballgowns, lost slippers and larger-than-life characters. Nov 22nd-Jan 4th. Younger visitors can follow the family-friendly Cinders’ Magical Adventure trail.
Step into a gingerbread Christmas at the historic Winchester Mill, brimming with the delights of Christmas and strings of gingerbread characters, complete with green garlands, shiny baubles and stack of presents. See if you can spot some familiar friends between the branches! Nov 20th-Jan 4th.
Hinton Ampner also invites you into a world of pantos with twinkling fairylights shimmering their magic across the house. Bask in the glow of Aladdin’s lamp, see Jack’s magic beans and a glittering Cinderella slipper, discover Snow White’s forest feast and marvel at a quilted mountain of mattresses made ready for a sleepy princess. Nov 15th-Jan 4th. Booking essential, visit nationaltrust.org.uk & search for Hinton Ampner. Hop aboard the Christmas sleigh for the perfect photo op and pop into Santa’s sweetshop for traditional treats.
Explore The Vyne’s gardens and the ground floor of the house in a Christmas fairytale, Nov 22nd-Jan 5th. Sparkling trees laden with baubles will illuminate fairy tale inspired displays. Discover the realm of The Snow Queen, keep your eyes peeled for Little Red Riding Hood’s wolf lurking and elegant tea cups, teapots and clocks adorning the tree in a nod to Beauty and the Beast. Find Rapunzel’s golden braid cascading from one of The Vyne’s towers. Join Goldilocks and the Three Bears as they try to work out which bowl and chair is whose. Spot The Ugly Duckling transformed into a proud swan in the second-hand bookshop.
Explore a traditional Christmas at Uppark near Petersfield, Dec 7th-24th, and feel the thrill of glitz and glamour upstairs in the house where you’re welcomed with twinkling Christmas trees. Whilst downstairs is all about the hustle and bustle of preparations for the Christmas party with presents are stacked in heaps around the tree.
Step into a Christmas Enchantment on a midwinter journey through Petworth House drawing on the park and gardens taking inspiration from the Winter Solstice and the surrounding nature. As part of Christmas Enchantment, Brambley Hedge inspired by Jill Barklem’s Winter Story and The Secret Staircase, is coming to Petworth House with cosy scenes all around, Nov 29th-Jan 4th.
Experience the festive atmosphere of Petworth House after dark, with sparkling lights and a courtyard choir performing at 5.30pm on Nov 29th & Dec 20th, expect festive favourites to fill the air.
Visit Santa
Santa is back in the Planetarium for Cosmic Christmas at Winchester Science Centre, Dec 14th-23rd. Blast off on a live-action immersive festive space adventure for, meet the man in red and get a special Christmas gift. A live show, magical effects and an out-of-this-world journey through space on the Planetarium dome will come together as an original Christmas tale comes alive. Book at winchestersciencecentre.org/whats-on/cosmic-christmas
Create memories to cherish with loved ones as you meet Father Christmas in his magical Milestones Museum grotto tucked within the heart of the decorated indoor streets. Capture the magic with family photos and unwrap your special gift from Father Christmas, Nov 22nd-Dec 23rd. For more & to book visit milestonesmuseum.org.uk/fatherxmas25
Festive markets
The annual Christmas Cracker Fair pulls into Alton Community Centre on December 7th with more than 45 stalls selling crafts, homewares & gifts. Santa’s grotto, Christmas movies, mulled wine and Christmas cheer abound.
Browse and buy at a great variety of stalls from stylish bags, pyjamas, gifts, pottery, sweet treats and more while being entertained by live singers at the Rosemary Foundation Christmas Market at Churcher’s College on Nov 16th.
Step back in time and do your Christmas shopping the annual Milestones Christmas Market where you’ll find something a little bit different at over 40 stalls selling seasonal gifts and treats throughout the museum and the award-winning Milestones shop to visit, too. Dec 6th & 7th.
Shop at wooden chalets packed with treats and gems galore at Winchester Cathedral Christmas market, Nov 21st-Dec 22nd. Mulled wine and cinnamon
will fill the air as you shop.
Find Christmas presents and a treat for yourself at Petworth House’s festive makers market full of high quality artisan gifts on Nov 29th & 30th. You’ll find a range of beautiful handmade products including jewellery, homewares, textiles and art.
Illuminations
Steam Illuminations returns to The Watercress Line (Nov 28th-Dec 28th for Christmas vibes and pop anthems party, Dec 29th-Jan 4th). Experience an incredible light show, thousands of coloured lights and LED wristbands, a kaleidoscope of different colours and flashing patterns, includes Canopy of Lights a sound to light show inside every carriage. More details & tickets at watercressline.co.uk
Follow the glow… and experience Hampshire’s most magical festive event with Light Up Sir Harold Hillier Gardens. The light and sound trail features a new route through the gardens, with eight reimagined zones. Marvel at animated projections, a new laser light show and immersive Bubble Zone, glowing sculptures and themed walkabout entertainment on selected nights. Nov 27th-Jan 3rd, book at lightuptrails.com
Follow the enchanted nature light trail through a magical world of new displays and interactive experiences at Glow Marwell, Nov 28th-Jan 3rd. Experience the natural wonders of fire, earth, air and water at the one-of-a-kind winter lights experience. Book tickets at marwell.org.uk/Christmas
Sparkling connections at Bartlett’s care home
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A sparkling new chapter brings connection, wellbeing and community to later life… Let’s raise a glass to Bartlett’s Residential Care Home’s new vineyard!
Set in the heart of the Bucks countryside, the Bartlett’s Residential Care Home team have embarked on an exciting new chapter – their own vineyard.
More than 4,000 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines were recently planted on the edge of the Chiltern Hills, an area with soils remarkably similar to those of the Champagne region in France. In just a few years, the Bartlett’s team hope to produce their first bottles of English sparkling wine, grown and made on-site.
What makes this project so special is the role residents play in the journey. From touring the vines by golf buggy to helping select new shoots, the vineyard is designed to be an active part of daily life.
For many, the benefits of purposeful activity in nature are profound. Studies show that time outdoors, working with plants and sharing in seasonal tasks, can improve wellbeing and provide a strong sense of achievement. This is particularly valuable for those living with dementia, where moments of purpose, connection and familiarity can bring joy and reassurance.
The vineyard also represents something wider: a commitment to enriching later life with unique experiences, rooted in community and nature. For residents, families and staff, it’s already a place to relax, socialise, and be part of something enduring.
Bartlett’s Residential Care Home, Portway Road, Stone, HP17 8RP.
Beefy Boys Oxford, worth the hype
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Oxford’s Westgate just got a whole lot messier – in the best possible way. Liz Nicholls tucks into The Beefy Boys’ award-winning burgers
Is it even a good night out if you don’t wake up covered in meat juices and reeking of garlic and truffle oil!? (Don’t write in, please… the answer is no.)
That’s the glorious state I’m in as I write this, snout-deep into my box of leftover goodies from last night’s mega feast chez The Beefy Boys, who have just opened their newest temple of indulgence on the rooftop terrace at Westgate Oxford.
Do my jeans feel a little tighter than they did yesterday? Yes. But I have no regrets, only fond memories, the kind of full-body contentment you get from being fully, gloriously fed, and a hankering to go back for another feast this weekend with my boyfriend (AKA The Burger King).
If you’re a red-blooded carnivore (or even a part-time vegetarian) you’ve probably heard the buzz around Beefy Boys. Oxford foodies have been collectively drooling in anticipation, and judging by the launch night alone, they’ve delivered the goods and then some. With their award-winning, American-style “dirty burgers”, this crew aren’t just flipping patties, they’re serving up flavour stacks.
But who are The Beefy Boys? Well, back in 2011, four childhood mates from Hereford – Anthony “Murf” Murphy, Daniel Mayo-Evans, Christian Williams, and Lee Symonds – took their love of backyard barbecues and turned it into a burger empire. What started with home-grilled experiments quickly spiralled into full-on success after the boys entered the World Food Championships in the land of excess, Las Vegas, and walked away with global acclaim. Since then, they’ve scooped Best Burger and Best Burger Chef at the 2023 National Burger Awards, opened five restaurants (Hereford, Shrewsbury, Cheltenham, Bath and now Oxford), and even launched a cookbook that topped Sunday Times bestseller lists.
And let me tell you – the food lives up to the hype. These are not dainty burgers. These are filthy, finger-dripping, stacked-to-the-ceiling monsters, crafted with obsessive attention to flavour, with options galore, including cheese “skirts”, the option to have your prime patty pink in the middle, and gazillion more fun-in-a-bun options dripping in meaty flavour. Every bite is a high-five to your taste buds. The OG Beefy Boy is the ultimate gateway burger: juicy Herefordshire beef, layered with classic fixings, and cooked to perfection. The Oklahoma Onion Boy is a next-level experience, with onions smashed right into the patty as it cooks, creating sweet, caramelised edges slapping you with an uppercut of umami. It’s award-winning for a reason.
Add in great fries (stacked, natch) craft beers, cocktails, and a lively, neon-lit vibe and you’ve got your next favourite night out. My fellow reviewer Marlie Green also gave top marks to the crispy bacon fries (including brekkie the following morning) as well as the divine shakes (have them for afters as you waddle home and think of them as a guilt-free pudding?), especially the Biscoff option.
The Oxford restaurant is a 100-cover rooftop venue with a buzzing open kitchen, bold signage, and a central bar slinging cocktails and mocktails, it’s got fun written all over it.
Calories… who? I loved every decadent second of it. In a world full of “clean eating” and food noise, there’s something gloriously rebellious about going the whole hog when the food is this good.
The Beefy Boys haven’t just brought burgers to Oxford – they’ve brought a vibe. So book a table (especially at peak times) or try your luck as a walk-in. I’d advise limbering up: turn up hungry in your baggiest, darkest clothes and get stuck in! What better work-out ahead of the Christmas scoffathon (just me?) than tucking in and enjoying the meat sweats?
My Home Made Better by PeCAN
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Are you wondering how you might be able to stay warm at home – and save money – this winter? Help is at hand from PeCAN, Petersfield Climate Action Network
How would you like tailored, free and impartial advice to help you make more informed decisions about home energy upgrades? Thanks to the My Home Made Better energy advice service residents across South East Hampshire can get just this.
Advisers could help you understand why your home might be losing heat in winter, what is causing high energy bills, and whether there might be opportunities to make the most of grant funding, earn money back from the grid, or increase your property’s overall value. With 37% more renewable installations in the first half of 2025 (vs 2024) now is the time to find out what you could do with your home.
The My Home Made Better service recognises that widely available, generic information on heat pumps, insulation and solar panels is not enough, and that you need relatable guidance unique to your home. Advisers understand the demand for access to reliable, trustworthy advice, without feeling under pressure to commit to work you’re not comfortable with. Recipients have told PeCAN that the advice offered is ‘clear and extremely helpful’.
PeCAN is an environmental charity aiming to help local communities reduce their carbon emissions, protect nature, improve resilience, and adapt to the changing climate. They do this by running projects and activities with local people and organisations to help make the changes to buildings, transport, natural environment, understanding and behaviour that our community needs to live sustainably.
Their projects include the immensely popular A Fruit Tree in Every Garden scheme, which has seen over 3,000 subsidised fruit trees distributed across East Hampshire over the past five years. Their biennial Petersfield Eco Fair welcomed more than 1,500 visitors in 2024, and is set to return in July 2026. Their education outreach programme, working with local primary and secondary schools, has seen more than 100 free workshops and assemblies delivered to over 5,000 students.
If you’d like to start exploring options for your home, call the free phone line 0800 804 8601, email mhmb@petersfieldcan.org, or fill in the contact form on PeCAN’s website: petersfieldcan.org/projects/home-energy/my-home-made-better
For more information, inspiration, case studies, and videos from around the region, head to www.myhomemadebetter.org.
My Home Made Better has received funding from the Energy Industry Voluntary Redress Scheme. It is supported by Hampshire County Council, Southampton City Council, and Portsmouth City Council, and delivered by the Environment Centre, in partnership with Petersfield Climate Action Network, Winchester Action on the Climate Crisis and Energy Alton.
Step up for Santa’s Fun Run
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Santa’s Fun Run on Sunday, 7th December, has a record target of £100,000 towards local & selected charities. Malcolm Parr of Marlow Thames Rotary invites us to step up…
Three thousand Santas will take the streets in Marlow on 7th December for a 5km challenge that can be run, walked or sauntered.
An event started 21 years ago by the Marlow Rotary Clubs with a handful of runners has grown to its maximum size and is expected to sell out in weeks. Several local lead charities will benefit but organisers will allow groups raising over £50 to share in the £15,000 “charity pool”. Businesses in particular may choose to use the event to raise funds for their own charity, and last year individual company awards topped £4,000 each.
Last year a record £95,000 was raised. The target this year is £100,000 for the lead charities, Scannappeal (for new local breast screening equipment) and the Heart of Bucks Community Foundation’s Together Against Poverty appeal. John Prout, lead Rotary organiser for the event, said he was confident the record target could be achieved, adding: “In 2004 our first event attracted about 100 entries and each year we’ve grown and evolved.”
Marlow Thames Rotary Club President Richard Hockly said: “We want the course to be a sea of red Santas, a fantastic fun weekend that includes businesses, schools, churches, charities, scout and guide groups, families, neighbourhoods, clubs. Come and join us!”
Entry £20pp if you book before 19th November at santasfunrun.org and then £25pp. Costumes provided at no extra cost. The event starts in Marlow’s Higginson Park.
Shooting stars of Photo Oxford
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Photo Oxford, 25th October to 16th November festival uncovers plenty of truths… or does it?!
Oxford’s biennial festival returns to the city featuring a packed programme of more than 25 exhibitions and events by 60 photographers, ranging from celebrated international artists and documentary photographers to exciting new talent. Venues include Modern Art Oxford, Pitt Rivers Museum, The Bodleian’s Weston Library, North Wall Arts Centre and the Jolly Farmers pub.
At Oxford Brookes, an exhibition documents the clandestine nocturnal activities of The Night Climbers of Oxford, a hidden culture of climbing, scaling and traversing the city’s rooftops while the rest of the world sleeps. “For nearly a century, an unseen, undocumented, and unspoken tradition has unfolded under the cover of darkness within the walls of Oxford’s colleges and gothic architecture. One of risk, elite athleticism, and quiet rebellion,” says photographer Austin Bradley. “Their climbs are both a challenge and a statement, sometimes used as a platform for acts of political defiance.” Shot in the visual language of 1930s film noir, the exhibition is as much about the stories of these extraordinary climbers as it is about the ascents themselves.
There are more secrets to uncover in an exhibition at Caper Books on Bartlemas: Oxford’s Hidden Sanctuary which is celebrated in a new book and accompanying exhibition exploring Bartlemas Hamlet and leper hospital on the 900 anniversary of their foundation.
Over at the John Radcliffe Hospital, photographer Marysa Dowling explores how to make pain visible, whilst also investigating uncomfortable truths, Bog Jobs, at the Jolly Farmers presents photographs of “cottaging” locations around London taken between 1979 and 1996 demonstrating photography’s power as evidence: during this period photographer Phil Polglaze was commissioned by criminal defence lawyers in aid of gay men standing trial for gross indecency. Outside of the court room, his photographs have never before been seen by a wider public.
The theme of truth runs through the programme exploring photography’s relationship to reality. “Questions about photography’s relationship with truth are as old as the history of the medium,” says Festival Director Katy Barron, “and with the rapid growth of AI, they feel particularly relevant now. This year we are presenting the work of three thought-provoking artists who explore artificial intelligence (AI) in their work.”
“One of these, artist and performer Haley Morris-Cafiero, interrogates AI tools to expose the hidden biases in the recruitment software used by large companies to assess potential applicants. Those with large eyes are viewed as being more honest and those with high cheekbones as better leaders! Exhibition visitors will have the opportunity to try the tools themselves and create ‘more-employable’ versions of themselves!”
Other festival highlights include an exploration of data related to US military expenditure released by the Pentagon, a lecture by legendary American photographer, Joel Meyerowitz, who championed the use of colour in the 1960s, and a new representation of work from the 1970s by pioneering photographer Daniel Meadows documenting the last Lancashire cotton mill.
The programme also includes the first UK exhibition of photographs about the human stories behind South Africa’s truth and reconciliation hearings. These are on show for the first time in over 20 years.
For more information on these and the other free exhibitions and affordable events taking place as part of Photo Oxford visit www.photooxford.org
Oompah Oktoberfest
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Tammy Nemeth invites you to enjoy an Oktoberfest evening on 31st October, starring Karl Bavarian Brass band in the beautiful & lively village of Ipsden near Wallingford
Nestled just outside Wallingford, Ipsden is a charming village with a welcoming spirit. Our community hosts a variety of events throughout the year, designed to bring people together—not just neighbous, but everyone from the surrounding areas.
Our village is alive with creativity and local talent. Discover your artistic side with watercolour painting classes led by renowned local artist Denny Webb. Stop by the village shop, lovingly run by Shirley Small, or explore fresh, local meat and produce at Emma and Jed’s Blue Tin Produce farm shop. For a breathtaking view, visit the King William pub, a perfect spot.
Ipsden’s events are a highlight for all ages, and everyone is invited! You may have tapped your feet at Music in the Barn, showcasing local live talent, or laughed until your sides ached at the St Mary’s Players’ pantomime. Perhaps you’ve tested your detective skills at one of our thrilling murder mystery evenings. Ipsden village church is a hub of activity, organising monthly coffee mornings at the village hall, festive Christmas caroling, wreath-making workshops, and cosy “warm spaces” during the winter months.
Join us for an Oktoberfest evening featuring Karl’s Bavarian Brass Band, and a locally prepared dinner. Tickets are available at ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on?q=ipsden. We can’t wait to welcome you! ipsdenvillage.co.uk
Designs on your home
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With over 30 years’ experience, you know you and your home are in good hands with Hazel Interiors
“A professional, experienced company that I would not hesitate to recommend. After renovating our Grade II house, (with very uneven walls & floors), this did not faze Hazel at all, she measured, assisted in helping me find the right fabric for each room, and made three sets of full length curtains & three blinds, all fitted including rails etc, and they look perfect & hang beautifully despite the wonky house! I couldn’t be more delighted with the outcome. You could not find a better service anywhere & at a very reasonable & competitive price. Small independent businesses are always overlooked, but please use this wonderful company, you will not be disappointed.”
And that’s the opinion of just one of the delighted clients of Hazel Interiors based in Wantage where you’re guaranteed a warm welcome, service that spoils you and soft furnishings you’ll fall in love with.
Hazel Interiors is about more than just the end product, it’s an experience that will envelop you as you take your space from house to home.
Free home consultations with a carefully selected range of fabrics will help you get a feel for your new look whether it’s bedroom curtains, dramatic swags and tails, modern blinds, softly quilted throws or gorgeously padded headboards, cushions to add the finishing touch for seats or to scatter all can be designed and created to suit your and your home.
Visit us online at hazelinteriors.co.uk, call 01235 799914 or pop in and see us at 1 Mill Street, Wantage and chat to us about making your house a home you can be proud of.
Liverpool legend at The Mutton
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The Mutton at Hazeley Heath welcomes Graeme Souness for an exclusive DEBRA charity dinner
Take your seat and enjoy a winning combination at a charity dinner with Liverpool legend Graeme Souness hosting at The Mutton at Hazeley Heath.
The football favourite is Vice President of DEBRA, a charity which supports people living with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), and the three-course dinner with wine pairing will be held for this cause.
Fresh from his incredible two-way Channel swim earlier this year, which raised an astonishing £800,000 for DEBRA, Graeme will be joining guests at The Mutton for an unforgettable night of stories, conversation, and generosity.
The evening will begin with drinks and canapés, before diners settle in for a three-course feast created by Head Chef Rob Boer, followed by an intimate Q&A with Graeme hosted by the evening’s MC – Ady Williams, BBC Radio Berkshire presenter and former Reading FC player.
Set against the beautiful backdrop of Hazeley Farm. The Mutton is proud to hold the title of South East Pub of the Year in the 2024 National Pub & Bar Awards as well as two AA Rosettes. This family-run countryside pub offers the perfect backdrop for a night of great food, laughter, and giving back.
In addition to the dinner and Q&A, you’ll be able to bid in a live auction and buy tickets for a raffle offering luxury prizes and one-of-a-kind experiences. The evening will also present an opportunity to support DEBRA’s £5 million campaign to fund clinical trials and improve care for EB patients.
Tickets are priced at £150 per person. Spaces are limited so early booking is recommended. Purchase a ticket via the link HERE or email: reservations@themuttonhh.co.uk
About DEBRA
DEBRA is the national charity supporting people living with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a painful and life-limiting genetic skin condition that causes the skin to blister and tear at the slightest touch. With no known cure, DEBRA funds vital research into treatments and provides specialist healthcare, support, and quality of life for people living with EB.