Top UK Christmas holiday 2009 ideas

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It's been a gloomy, credit crunched summer for many and now its over. But there's already a hint of Christmas in the air and the festive season is just around the corner. Here are some great ideas for those looking for some Christmas holiday fun in Britain.

Christmas in London
Winter fun in the capital arrives on September 30th and October 1st with a special Swiss-themed pre-Christmas event, taking place at Broadgate Circle. A little bit of Switzerland will be transported to the heart of the City, with the creation of a 5m x 20m long ski slope adjacent to Liverpool Street station. A range of adrenalin fuelled winter sporting activities will be showcased on the ski slope, including professional ski and snowboard stunts. There are opportunities for the public to enjoy free and unlimited snow tubing (sledging on giant inflatable rubber rings).

Girl tangled in christmas tree lights

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, London's largest and most dazzling winter event, also returns to the heart of the capital for six whole weeks of festive fun from November 21st 2009 to January 3rd 2010. With no admission fee, Winter Wonderland offers a whole day out from 10:00 to 22:00 with beautifully themed attractions set out under thousands of twinkly lights. The event will have even more rides and attractions this year; including the popular ice rink, the iconic 50m observation wheel and the atmospheric German Christmas market. New for 2009 is Zippo's Christmas Circus in the heated big top. The free Father Christmas experience will welcome all children with a surprise gift. Advance tickets are available for the ice rink (which sold out in record time last year).

The annual Christmas Past exhibition at the Geffrye Museum in east London is always a favourite and proves that Christmas doesn't need to be expensive or over-commercialised. The beautiful period rooms at the museum are all decorated in authentic festive style. Seasonal food will be served in the restaurant and there are plenty of special Christmas events planned - including concerts, decoration making workshops and carol singing. One of the best post-Christmas things to do in London is the Geffrye's traditional burning of the holly and the ivy in the garden on Twelfth Night (January 6th).

Christmas fun around the UK
Surrounded by history that stretches back to the first century AD, York's narrow cobbled streets, medieval buildings and towering Minster naturally lend themselves to traditional Christmas card scenes. Not only are the streets lined with exclusive shops, quality high-street stores, great restaurants, café bars, pubs and attractions but the city celebrates Christmas in style with a range of seasonal events, markets and festivities. Historic York is already planning its winter festivities and the Christmas in York programme is about to start.

One of the best Christmas Grottos this year in south England will be at Colchester Zoo. Their Magic of Christmas season will feature beautiful lighting displays, loads of special activities and of course the opportunity to meet Santa between 09:30 and 16:00 each day. Every child will receive a present and Santa will even be bringing his reindeer. On December 23rd the zoo will be open until 21:00 with additional Christmas-themed activities throughout the day.

Bournemouth's reknowned Christmas market is set for an international revamp this year with the introduction of The Bournemouth Festive Village, set to run from November 21st to January 5th. The Town Square and surrounding streets will be bursting at the seams with Christmas ambience and the Lower Gardens will be transformed into a winter wonderland with a host of activities on offer. For the traditionalists there will be a nativity scene, live reindeer, horse-drawn carriages and a Victorian style galloper's carousel. Gluhwein, German lager and cuisine, roasted chestnuts and traditional sweets will keep everyone happy. To top it all off, Bournemouth will be home to Britain's biggest bauble as the Bournemouth Eye gets a Christmas makeover.

Discover the magic of an Edwardian Christmas in Britain at Batemans, the former home of Rudyard Kipling in East Sussex. This 17th century home provides a remarkable insight into the life of the well known author. For the second year running Batemans will be opening its doors for the first three weekends in December to display the ground floor of the house all decked out for Christmas.

Santa's Winter Wonderland at the Snowdome in Tamworth looks set to be just as popular as last year, when families and visitors flocked to experience Christmas magic in the Midlands. Santa will be joined by long time friends Sooty, Sweep and Soo in the all new Santa Live Stage Show. This festive attraction guarantees real snow to play in, have snowball fights or hitch a ride on a sledge as you wander through the snowy Christmas forest. The Snowdome event opens on November 27th and runs until December 31st 2009, although it is closed on Christmas Day, and tickets are on sale now.

Visitors to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard will be magically transported into a Dickensian-style by-gone era of snowy white streets with a festive fairground and seasonal carols this Christmas. At the Victorian Festival of Christmas(November 27th to 29th) hearty food is on the menu including roasted chestnuts and mulled wine. Parlour games, bawdy Music Hall, a nativity farm and a traditional ‘green' Santa are also on hand to keep the whole family entertained. A host of colourful characters will be involved, including the Town Crier, suffragettes, chimney sweeps and cheeky scamps.

Enjoy heart-warming memories of Christmas for the festive season at Blenheim Palace with ‘Christmas Nostalgia – Toys, Treats and Treasures' every Sunday from November 14th to December 13th. The magnificent Palace will be decorated with elegant displays bringing to life childhood memories of Christmas including impressive Christmas trees and treasured yuletide gifts of antique toys, teddy bears, and train sets. Carol singers, organists and brass bands will bring the music of Christmas to life on every Sunday until 13th December 2009.

The spectacular annual Burning the Clocks Winter Solstice parade in Brighton attracts thousands of participants and spectators alike as the people of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex gather together to make paper and willow lanterns to carry through their city and burn on the beach as a token for the end of the year. This year the event is on December 21st.

Christmas getaways in the UK
Christmas can sometimes be a stressful period with family members coming to visit, a Christmas dinner to prepare for everyone and debates over who does the washing up! If this sounds all too familiar then why not take a break from it all this year with a Christmas holiday getaway?

At Christmas Edinburgh is one of Europe's most memorable destinations with a month of winter festivities and this beautiful city will be alive with markets, entertainment and events from late November. Beneath the dramatic backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, thousands of fairy lights illuminate the streets and gardens where activities include one of Europe's largest outdoor ice rinks, the iconic Big Wheel swirling with colour and lights and a range of exhilarating fun fair rides, combining to create a breathtaking way to celebrate Christmas. Hotel group The Town House Collection are offering a range of Christmas at all of their Edinburgh hotels, including two nights accommodation, breakfast, and a delicious Christmas dinner.

For a UK Christmas holiday with a difference head to the beautiful island of St Mary's in the Isles of Scilly. The largest and most vibrant of the islands, St Mary's offers around 30 miles of coastal paths and nature trails to explore. The landscape ranges from woodlands to heaths and marshland to sand dunes. There are also many ancient monuments to see. Prestige Holidays is offering a five night Christmas package at the charming old Atlantic hotel including: return flights from Lands End, return airport/hotel transfers, half board accommodation, a Christmas eve party, six course gala lunch on Christmas day and a full programme of festivities and tours.

Country house Christmas party
Finally, how about a chance to join a three-night Christmas house party (December 24th – 27th) at Combe House, at a magical country hideaway on a 3,500 acre wooded estate near Exeter in the heart of Devon? Guests arriving at the beautiful Grade I Elizabethan manor on Christmas Eve will see trees twinkling with fairy lights as they come up the mile-long winding drive from the pretty cob thatched village of Gittisham. Evening festivities will also take place in the Great Hall where Christmas has been celebrated for over 400 years.

The Kir Royale will flow accompanied by homemade canapés as guests mingle beside the crackling fireplace and the pianist tinkles the ivories, followed by a magnificently laid-out candlelit dinner with wine around one large table – always a memorable evening.