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Christmas is coming: the best festive days out in 2027
Get Christmas sorted before it sells out with your guide to the UK’s festive day trips, ice rinks, film showings and more
What heatwave? The summer that never felt like it was going to end has finally ended, which means it’s time to start thinking about Christmas… You might still have months to go before the tree goes up, but it’s never too early to start planning the best festive days out and things to do, especially as tickets tend to sell out fast as soon as the weather changes.
From ice rinks and exhibitions to North Pole trips and movie marathons, these are this year’s buzziest Christmas events to start putting on your list (check back soon for more).
Believe! The Polar Express Experience
Fancy taking the kids to the North Pole this year? Believe! The Polar Express Experience takes you inside the movie for an hour-long, multi-room walkthrough at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse – meaning you can visit Santa’s workshop without leaving Trafford Wharf. Running from 21 November to 24 December 2026, the officially licensed experience recreates the magical journey to the North Pole without anyone needing a passport (or a bank loan…).
The route starts in Hero Boy’s bedroom before visitors board a recreation of The Polar Express carriage and continue through Caribou Forest, across an icy lake and beneath the Northern Lights. The Conductor, Hero Boy, Hero Girl and the Hobo all appear along the way, alongside the essential golden-ticket punch and servings of hot chocolate (we got it!) and cookies.
The North Pole provides plenty to investigate after the journey, including a Pyjama Party, letter writing, a Naughty or Nice Machine, a Christmas-crafting station and, of course, a visit to the big man himself.
The Holiday in Concert
The film responsible for an entire generation of journalism students thinking they might be able to afford a beautiful cottage in Surrey on a magazine salary (…) now stands as one of the best modern Christmas classics. Sure, Jack Black’s character is bit unlikable, the way Cameron Diaz says “Graham” is annoying, and the side-plot about Kate Winslet and Eli Wallach is by far the best relationship on screen, but it’s impossible not to feel festive whenever it’s on TV.
Even better, then, that The Holiday is being presented live in concert this Christmas on an 18 date UK-wide tour, featuring a full orchestra playing Hans Zimmer’s score as the film plays on the big screen. Mr Napkin Head will never look, and sound, better.
Love Actually in Concert
Look, 2003 was a different time. Stalking might have gone out of fashion, the fat-jokes have soured, and the bit when Hugh Grant calls Margaret Thatcher a “saucy Minx” still feels a bit iffy, but Love Actually has still aged into a bona fide classic. The people who pretend Die Hard isn’t a Christmas movie every year are usually the same that like to rip into Richard Curtis’ beloved festive favourite – and maybe fun just isn’t for them. It’s just not Christmas until the guy from My Family has an orgy with a load of American girls because of his irresistible Basildon accent.
Watch the film properly this year as Love Actually returns to big screens around the UK in December, with a live symphony orchestra performing Craig Armstrong’s score in sync with the film. The UK run includes dates in Glasgow, Edinburgh, London, Bath, Liverpool, Swansea, Nottingham, Sheffield, York, Birmingham, Manchester and beyond. To us, this is perfect.
Home Alone in Concert
For all the warm fuzzy nostalgia surrounding Home Alone, it’s worth remembering that a sizeable chunk of the film involves an eight-year-old boy brutalising Joe Pesci. And yet, somehow, it remains impossible to watch without wanting to put up the tree immediately.
A lot of that magic comes from John Williams. His gorgeous score picked up an Academy Award nomination, as did ‘Somewhere In My Memory’, and now Home Alone is heading back to the big screen with the music performed live by an orchestra. Some UK performances add a choir too, giving Kevin’s war on the Wet Bandits the misty-eyed grandeur it always deserved.
London’s Royal Albert Hall gets in on the fun on 5 December, with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and Crouch End Festival Chorus performing Williams’ score live alongside the film.
The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert
Johnny Depp is playing Ebenezer Scrooge at the cinema this year, but we already know he won’t be able to beat Michael Caine – mainly because his co-stars aren’t talking vegetables. Easily the best, most authentic adaptation of Charles Dickens’ immortal classic (yeah we said it), The Muppet Christmas Carol remains one of the finest festive classics around, and the annual in-concert tour is by far the best way to watch it.
Returning for another big-screen run this year, The Muppet Christmas Carol is set for a 15-date UK run with a live orchestra performing Miles Goodman’s endlessly loveable score. The songs come from Oscar, Emmy and Grammy-winning songwriter Paul Williams meaning ‘Scrooge’, ‘Marley And Marley’ and the rest get the full concert-hall treatment.
God bless us, every frog.
Good Housekeeping Live with Country Living Christmas Market
The Christmas shopping run gets an upgrade at Good Housekeeping Live with Country Living Christmas Market, returning to London’s Business Design Centre from 11–14 November 2026. The four-day event combines artisan makers and festive food with celebrity conversations, cooking demonstrations, decoration workshops and more.
Expect hundreds of artisan sellers alongside craft sessions and tastings – with VIP tickets also available (coming with fast-track entry, goodie bags, book signings and more). That makes this the perfect place for anyone who wants to get ahead of their Christmas shopping: browse handcrafted gifts and homeware, brush up on this year’s festive food trends, and start December with a considerably shorter to-do list.
Photo credit: baona
