Santa's Grotto

[Wrighty22]

I really can't decide where to take my son to see Santa this year, there are just so many options.

 

Went to Sunnyside Garden Centre in Ibstock a few years ago and that was really good but think my son is too old for that now. Looking at going to the Snowdome but you don't actually get to see Santa.

 

Where are you all taking your little ones to see Santa?

 

 

[SpacedX]

2 minutes ago, Wrighty22 said:

but you don't actually get to see Santa.

...Hate to break it to you

[Guest Lako42]

25 minutes ago, Wrighty22 said:

I really can't decide where to take my son to see Santa this year, there are just so many options.

 

Went to Sunnyside Garden Centre in Ibstock a few years ago and that was really good but think my son is too old for that now. Looking at going to the Snowdome but you don't actually get to see Santa.

 

Where are you all taking your little ones to see Santa?

 

 

A Santa's grotto where you don't see Santa, interesting concept. 

[Fox92]

I didn't know these were still around. I don't see them even in shopping centres anymore.

[Guest Lako42]

5 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

I didn't know these were still around. I don't see them even in shopping centres anymore.

I remember as a kid being seriously excited about going into Leicester to visit the Shires as they always had really good Christmas displays and a proper grotto. 

[oakman]

Gates' Garden Centre in Cold Overton were always good (not been for a while though).

 

 

[VLC86]

42 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

I didn't know these were still around. I don't see them even in shopping centres anymore.

Yew tree has a lot to answer for.

[FoyleFox]

53 minutes ago, Lako42 said:

I remember as a kid being seriously excited about going into Leicester to visit the Shires as they always had really good Christmas displays and a proper grotto. 

Exactly. Although it was Lewis's for me. The countdown to Christmas didn't begin properly until you'd been to see their window display.

[Vlad the Fox]

1 hour ago, oakman said:

Gates' Garden Centre in Cold Overton were always good (not been for a while though).

 

 

Jamie Vardy kids Santa. Used to take mine there. One year the kids had their 5/10 minutes with Santa then went through to choose their toys. As I was leaving with them Santa stopped me and I had 5 minutes of Vardy and footy chat with him. Don’t know what people thought when I appeared out his grotto on my own  

[Fox92]

3 hours ago, Costock_Fox said:

Yew tree has a lot to answer for.

As I typed that I did think it sounded dodgy as well  

[Sambiasso]

Tropical Birdland in Desford is decent. Heard good things about Warwick Castle Christmas event from last year too.

[Legend_in_blue]

Most of the children's farm parks are now fully booked as people were daft enough to spend roughly £80 for a family of 4 for this a few months back.  £80 better spent elsewhere imo - such as the local theatres (Little Theatre, Curve, Loughborough Town Hall).

 

You could try the garden centres, they don't tend to fleece people as much.

[Parafox]

6 hours ago, Fox92 said:

I didn't know these were still around. I don't see them even in shopping centres anymore.

Maybe this is the reason:

 

[Parafox]

5 hours ago, FoyleFox said:

Exactly. Although it was Lewis's for me. The countdown to Christmas didn't begin properly until you'd been to see their window display.

Not as impressive as I recall as a child.

 

[FoyleFox]

15 minutes ago, Parafox said:

Not as impressive as I recall as a child.

 

I obviously went a few years later than you....they were in colour when I went

[Beliall]

my kids are too old for this now, but i think i actually miss taking them, despite all the hassle at the time, it was worth it

[Parafox]

25 minutes ago, Beliall said:

my kids are too old for this now, but i think i actually miss taking them, despite all the hassle at the time, it was worth it

 

I recall the awful but almost compulsory visits to our kid's primary school Christmas fair where Mr "Unfortunately-it's-you-this-year" was the very badly disguised Santa where the gift was (one I remember) a pack of Top Trump cards. And the raffle... you could win various tinned fruit/veg, Avon soap, a bottle of brown sauce or a bottle of Sherry that you could degrease an engine with.  A home-made cake. A bottle of lemonade. A tin of corned beef. Among many others...

Edited 15 November 2022 by Parafox

[jonthefox]

3 hours ago, Sambiasso said:

Tropical Birdland in Desford is decent. Heard good things about Warwick Castle Christmas event from last year too.

Just about to recommend Desford . I took my kids there for years. 

Edited 15 November 2022 by jonthefox
.

[Aus Fox]

4 hours ago, Parafox said:

Maybe this is the reason:

 

Is it me, or is that Brendan Rodgers behind the beard.

[fuchsntf]

On 15/11/2022 at 13:59, FoyleFox said:

Exactly. Although it was Lewis's for me. The countdown to Christmas didn't begin properly until you'd been to see their window display.

There was really only Lewis’s & Co-op…

New Parks Social club first years were excellent..