. Whilst lucky Father Christmas has a workshop full of elves and seemingly unlimited resources with which to adorn the perfect present, busy parents may find using the same roll of wrapping paper for everyone’s gifts to be a wonderfully efficient system

with ice rink, reindeer and a visit from Father Christmas.Caerphilly’s Medieval Christmas FayreDecember 10–11Browse a medieval market filled with authentic olde-worlde produce and fill your boots with foodie delights at Caerphilly’s annual medieval fete

Marcus Wareing is the owner of Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley and The Gilbert Scott and father of Jake, 11, Archie, seven, and Jessie, five.What is your earliest food memory? Meat and two veg every day. My mother always cooked us a meal and then she

. Father Christmas will be on hand to add a touch of magic to the vintage style celebrations with a spot of seasonal storytelling.Christmas Choral And Carol ServiceDecember 11Join the Pitlochry District Choral Society in the grand ballroom at Blair Castle

–11, 15–18 Catch Santa and Mrs Clause at their thatched cottage holiday home, Hezlett House in Castlerock. While father Christmas is taking a much needed-break before his busy festive schedule kicks inn he will be offering a special gift for children

gracious hostess for the day, Mrs Greville and experience an Edwardian Christmas at Polesden Lacey with festive fare, sleigh rides, a local choir and a special appearance from Father Christmas.Breakfast With Father ChristmasDecember 3,4,10,11Enjoy a

Paul Merrett is chef-patron at The Victoria and father of Ellie, 15, and Richie, 13What is your earliest food memory? Sunday roasts at my grandparents’ house. My granny was a really great cook.What foods did you like as a child? I was never a fussy

families can stroll around the village taking in cooking traditions, vintage-style shopping and meet an old-fashioned Father Christmas in his magical grotto.Christmas FestivalDecember 2–4Get your Christmas shopping off to a flying start in the historic city

in this Christmas preparation session at Sutton House. Learn how to write the perfect Christmas letter, make stockings and decorate delicious mince pies in preparation for that all-important visit from Father Christmas.The SnowmanNovember 30–January 8It is a rare

Tom ThumbNo larger than his father’s most dexterous digit, Tom Thumb is a character of English folklore who has been involved in a number of size-related accidents. As well as falling into his mother’s Christmas batter and being boiled into a