Chawton House reopens for the festive season with a brand-new Christmas installation, Once Upon A Pantomime
Chawton, Hampshire- August 2022. Chawton House will be reopening its doors for the festive season on Thursday 1 December 2022, after closing for November, with a beautiful display celebrating Christmas traditions of days gone by. With handcrafted decorations throughout the House, Christmas at Chawton House honours the tradition of manor houses being decorated with arts and crafts.
Following on from the success of last year’s festive installation The Twelve Knits of Christmas, Chawton House’s volunteer Christmas Committee have been busy crafting an exciting new display for 2022- Once Upon A Pantomime. Celebrating the Christmas tradition of visiting the theatre, Once Upon A Pantomime brings to life much loved fairy tales, including Peter Pan, Cinderella, and Jack and the Beanstalk. Created using materials found around the home, this magical, festive display is a homage to craft and will delight visitors of all ages.
Chawton House will be open from 1 to 9 December, with winter opening hours of 10am to 3:30pm.
The House and Gardens will then remain open late to visitors from 10 December to 1 January as The Glimmering Gardens return to Chawton House. Following the popularity of last year’s trail, The Glimmering Gardens will be even bigger and will bring the gardens to life. Follow the twinkling lights around the moonlit grounds, spot the woodland creatures that call Chawton House home, and enjoy the gardens after dark.
The Old Kitchen Tea Room will have a special festive menu, including delicious homemade mince pies and mulled wine, and the Shop will be filled with seasonal delights and stocking fillers.
Please note that Chawton House will be closed on 5, 6, 12 and 13 December and on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Feel festive with these seasonal events:
Weekday Modern Calligraphy for Beginners- Christmas Special
Thursday 24 November & Thursday 8 December
5pm-7pm
Join Jodie Rose Calligraphy for an introduction to pointed pen modern calligraphy, with a special Christmas theme! Learn the basic strokes by writing Christmas quotes and develop your own calligraphy style. By the end of the workshop, you will be ready to write beautiful Christmas cards and gift tags to make your gifts extra special!
£65 per ticket, including all materials and festive refreshments
Christmas Embroidery Workshop with Abigail Rose Creative
Friday 25 November
6pm-8pm
Enjoy a Christmas embroidery workshop in the historic Great Hall. Abigail Rose will be on hand as you learn to embroider a stunning decorative snowflake hoop, with beads adding extra sparkling detail.
£45 per ticket, including all materials and festive refreshments
Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 November
11am-4pm
Start your festive celebrations with a visit to the Chawton House Christmas Fayre. Whether you’re just starting your Christmas shopping or are looking for those final few festive gifts, you can explore a variety of stalls in the stunning historic setting of Chawton House and enjoy delicious festive treats in the Old Kitchen Tearoom.
Adult Ticket £5, Under 16’s Ticket £2.50, Under 6’s Free. Prebooking Essential.
Father Christmas’ Grotto at Chawton House
Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 November
11:30am-3:30pm
Visit Father Christmas and Mrs Christmas at the Chawton House Christmas Fayre this November. Children can visit Father Christmas’ Grotto and tell him all their Christmas wishes before being gifted a present to take home.
Child Ticket £5. Prebooking Essential.
Festive Supper at Chawton House
Friday 2 December
6pm-8pm or 7:30pm-9:30pm
Take a seat in the historic Old Kitchen and enjoy an evening of festive dining at Chawton House before moving into the Elizabethan Great Hall for mulled wine and homemade mince pies.
£50 per person, wine will be available to purchase on the evening
Weekend Modern Calligraphy for Beginners- Christmas Special
Saturday 3 December & Sunday 11 December
10:30am-2pm
Join Jodie Rose Calligraphy for an introduction to pointed pen modern calligraphy, with a special Christmas theme! Learn the basic strokes by writing Christmas quotes and develop your own calligraphy style. By the end of the workshop, you will be ready to write beautiful Christmas cards and gift tags to make your gifts extra special!
£75 per ticket, including all materials, a light lunch, and festive refreshments
Christmas Ghost Stories at Chawton House
Saturday 3 December
7:30pm-9pm
Visit Chawton House after dark and enjoy a performance of the chilling festive tale The Old Nurse’s Story by Elizabeth Gaskell. Performed in three acts throughout the House, this event promises to be a spooky start to the festive season.
£12 per person, including refreshments before the performance.
Winter Berries & Rosehips- A Watercolour Christmas Card Workshop
Sunday 4 December
12pm-4pm
Join local artist Julia Morgan for a festive watercolour workshop, inspired by the hedgerows of winter. Capture the charm of frosty berries and rosehips as you create your own unique Christmas greetings cards and gift tags.
£70 per person, includes all materials, a cream tea and festive refreshments.
Festive Wreath Workshop at Chawton House
Wednesday 14 December
5pm-7:30pm
Get ready for a cosy Christmas by creating your own traditional festive wreath. No experience is necessary as you will be guided step-by-step by Jane, Chawton House’s in-house florist, to craft a beautiful and bespoke wreath, using foliage collected from the Chawton estate.
£60 per person, including all materials, equipment and refreshments.
Festive Foliage- A Christmas Watercolour Wreath Workshop
Saturday 17 December
12pm-4pm
Join Julia Morgan for a fun and festive watercolours workshop. Learn how to paint a stunning watercolour wreath featuring holly berries, ivy leaves and frosted pine cones embellished with your choice of gold or silver paint.
£70 per person, includes all materials, a cream tea and festive refreshments.
A Christmas Carol at Chawton House
Thursday 22 December and Friday 23 December
7pm-8:30pm on both dates, with a matinee performance on Friday between 4pm-5:30pm
Join us in the Great Hall this December for a celebrated production of A Christmas Carol, directed by the Tony Award-winning Tim Carroll and performed by acclaimed Dickens actor Dominic Gerrard. This magical retelling of Dickens’ classic story will transport you – stave by stave – through Scrooge’s life as he journeys out, one bleak Christmas night, with the ghosts that have been sent to reclaim him…
£20 per person, includes festive refreshments before the performance.
