Week 34 – Christmas Trails
Hello and welcome to our penultimate Giving Tuesday!
Looking back over the last seven months, it’s incredible how much we’ve learned about since the start of April. Next week is the official Giving Tuesday, and we’ll be a doing a “Best Of” roundup of our weekly posts. If you’ve got a favourite, let us know and we’ll include it in our line up!
And now for this week’s activity… Are you feeling fed up with Lockdown Mark II? Maybe you’re feeling a bit cooped up and looking forward to getting out in the fresh air in December? One thing we always look forward to is the Christmas trails around our local National Trust and English Heritage sites, and visiting places with beautiful decorations.
Sadly, most of these aren’t open this year, but there are still loads of exciting places to visit. We’ve listed here some of the best, but if you know of any others, please let us know!
Christmas Trails
Royston Advent Calendar (1st – 24th December)
Home-Start’s very own Christmas trail in Royston! Every day in December a new window will be revealed somewhere in Royston. Click here to view the map or pop along to Abode Town and Country or Trademark Kitchens to pick up a hard copy. Find all the windows and see which one you like the best while exploring the town. Royston Living Advent Calendar | Facebook
Buntingford Advent Calendar (1st – 24th December)
Home-Start’s very own Christmas trail in Buntingford, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce. Using a trail map (available from the Buntingford co-op) follow the advent images around the town centre and mark off when you’ve found each one. You can even draw a beautiful Christmas picture, and the winning image will be featured in the CoC’s January newsletter.
Hitchin Christmas Tree Trail (11th, 12th, 13th December)
Follow the trail around Hitchin Town Centre to find all the Christmas trees. Trail guides are available on 5th and 12th December for £2 each. Hitchin Christmas Tree Festival | Facebook
Royston Reindeer with Royston First (from 23rd December)
Follow the trail of reindeer around Royston’s shops. Can you find them all? Head over to Royston First’s website to download your entry form and find out more!
Christmas Adventure Quest (26th December – 3rd January)
Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedfordshire, MK45 4HR and Audley End, Saffron Walden, CB11 4JF: Hunt for clues and QR codes around the sites to discover secret stories about these fascinating estates. Click on the links below to find out more and book:
Indoor Activities
If the weather is making you want to curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and snuggle under a blanket – we don’t blame you!
Here’s a quick video tuturial showing you how to make the perfect hot chocolate:
And if going outside is not something you’re a fan of at the moment, or maybe you just don’t feel like leaving the house… either way, there’s no need to miss out on Christmas activities, is there?
Here are two “indoor” trails for you to enjoy too…
Peter Rabbit Activities from National Trust
Try out these awesome Peter Rabbit themed activities from the National Trust – in the warmth of your own sitting room! Peter Rabbit activities and games to try at home | National Trust
London Walks
Choose from a selection of virtual walks around the Capital City without leaving your house. You can choose from:
- Christmas in the Capital
- Last Christmas London Music Special
- London Walks and The Twelve Days of Christmas
Head on over to their website to see what else they have available.
If you do visit any of the trails, be sure to take lots of photos and share them with us on our Social Media pages: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.
