1) Christmas crafting – check out our Christmas craft page for lots of ideas. You can reuse wrapping paper, napkins, old baubles that have seen better days to keep your costs low and be eco-friendly!
2) Ripon Museum’s Green Christmas trail – free and running until 6th January. Find out more here
3) Snow! We are due some snow in early December. You could go sledging or have a snowman making competition!
If the snow doesn’t materialise you could still have a competition but you could use playdough or buy some fake snow for around £1.
4) Visit Ripon Walled Garden – it’s free entry and there is a Christmas shop, play area, woodland and new cafe!
5) Christmas carols – nothing gets me feeling more festive than singing Christmas carols! Take a look at our page on local family church services this Christmas here.
6) Ripon’s Illuminated Winter Wonderland, running from 14th-17th December. Find out more here
7) Ripon Cathedral’s Code Cracker Trail – A fun family activity, allowing your children to unleash their inner detective by solving clues around the Cathedral. Running 19th Dec – 9th Jan. Find out more here
8) Christmas baking – take a look at our blog on festive family bakes you can do at home. If baking isn’t your thing you could decorate rich tea biscuits!
9) Christmas Lights – This is another annual tradition in our house, we love a drive round to see some of the amazing house decorations people put up! Our favourites are in Hutton Conyers village, around Moorside Dale/South Grange Road and our number one is on Quarry Moor Lane!
10) Christmas Markets – although usually Christmas markets mean spending money, markets are also really festive and usually there are free things to do while you’re there. Harrogate Christmas Market have a free candy cane express train running around the town AND an open top bus which is £1 per adult. This takes you round to see all the decorations and attractions.
11) Visit the Giant Snow Globe – Ripon BID in partnership with Visit Harrogate have organised a free giant snow globe in 3 locations from 14th-17th December. Find out more here
12) A good old fashioned winter walk! Family walks might still remind you of lockdown days but there is nothing quite like wrapping up warm and getting some fresh winter air! We love a walk along the canal when it’s a bit frosty but we are lucky to be spoilt for choice in North Yorkshire! A walk is great but we also really love when you get home and can warm up under a blanket with a hot chocolate!
