2022 has been a tough year for many of us. So if you need a little Christmas cheer and spirit, check out these festive things to do in Sussex. We’re still waiting on some of the final details and dates but I hope there is something here to get you well and truly in the Christmas mood.
Sussex, Christmas and the National Trust
There are a number of fabulous National Trust properties in Sussex and the National Trust tends to do Christmas really well. At Lamb House in Rye, they’ll be hosting a Mapp and Lucia Christmas between 29th November- 19th December, open every Friday-Tuesday between 11 am – 4 pm. Late night opening on the 11 Dec, 11 am – 8 pm.
Standen House near East Grinstead has various Christmas events including Twilight openings when there will be a choir singing in the courtyard every weekend from 27th November and on the 22nd – 23rd December. Nymans near Haywards Heath normally celebrate in style, but I’m still waiting for the dates of their events. And Petworth’s celebrations are suitably extravagant but again, details are pending.
Finally heading west, we’ve mentioned Uppark before. We’re still waiting for details of their Christmas event, but it’s normally a good one.
Christmas Illuminations
Leonardslee Illuminations will be on the 24th – 27th and 30th November, and 1st -4th, and 7th – 21st December. The Light Up Trail at the Cowdray Estate near Midhurst runs from the 1st – 31st of December.
For other illuminations, you might try and watch the Bluebell Railway SteamLights which will run on various dates between 10th November and 8th January 2022. There are also various places you can see the train go by including near the Horsted Keynes platform, Sharpethorne, and parts of the Sussex Border Path. Pretty amazing to see an illuminated steam train fly past through the darkness. Glo Wild at Wakehurst is another must-visit, especially with children. This year, it is being held on 24th – 27 November, 30th November – 4th December, and then 7th -11th, 13th -23rd December, and 27th December to 1st January.
Christmas concerts
On 20th December, the Mediaeval Baebes are again performing their evocative and ethereal Christmas concert at St Mary’s, Horsham. This is a compelling combination of classics and folk music and not to be missed.
Performances and shows
Chichester Festival Theatre has pulled out all the stops this Christmas. Their Christmas centrepiece from the ever-popular Chichester Festival Youth Theatre is Alan Bennett’s witty and enchanting adaptation of The Wind in the Willows, while Dear Santa offers an opportunity for young children to experience theatre for the first time. Their Christmas Concerts form the traditional festive season opener on the 5th – 10th of December. Check out their website for full details. At the Brighton Dome, you can catch Emma Bunton’s Christmas Party with songs from her own back catalogue as well as some classic Spice Girls tracks and all your favourite festive hits (13th December) and on the 29th and 30th December you can see Ballet Theatre UK’s production of Beauty and the Beast.
Ice skating
Nothing says Christmas quite like a bit of ice skating and a winter wonderland. Tickets go on for ice skating at the Royal Pavilions in Brighton on 14th September 2022.
Hopefully, one of the above will tickle your fancy and help you get into the spirit of Christmas.
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