Tickets for spectacular family attraction are going faster than Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve: TCE 2025 Landscape image cc Simon Dewhurst (14)

24 Sep 2025

Tickets for spectacular family attraction are going faster than Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve

Lotherton Hall Museums and galleries Parks and countryside

Families in Leeds will have a chance to meet the festive season’s favourite couple as Lotherton’s spectacular Christmas Experience is now open.

Tickets are selling fast for the award-winning family-friendly attraction, which this year gives visitors an opportunity to meet Santa, Mrs Claus and their elves as part of one sparkling package.

Open from Saturday November 22, 2025 and running until January 4, 2026, the event sees the popular estate in Aberford transformed into a dazzling winter wonderland.

Featuring an enchanted elf village and a magical fairy dell, at the heart of the experience is Santa’s North Pole: A Magical Journey.

As part of the fully immersive journey, families are invited into a snow-capped North Pole, where they’ll first meet a host of cheeky elves and hear tales of Christmas from Mrs Claus before meeting Santa himself.

Children are invited to share their yuletide wishes and receive a special early present before the big day. A daytime Santa’s Cabin experience also offers a gentler introduction to Santa for littler fans.

Visitors are also be able to take part in the Festive Woodland Walk, exploring winding paths through Lotherton’s woods which will be shimmering with illuminations and playful, larger-than-life installations featuring scenes from Christmas traditions past and present.

In the Elf Village, visitors can take part in Elf Crafts, face painting, marshmallow toasting and weekend Magic Shows while a Yuletide Yurt, which will run separately to The Christmas Experience, offers warming refreshments in a cosy setting.

Tickets also include entry into Lotherton Hall, adorned with opulent period decorations that evoke the warmth and elegance of the Edwardian era.

Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, said: “The Christmas Experience is a truly magical attraction which completely transforms one of our most popular sites into a festive wonderland to be enjoyed by thousands of families each year.

“It’s fantastic to see it return better than ever to herald the start of the countdown to Christmas and I hope all our families and visitors have an unforgettable time and make some wonderful festive memories.”

The Christmas Experience opens on November 22, 2025 and is delivered by Lotherton and Breeze.

There are a number of visit options available, including after school sessions and the chance for pre-school children to visit Santa in his cosy cabin during the day.

Daytime visitors can also take a trip to Wildlife World, where they can see a spectacular variety of wildlife species including emus, cranes, Arthur the tapir, critically endangered Visayan warty pigs and an incredible colony of Humbolt penguins.

A selection of food including stone baked pizzas is also available to enjoy on site along with a café selling a range of refreshments.

Christmas Experience tickets are available from just £7.50 (discounts for Breeze and Lotherton members), but hurry, as Santa’s diary is filling up fast! Weekend Santa tickets are now nearly sold out, but weekday availability (including during the school holiday) remains. So dash, dance and prance to book your experience today as spaces are limited and strictly on a pre-booking only, time-slotted system. Visit www.thechristmasexperience.co.uk to find out more and book.

ENDS

For media enquiries contact:

Leeds City Council Communications team
communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk