Christmas is a time for fun, and it's a time for family. And what better way to countdown to the 25th with a visit to a Winter Wonderland or your local festive market or fair to make the experience all the better. Why not search for the perfect gift in a hidden stall? Or get yourself lost in a Christmas Maze? The options are endless in Surrey & SW London, but here are a few of our favourites:
Winterville
Clapham Common, Clapham
Dates: Wednesday, November 28th - Sunday, December 23rd, Wed-Fri 3 pm
Entry: £2 (free for under 16s and free for SW4 residents expect after 6 pm on Fri and 5 pm on Sat)
How could you miss the festive activities taking place in Clapham Common this Christmas. Home to some of the best events of the season, it's safe to say that Clapham knows how to do Christmas. Winterville will include lots of amazing food, drink and even ice skating! What more could you ask?
Street Feast, Backyard Cinema (don't miss it), and Plonk Golf will also feature at the festival, alongside a Christmas Maze and an indoor Roller Disco! Plus, there will be Santa there to keep the little ones ever occupied!
Guildford Farmers Market: Early Christmas Market
High Street, Guildford, Surrey
Dates: 4th December 2018, 10:30 am - 3.30 pm
This farmer's market will give you the chance to buy fresh produce from over 50 local farmers - what more could you ask for this Christmas? You'll be given the opportunity to try out the best of the seasonal produce and even ask the rare questions you can't have answered at the supermarkets. The farmers even offer up some of the best cooking methods and advice!
Not only this, but you'll be buying some of the freshest meat and produce in the county while sampling out a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages for all your Christmas shenanigans. Plus, there will be lots of variety of chutneys, herbs and baked goods that make your mouth water!
Kingston Christmas Market
Kingston Market Place, Kingston Upon Thames
Dates: Until Monday December 31st 2018, Wednesday-Sunday, 10.00 am - 6.00 pm
Ancient Market Place will be transformed this Christmas into a winter market that aims to spread festive cheers across the town and throughout the centre. There will be traditional wooden cabins for you to find some secret gems with plenty of choice of unique, handmade gifts.
On top of this, you will also find bars serving mulled wine, of course, and classic vendors serving up traditional, Christmas favourites and classic street food. Proving no better way to get in the Christmas spirit!
The Candy Cane Forest will also make a reappearance a few weeks before Christmas and will be open from the 15th December. Here you'll find plenty of entertainment for your children with fairground rides and a few other special surprises!
Hampton Court Palace Festive Fair
Dates: 7th - 9th December 2018
Friday and Saturday: 10:00-18:00; Sunday: 10:00-16.30
This list just would not be complete without Hampton Court Palace taking its rightful place. Get in the Christmas spirit this year at Hampton Court Palace famous Festive Fayre returns to the magical palace this winter.
Watch as the palace courtyards be transformed in a winter wonderland with festive food stalls, bars and cookery demonstrations. Local choirs and carol singers will take centre the stage as you kick back, relax and enjoy the festive fun.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
Hyde Park, Kensington
Until Sunday, January 6th 2019, Mon-Fri, 10.00 am
www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com
Even though Hyde Park might not be right on your doorstep, it would be criminal not to include it! Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland takes Christmas to the next level - and take it from someone who went last year, you will have so much for fun! Whether you're going with the family or friends, Hyde Park caters for all.
Full of rides that will thrill even the wildest adventure addict, to the smallest members of the family, festive food favourites, cosy bars, Christmas gift stalls and even an ice rink (the biggest outdoor rink in the UK)! Plus all the Christmas music to keep you singing all the way till the 25th.
But the best of all would be this year's Magical Ice Kingdom presenting the 'Enchanted Forest', which will be an immersive walkthrough of ice sculptures. Why not then head to the ice bar, where even the glasses you drink from will be made from ice (wear your gloves).
German Christmas Mini Market
The Guildhall, High Street, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 3AA
Dates: 2nd December 2018, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
What's unique about this Christmas market is that it's all about good German items! You'll find traditional toys, lots of unique little gits, a delightful bakery and you can even taste some fine German wines!
Haslemere Christmas Market
Haslemere Town Centre
Dates: Sunday 2nd December 2018, 10.00 am - 4.00 pm
Haslemere Christmas Market will be host to a lot of ongoings this festive period. There will be stalls with plenty of unique Christmas gift ideas, so if you're stuck for a gift then give the market a go! There will entertainment there for the children from a Santa's Grotto to a Live Nativity show.
Not only that, but you will have the opportunity to buy fresh produce from the Farmers' Market and have the chance to enjoy locally produced refreshments.
Reigate Christmas Market
Church Street, Reigate, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 0AA
Dates: 1 December 2018, 12.00 pm - 5.00 pm
This year Reigate's Christma Fayre is back and it will be taking place on the 1st of December in Church Street as usual. The street itself will be closed for traffic so make sure to plan your journey beforehand. Following suit of previous years, there will be plenty of entertainment, food stalls and gifts stall to browse too.
Like previous years, the event will be around the switch-on of the lights (new installations), which will be done by a star of the Christmas panto at the Harlequin and the Mayor of Reigate and Banstead, which will be Ann Widdecombe and Cllr Dorothy Ross-Tomlin, at 4.30 pm.
Streatham Rookery Christmas Fair & Market
The Rookery, Covington Way, Streatham, London, SW16 3BX
9th December 2018, 11.30 am - 4.30 pm
The annual Rookery Christmas Fair and Market is back, this time with over 40 craft and gift stalls, which will make it one of the best places to get some alternative gifts this Christmas, whether you're buying for others, or yourself.
There will also be the monthly Farmers' Market taking place on site, which will provide with a chance to buy fresh meat, veg, condiments, bread and all the lovely bits and bobs for your Christmas table. You'll also have the opportunity to drink The Rookery's on-site Brewery, Inkspot's most delicious beers and ales.
There will also be a Fire Garden available for children, where they can toast a marshmallow, or why not take a trip down to Santa's Grotto, which hidden down at the bottom of the gardens. The festive day will then end with Carols by Candlelight at 4 pm at Streatham Church!
