The best: Santa’s Grotto experiences in Manchester

Promising a specially created Winter Wonderland in the heart of Altrincham town centre, Kids in Cheshire and Visit Altrincham present South Manchester’s biggest festive experience, featuring local pop-up stalls, children’s festive art-making and a meet-and-greet with Santa in his snow-topped igloo, with a small gift included in the ticket price.

Alongside all the usual peerless family entertainment at Lancaster Park – a petting barn, a caterpillar ride, a pirate shootout, mini quad bikes, swings, slides, ziplines and somehow more – the farm hosts a Christmas extravaganza from 9am-3.30pm on selected dates throughout December. With a team Elves on hand along the way, Guests can join Mrs. Claus for stories in her Cosy Cottage, take a seat in Santa’s life-sized sleigh and meet him in person with a small gift included for every child.

A native New Yorker who relocated to Salford to establish Greater Manchester’s pre-eminent film portrait studio, renowned photographer Julia Horrocks hosts a one-day family photoshoot with Santa with very limited spaces on offer. During the private session, kids will spend vital one-on-one time with Santa, informing him of their Christmas list while sharing cookies, before a ten-minute photoshoot which will be uploaded to an exclusive online gallery within 2 weeks.

Offering an enchanting festive ride through the picturesque Irwell Valley with Santa, his elves and a full brass band as fellow passengers, the East Lancashire Railway’s 80-minute Christmas return voyage from Bury to Rawtenstall is the North West’s answer to the Polar Express. Beginning with a Winter Wonderland scene at Bury Bolton Street Station, the journey features a sing-a-long, a choice of soft drinks and a free gift for every child, a choice of somewhat stiffer drinks and a mince pie per adult, and an improved range of kids’ entertainment.

The event also offers tickets to a Christmas Shuttle Bus from Heywood to Bury Bolton Street.

Taking places across four weekends with a final two days immediately following on the last Monday and Tuesday, Tatton Park’s Father Christmas on the Farm features ‘roaming entertainers, festive choirs and brass bands’ throughout the park, as well as photo opportunities in Santa’s sleigh, Clydesdale Barn’s Christmas Cafe and, of course, a meeting with Father Christmas and his elves in their festive grotto.

Tickets to see Father Christmas must be booked in advance, and are already selling out – click the link below to book.

While the event title may seem as though Menagerie has blissfully infused the wide-eyed innocence of childhood wonder with the Mancunian pastime of flamboyant unlimited day-drinking, their Santa meet-and-greet experience keeps it family friendly between 10am-1pm on the first three Saturdays of December. Alongside a brunch plate and as many soft drinks, teas or coffees guests can handle, tickets include gingerbread decorating, photo opportunities in the ‘Bath Tub Grotto’ and a chance for kids to reel off their present requests to Father Christmas himself.