Things to Do

This weekend, Willen Hospice is delighted to open its festive grotto, with Santa stopping by on 9 – 10 and 16 – 22 December. The charity will be transforming its tranquil gardens into a winter wonderland, ready to welcome families for a very special one-on-one meet and greet with Santa. Visitors will spend five magical minutes with Mr. Claus where he will surprise them with a personalised special message and celebrate what they have been good at this year. It costs £15 per child which includes a high-end quality gift. Nikki Poole, Willen Hospice Community Fundraising Manager, said, “Our Santa’s Grotto is always good fun, and its setting by Willen Lake makes it so special. We are looking forward to welcoming families, not only to add some Christmas magic but to also raise vital funds for the Hospice.” Money raised from the Grotto will help Willen Hospice to continue providing..

Xscape Milton Keynes is the leading entertainment and leisure destination in the region, and this festive season they’re giving visitors the chance to win prizes worth over £1,300 as they invite you to experience ‘Your Kind of Christmas’. What type of Christmas personality are you? The Party Enthusiast, The Memory Maker, The Activity Seeker or maybe The Flavour Finder…whichever best suits you, Xscape can help your kind of Christmas become a reality. In the build up to the big day, head over to their Instagram channel for the chance to win some amazing prize bundles from brands such as Volcano Falls, The Casino MK, Cineworld and new the Casa Cento Italian restaurant. Xscape Milton Keynes have also teamed up with Heart FM to offer an additional festive competition where you can win £500 worth of gift cards, that can be used across various Xscape brands. Head over to the Heart..

The city’s unique and inspiring Tree Cathedral at Newlands will be bursting with festivity when the spectacular open-air carolling service returns, on Sunday 10th December. Carols, immersive story-telling, and live performances from MK Brass and DD Powers Trio, will fill the beautifully lit tree nave, spire and chapels with Christmas spirit from 2pm until 5pm. Willen Hospice will warm vocal chords with hot drinks, mulled wine and soup for sale, and Camphill MK Communities will keep tummy’s from rumbling with delightful cakes and pastries available. Plus, as it’s the season of giving, an MK Food Bank donation point hopes to collect tinned and dry goods. Organised by The Parks Trust, the charity that cares for over 6,000 acres of the city’s green space, Carols at the Cathedral is free to attend and perfect for a memorable family afternoon outing. Yule (seriously) not want to miss this fantastic opportunity to come..

Willen On Ice promises fun for families and friends alike, when the purpose-built ice rink with twinkling canopy opened on Friday, 17th November. Running at Willen Lake until 7th January, there’ll be a host of other treats too. Visitors can jump aboard a land train for a lakeside trip to the Observation Wheel or enjoy a mixture of fun rides and stalls such as Dodgems, Funhouse, Teacups, Tin Can Alley and more. Alongside the rink and rides, there’ll be a refreshing Apres Ski Bar serving mulled wine, beer and cider. Plus, festive feasting on trendy Yorkshire pudding wraps and bratwurst on a traditional German style swing grill. For those looking for something a little sweeter, Crepes, waffles and pick ‘n’ mix will be available too. Ice skating tickets cost up to £7.95 for under 4s, £12.50 for under 16s and £14.90 for adults. A 10% group discount automatically applies for..

The countdown to Christmas has officially started at Midsummer Place! On Saturday, the premium shopping centre unveiled its Christmas Tree Festival – 18 beautiful festive trees decorated by local companies in support of their chosen charities – and now voting has started! Everyone can vote here: www.midsummerplace.co.uk/events/christmas-tree-festival-2023 The winners will receive a prize donation for their nominated charity in January, the prizes will be: 1st place: £2,250 2nd place: £1,350 3rd place: £900 The sponsors and their charities are: Tree 1 - The Walnuts School supporting Friends of Walnuts Tree 2 - Source UK Hire & Sales supporting Samuel's Charity Tree 3 - Spinks Creative supporting Harry's Rainbow Tree 4 - Two Flags Limited supporting Emily's Star Tree 5 - BCQ Solutions supporting Off The Record by Willen Tree 6 - Broughton Manor Prep School supporting NSPCC Tree 7 - Slimming World Milton Keynes with Jane supporting Alzheimer's Research Tree..