Christmas events in Oxford this year look set to be more normal than they were in 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic all but halted the festive season.
In the run up to Christmas, children across the county will be eager to meet Father Christmas.
At the Westgate centre there will be plenty of opportunity for youngsters to meet the big man in red.
READ MORE: Oxford's new pop-up Christmas shop has opened on Queen Street
Believe, Westgate Oxford’s ‘magical’ Christmas grotto, will be open from Friday, November 26 until Christmas Eve.
A spokesperson for the Westgate centre described how guests for the grotto be ‘welcomed into a mystical cavern where they’ll meet one of Santa’s trusted elves, McJingles, and the magical talking reindeer, Norbert – a small creature with big dreams’.
After greeting Norbert with a song, guests will be invited to make reindeer food which they can take home and leave out on Christmas Eve.
Children will then enjoy a one-to-one with Father Christmas himself.
All children will receive a wrapped gift of an age-appropriate book and the opportunity to take away a photo of the occasion.
This year, the shopping centre will also see the return of its Christmas market which will be open from November 19 to December 31.
The Christmas Market will sale personalised Christmas decorations, specialty cheeses and festive treats, as well as mulled wine and German sausage.
Brendan Hattam, centre director at Westgate Oxford, said: “We are delighted to welcome back the Christmas Grotto and ‘The Christmas Market’ to Westgate Oxford once again – this year even better than before!
“Both festivities are a great way for us to share the Christmas spirit with our guests and we are looking forward to Norbert becoming a local celebrity!”
Tickets for Believe are on sale now and can be purchased from the Westgate website. Tickets cost £12 per child and £5 per adult.
-
Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here
Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on news@nqo.com or 01865 425 445.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here