Christmas at Waddesdon 2023
Once upon a time… four words which herald the start of many a magical adventure, and there is no better place to begin yours than at Waddesdon Manor this Christmas.
This festive season (22 November 2023 - 1 January 2024) experience Christmas at Waddesdon like never before and be transported to a festive wonderland as classic British tales come to life inside the house whilst dazzling new light displays enchant and delight outside.
See the fairytale château transformed with imaginative decorations inside and a specially commissioned digital projection on the Manor façade inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, CS Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by and JM Barrie’s Peter Pan.
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Inside the house, journey through the pages of these cherished British tales, uniquely reimagined and brought to life in some of the Manor's grandest rooms. As you explore the extended route, you’ll find the Mad Hatter’s tea party, venture into the White Witch’s castle, and discover Captain Hook’s secret treasure, created with inventive installations, immersive soundscapes and light displays.
A house highlight is sure to be the intricate sculptures created by paper artist Nathan Ward at large scale exclusively for Waddesdon.
Outside, the Manor’s beautiful façade will come to life with a superb, specially commissioned digital projection by renowned designer Jamie Shiels. With a back catalogue including projects at Buckingham Palace and Eurovision, his unique animated video mapping will create bespoke projections, exploiting the extraordinary architecture of the house. Festive scenes will be combined with magical moments and dramatic visual effects as objects from the collections come to life and the exterior of the building melts away to reveal the treasures within.
The spectacular landscaped gardens will also be lit with a kaleidoscope of colour and illumination in a new light trail. In partnership with light art pioneers Luminism, this new route through the gardens will dazzle and delight.