A 25ft Christmas tree and trail of more than 80 lit up trees are among the dazzling Christmas decorations at Wales’ historic houses. People can visit properties across Wales with special late night openings, music, workshops and even silent discos over the festive period.
The National Trust Cymru is even running special sensory events, to help people of all ages affected by sensory overload enjoy the festivities. Houses and gardens will be adorned with stars, wreaths, sugar plums and lights and there are special festive walking trails, as well as trails suitable for wheelchairs.
At Tredegar House in Newport the gardens will be lit with lanterns and more than 80 decorated Christmas trees. Visitors are being invited in to explore the Christmas traditions of the Morgan family in the beautifully decorated mansion with its 500 years of history. Find out about the latest events in Wales by signing up to our What’s On newsletter here
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Christmas at Penrhyn Castle -Credit:Aled Llywelyn ?National Trust
Father Christmas and Scrooge will even make an appearance at events in the run up to Christmas at Tredegar with festive themed late-night openings from 12pm to 8pm from Friday December 13 to December 23. Family Festive Weekends will be held on December 14 – 15 and December 21-22 from 12pm to 8pm when there will be live music, Father Christmas will stroll the grounds and Ebenezer Scrooge will be in the house.
The National Trust Cymru is also running sensory friendly events here and across Wales in the run up to Christmas. These include quieter mid-week visits and a Christmas silent disco.
Silent discos will run at Plas Newydd House and Garden, on Anglesey on weekends until December 29 with three sessions staggered throughout the day at 11am, 12pm and 2pm. The discos, for people of all ages, take place in the historic music room but tickets must be booked here Book tickets: nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wales/plas-newydd-house-and-garden.
There will be quieter mid-week Christmas visits at Penrhyn Castle and Garden in Bangor. For the first time, Penrhyn Castle will also open on weekdays during the festive period from December 16-20.
Visitors are being invited in to enjoy a quieter visit and explore the magnificent rooms at Penrhyn without the crowds. The castle will sparkle with ornate decorations and a towering 25-foot Christmas tree in the grand hall, where there is also an interactive storytelling session for the under-fives on Wednesday December 18.
In the castle gardens there are hand-painted wooden stars decorated by local community groups and a giant Christmas wreath in the walled garden. There’s also a wheelchair-friendly, step-free circular walk around the castle and the top terrace of the Walled Garden on gravel paths.
The new hall at Tredegar House decorated for Christmas
At Erddig Hall in Wrexham the house and garden has been transformed with traditional decorations inspired by the famous poem The Night Before Christmas. Each room has been decorated to bring the poem to life, from stockings hung by the fire to sugar plums dancing in the bedrooms.
For younger visitors there is a special spotter trail to find hidden details including handcrafted mice and storytelling sessions with Jake Evans every Saturday leading up to Christmas – the story lasts half an hour, with four sessions starting 11am until 2pm and there’s no need to book.
This year, Erddig Hall and Garden extends their opening hours into the evening from December 16-19. The house is open until 7pm while the garden closes at 4pm.
At Powis Castle and garden in Welshpool the multimedia Christmas illuminations at will be on from December 13-23. Visitors can watch colourful moving projections lighting up the castle walls in the courtyard from 4.30-7pm and there are no flashing lights or music.
Inside the castle the rooms are decorated in a Dickensian style, with flickering candles and twinkling lights from 10am-4pm until January 5.
Festive scenes and family games have been nestled throughout the Edwardian landscape of Dyffryn Gardens where activities include snowman hoopla and a giant snowball kerplunk.
Children can create their own Christmas story in the puppet theatre, play nutcracker skittles, and race marbles in the mini marble run. There are also sensory backpacks available to borrow to help parents and their children explore Dyffryn gardens in new ways and soothe over-stimulation.
These free to borrow backpacks, also available at other National Trust properties, contain ear defenders to help support children who struggle with unfamiliar or loud sounds, a children’s book (both English and Welsh), fidget toys to improve focus, and a kaleidoscope.
For more information on visiting National Trust Cymru properties this Christmas visit: To plan your family Christmas and winter days out click here