Christmas in the Windsor area

Kings and queens have celebrated Christmas at Windsor Castle since the 12th century, and it was Queen Victoria and Prince Albert who introduced many of the Christmas traditions that we know today, like indoor decorated trees. 

While enjoying the festive season at the Castle, they were often seen ice skating and enjoying winter sleigh rides in the Castle grounds.

Fast forward to today’s Royal Borough and you’ll still find festive favourites that include a show-stopping 20-foot-high Christmas tree in Windsor Castle’s State Apartments, the annual Windsor ice rink and horse-drawn carriage rides through a wintry Windsor Great Park!

We very much hope that Windsor and the Royal Borough will be the place where you will want to spend Christmas and New Year with your loved ones, whether you live locally or are planning a winter visit or short break. 

With a fantastic programme of special Christmas events – including free festive events – that all the family will enjoy, Windsor and the Royal Borough is the perfect place to celebrate the magic of the season.  Share your Royal Borough festive pictures with us using #MyFestiveRoyalBorough.

Royal Borough Christmas brochure 2024

Our Christmas Brochure is here!  Download a copy or turn the pages of our Christmas eBrochure version; it’s your official guide to events and activities taking place in the Royal Borough this festive season.

Coworth Park, Ascot

Christmas and New Year festive short breaks in the Windsor area

Why not spend Christmas or New Year with us?  Our hotels have some great Christmas holiday package ideas with all the ingredients you need for a sensational seasonal stay.  Let others attend to the finer details while you relax and get into the festive spirit.  Take a look at our special offers for more information or check out our accommodation pages for all the options.

Christmas and New Year special offers

Check out the latest special offers from our accommodation providers, attractions and restaurants with ideas and inspiration for Christmas and New Year in the Windsor area.  Discover festive parties, holiday packages, seasonal lunches, afternoon teas and dinners galore.

Christmas light switch-ons

Our seasonal what's on events programme gets going in November as the countdown to Christmas begins when the lights are switched on in Windsor, Eton and Maidenhead.

Festive meal at Leaf, The Castle Hotel

Festive food and drink in the Windsor area

The Royal Borough is full of wonderful restaurants, cosy pubs and tasty eateries, perfect for that Christmas celebration with family and friends!  Read about our great festive eating and drinking special offers – including festive parties, and breakfasts and afternoon teas with Santa – at our hotels and restaurants.

Christmas shopping in Windsor and Maidenhead

Discover Christmas shopping heaven in the Royal Borough: you are bound to track down the perfect present for even the most difficult person to buy for on your Christmas list.  We have top high street names as well as some fantastic independent shops and Christmas markets; no wonder shopping is one of the top reasons for visiting us! 

For something a bit different get down to Norden Farm's Festive Night Market, check out the unique gifts created by the ‘coopers’ at Craft Coop at Windsor and Maidenhead or head to The Savill Garden shop for beautiful homeware, toiletries and children's gifts from artisan suppliers.

Great Fosters Afternoon Tea

Vouchers for gifts and experiences

What do you get the person who has everything?  Choose a voucher for a gift or experience such as a luxurious spa treatment, an indulgent afternoon tea, an escape room experience or a day at the races!

Windsor Great Park Christmas Tree Shop

Windsor Great Park Christmas trees

Windsor Castle’s Christmas trees come from Windsor Great Park.  Visit Windsor Great Park Christmas tree shop and pick up a beautiful tree for your own home; all their trees are grown in the UK with the majority of them grown on the Windsor Estate.

Free Christmas events in the Windsor area

We have festive events for everyone in Windsor and the Royal Borough.  Discover free town centre events including our Christmas light switch-ons in Eton, Windsor and Maidenhead; family favourite the Windsor and Eton Living Advent Calendar; free family trails in Eton; and Carols on Castle Hill.  A public gathering around the Christmas tree on Castle Hill dates back to 1949 when King George VI first had a tree installed as a gift to the town. 

Windsor Castle’s beautiful Garter Tower Illuminations return by kind permission of His Majesty King Charles III.

Scroll down to see our regularly-updated list of what's on this Christmas.

Theatre Royal Pantomime

Festive entertainment, pantos and live shows

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a trip to see a live show.  Choose from traditional pantomimes such as Dick Whittington at the Theatre Royal or family theatre such as Pinocchio at Norden Farm.  Check out our regularly-updated list of entertainment what's on this Christmas including concerts, music, ballet and live event cinema.

Celebrating the festive season at our attractions

Many of our attractions will be getting into the festive spirit including Christmas horse-drawn carriage rides with Ascot Carriages and Windsor Carriages, and Santa Cruises with Windsor & Maidenhead Boat Company, perfect for a get together with friends and family.

Join the folk at The LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort to make memories that will last a lifetime as they celebrate the most special time of the year with Legoland at Christmas. See the park transform into a winter wonderland, complete with twinkling lights, snow dusted trees, and of course a sprinkling of Lego magic!

Christmas tree in St George's Hall, Windsor Castle. © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection Trust

Experience Windsor Castle at Christmas, decked with twinkling lights, garlands and shimmering Christmas trees to celebrate the festive season.  The highlight will be the magnificent 20-foot Nordmann fir tree in St George’s Hall, taken from Windsor Great Park.  For the first time, miniature decorations have been added to the tiny rooms of Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House at Windsor Castle, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the largest and most famous dolls’ house in the world.

‘Tis the season for high-quality Jumps racing and festive fun at Ascot’s final race meeting of the year, the Howden Christmas Racing Weekend.  Friday is the perfect day to enjoy thrilling racing, festive food and winter cocktails.  While on Saturday, a top-quality card features the Grade 1 Howden Long Walk Hurdle, one of Britain’s most prestigious long-distance hurdle races.  Off the track, there’s an abundance of seasonal fun for all with a range of festive entertainment set to delight racegoers of all ages.  The traditional fairground rides and candle-lit carol singing with the Ascot Brass Band remain firmly part of the entertainment, and Father Christmas and his reindeer will be in attendance.

Jumps racing returns to Royal Windsor Racecourse this December for the first time in 20 years!  Gather friends and family for a pre-Christmas get together.  Children go free and there’s plenty of family entertainment including an appearance from Santa and his elves!

Windsor Great Park Illuminated returns this winter with another magical trail, bringing the woodland to life with dazzling lights, breathtaking projections and floodlit fountain shows.  With a generous sparkle of new installations and a sprinkling of favourites returning, this year’s Windsor Great Park Illuminated promises to be more magical than ever.  Book tickets now via the Windsor online shop!

The Copper Horse, Windsor Great Park

Christmas and New Year pub walks

If you love the outdoors then read all about our top festive pub walks in the Windsor area this Christmas and New Year.  Our parks, gardens and open spaces are perfect for walking off the seasonal excess!  The Christmas holidays are a lovely time to get outside for fresh air and exercise with friends and family.   Explore Windsor Great Park, National Trust gems – such as Cookham, Runnymede and Cliveden – as well as stretches of the beautiful River Thames Path. 

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