Plan the best Christmas family days out in 2025

Discover The Magical Winterland, meet Santa and more at Meadowhall

’Tis the reason – from The Magical Winterland with fairground rides, Christmas market, the cosy Après Bar and Santa’s Magical Grotto to the roving Christmas Cirque, Meadowhall in Sheffield is the most uplifting place to be this season.

With twinkling lights, magical decorations and live music raising money for good causes alongside fabulous gifting, seasonal movies and family meals out, it’ll be a Merry Christmas for one and all…

Explore The Magical Winterland at Meadowhall, 21st November-4th January

Take the whole family on an enchanting 30-minute adventure with a trip to meet Santa in his Magical Grotto.

Join the elves in the Sweet Factory, write letters to Santa and explore the Winter Forest with the Ice Princess, complete with playful snowball fights with her mischievous furry friends before meeting Santa himself. (Each child receives an age-appropriate gift with the option to purchase a family photo keepsake.)

There’s also funfair rides, market stalls, the Après Bar, games and live entertainment to conjure up unforgettable festive memories they’ll cherish forever.

Roll up, roll up to the Christmas Cirque

Step right up and prepare to be wowed by acrobats, jugglers and aerialists performing live around Meadowhall.

Every Saturday and Sunday from 8th November until 21st December plus Monday 22nd, Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th December (Christmas Eve).

Clubhouse fun for everyone

Clubhouse is full of joy this Christmas with bowling, mini golf and junior menus of mac and cheese, buttermilk fried chicken tenders with fries and pizza (under 18s must be accompanied by an adult).

Celebrate Christmas together with family meals

From grandparents to grandchildren, come together at Meadowhall for inspired celebrations to suit everyone.

Carluccios’ Christmas menu has seasonal delights galore while Las Iguanas’ Christmas special selection of seasonal tapas is perfect for sharing with tasty churros for dessert. Bag a huge table at The Real Greek and tuck into fabulous Greek-inspired dishes of meze, souvlaki lamb and halloumi and chocolate mousse cake and baklava.

Zizzi are serving up The Festive Bombe (garlic bombes with chestnut and cranberry crumbled pork meatballs; crispy prosciutto and sage and roquito hot honey) with Panettone bread and butter pudding while Frankie & Benny’s are bringing out holiday burgers (a beef patty stacked high with rich melted camembert, crispy smoked streaky bacon and a sweet touch of cranberry sauce, served with golden skin on fries) and Candy Cane Sundaes and Cinnamon Bun cheesecake. Discover the Small Eaters menu for £6.95 and Big Eaters menus for £8.95 with a drink, main, two sides and dessert.

TGI Fridays festive menu is filled with Yuletide roast chicken and winter berry cheesecake (remember, kids eat free with their Stripes awards app) while Pizza Express’s family-friendly dough balls in blankets, cola-glazed ham hock and ever-popular loaded snowball dough balls (topped with white chocolate sauce, dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar and served with a white chocolate dip) are utter crowd pleasers. Their Piccolo kids’ menu is £8.50 for dough balls, pizza, pasta or salad, dessert and Bambinoccino.

Plan a fun festive day out together

Need some fun over the Christmas holidays? Let them loose at Air Haus, Jump Inc, Funstation and Rock Up then grab kid-friendly favourites from wagamama, Nando’s, Five Guys, McDonalds, Popeyes Chicken and Slim Chickens.

Magical family days out at the movies

Plan some of (most) wonderful times out this Christmas with a family trip to the movies – with added popcorn and pick’n’mix, of course.

There’s magic and wonder as the final chapter of Wicked arrives on 21st November; mismatched bunny and fox Detectives Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are back in the brilliant Zootropolis 2 (28th November) while Avatar: Ash and Fire (19th December) is set to be the holiday season’s most epic adventure of all.

Vue will also be featuring family-favourite classics for all ages too. Altogether now: “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”

Bring their Santa wishlist to life

Conjure up the perfect Christmas morning with thoughtful gifts for kids, partners, parents and friends. Marks & Spencer, TK Maxx, Zara, Lush, Hotel Chocolat, Sephora and Flying Tiger Copenhagen have everything from matching pyjama sets to fabulous stocking fillers or find wonderful surprises for big presents at Space NK, Oliver Bonas, Bershka, Frasers, Flannels, The White Company and Breitling.

Open late so everyone can make the most of Christmas

From Monday 24th November, Meadowhall’s opening hours are 9am-10pm weekdays, 9am-8pm Saturdays and 11am-5pm Sundays.

Christmas Eve 8am-5pm, Boxing Day 8am-6pm, New Year’s Eve 9am-4pm and New Year’s Day 10am-4pm.

It’s easy to get to Meadowhall via car and public transport (find out more here) plus we have free parking and family-friendly facilities.

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