Christmas in Dorset

Christmas is a magical time to visit Dorset and enjoy all the festive fun on offer at this wonderful time of year.

Whether you’re visiting with family, friends or that special someone, Dorset will certainly leave you full of Christmas cheer!

We look forward to seeing you soon. Happy holidays everyone!

Find the perfect place to spend Christmas in Dorset

What could be more festive than spending Christmas with the whole family at a country cottage - opening presents around a cosy logburner and enjoying a sumptuous Christmas feast together at the farmhouse table?

Or maybe you’d like to leave all the hard work to someone else and be wined, dined and truly treated at a hotel.

There really is nothing like spending a Christmas break away in the countryside. Take a look at some of the fantastic packages that will make this Christmas one to remember for years to come!

Yuletide events to keep everyone entertained

One of the most exciting parts about Christmas is all the festive events we get to enjoy, and this year has to be one of the best yet!

Meet Santa on the Swanage Railway Santa Special, with entertainment in the carriages, mince pies and presents for the children.

You can also Sail with Santa on a kids' party cruise with Christmas music playing and Santa walking through the boat giving out gifts to children as a memento of their cruise.

If you’re after some real festive cheer, Weymouth and Bournemouth have lots of events taking place in the run up to Christmas including ice-skating, late night shopping and those all-time-favourite pantomimes.

There are also lots of Christmas light switch-on events, carol singing and late night shopping taking place in towns and villages all across Dorset.

Enjoy a Christmas feast with us!

It’ll be more than the geese getting fat this Christmas after you’ve seen what tasty delights are on the menus at Dorset’s fantastic eateries. Whether you’re looking for an intimate, independent venue or a large and lively place full of merriment, they will be pulling out all the stops to create the perfect venue for your Christmas Day or festive feast.

Celebrate the season of Noel by tucking in to something scrumptious - we can’t wait to tempt you with our sensational mulled cider, tasty eggnog and spiced mince pies.

Where better than to enjoy your meal than a warm and inviting village inn, award-winning restaurant or perhaps a richly adorned hotel?

And it's not just about the big day, restaurants and pubs also offer Christmas Party menus, as well as special menus for Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Years Eve.

Shop 'til you drop

It’s that time of year again for seasonal shopping but there’s no need to dread the experience here in Dorset.

Dorset is blessed with quaint market and seaside towns that are full of independent boutiques and shops selling unique gifts, antiques, homeware, confectionary and more, making your shopping experience a real pleasure.

Add twinkly lights, carol singers, lantern parades, Christmas tree festivals, medieval plays, ice skating and hot chestnuts, and you’ll see why shopping in Dorset this Christmas will be a truly magical experience.

Of course, if you’re in need of even more retail therapy, then the more bustling shopping centres in Bournemouth, Poole and Dorchester can tend to your high street needs.

Take a look at Dorset’s Christmas Shopping events for festive fayres, Christmas markets and late night shopping.

Oh yes it is! It’s panto time!

Ridiculous, noisy, funny and involving lots of audience participation - we all love a Christmas Pantomime!

It’s an integral part of everyone’s Christmas celebrations and this year, Dorset is spoiling you with a range of traditional classics from Jack and the Beanstalk to Aladdin, all showcasing a mix of your favourite panto celebrities and fabulous local talent.

Take the whole family along and enjoy a side-splitting, thigh-slapping evening out!