Santa Claus is coming to Manchester and this is where to find him

Written by Sam Belkacemi
Last updated 7 years ago
City of Manchester, Family & Kids, Shopping

Where to see Santa in Manchester!?

Christmas in November is an absolute no-no for some people. If you’re one of them, please look away now and carry on bah-humbugging until the 24th of December when you might just get out a sorry piece of tinsel and tape it to your mantelpiece.

We, on the other hand, love it. Christmas everything. Sleigh bells and Christmas tunes and all the Yule logs we can carry. We have no problem scoffing a mince pie or two in November. Mulled wine, heck to the yes. Chocolate coins, fairy lights and mistletoe. We’ll take them all. Even sprouts.

And Christmas just isn’t Christmas without the man in red. No, not Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Santa Claus aka Father Christmas.

The point is he’s the original Mr Worldwide and he pops up all over the place in the run up to Christmas. So we’ve put together a little list to increase your chances of seeing the big fella around the city.

Ho, ho, ho and all that jazz.

House of Fraser

If there’s one event that should be on every kid’s Christmas calendar every year, it’s a trip to Santa. And the man himself is coming to House of Fraser, bringing a whole host of magic, merriment and good old fashioned festive spirit with him. He’ll be working overtime until 3pm on Christmas Eve just to make sure no one misses out. There’ll be opportunities to buy a special keepsake photograph when your little ones meet the man himself, while there’ll be plenty of elves, fairy lights and a flurry of fake snow to make sure your day is as magical as can be.

Santa’s Grotto intu Trafford Centre

Make sure you head north this Christmas and embark on a magical and breathtaking adventure to the North Pole – the Polar Expedition at intu Trafford Centre. There’ll be Northern Lights and Eskimo Elves to guide you through an Arctic wonderland as you journey to meet Santa and his polar friends. Click here for more info.

Winter Wonderland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=24&v=xHacOGh3n7U

Contain yourself. Santa has been very kind and agreed to take time out from his busy schedule to see all the children at Winter Wonderland. He has transported his house all the way from the North Pole and children can walk through it. It’s a free meet and greet once entry to the event has been paid for and you’ll be able to bag yourself a sneaky snap with the man himself. If the children would like a gift it is an extra £3.50. The queue to see Santa will close thirty minutes prior to the end of each session. Click here for more info.

Breakfast With Santa at Hard Rock Cafe

Back by popular demand, the Hard Rock Cafe’s Breakfast With Santa event is set to spread Christmas cheer to all that attend. For just £10.95pp, guests can enjoy a full breakfast spread and lots of festive fun including a visit from Father Christmas himself. Taking place from 10am to 11.30am, dates for the event are 16th, 17th, 23rd and 24th of December. The 17th is already sold out so you best book your place quick to avoid missing out on this holiday treat. Click here to confirm.

Manchester Arndale’s Christmas grotto

Santa has officially arrived on his sleigh. His little helpers will be on hand to make sure the kids have a truly magical experience. You’ll be able to see the big man himself from Thursday 16 November until Sunday 24 December. You can book grotto tickets now for £4.50 per child (plus booking fee) during off-peak times and £5.50 (plus booking fee) during peak times. Click here for more info.

Hinterland

If you fancy a white Christmas but can’t quite bring yourself to forking our for a plane ticket to Vienna, this is the next best thing. A Christmas pop-up party is set to transform a two-acre plot of land near Old Trafford into a winter woodland blanketed with artificial snow. Hinterland will host an immersive Arctic dining experience, with welcome drinks and a two-course Christmas dinner served under tipi canopies. There will also be a Northern Lights bar which will host live bands and DJs, and an after dark light show inspired by the aurora borealis. Santa Claus isn’t yet confirmed but we reckon there’s a good chance he’ll show up. As if all this wasn’t enough, there’s also set to be a giant wood-fired hot tub, which will be available to book on the night. Click here for more info.

Dunham Massey

Our favourite rural retreat, Dunham Massey will be transformed into a magical winter wonderland this Christmas. Think singing Christmas trees, twinkling tunnels, a scented fire garden, a canopy of more than 100 thousand lights and, of course, Father Christmas himself. There will be larger-than-life snowflakes and baubles and all manner of Christmas goodness. This event is set to run from December 1 until Christmas Eve and is great for people of all ages. Whether you’re 8 or 80, get into the spirit of things. Click here for more.

This article was last updated 7 years ago.
It was first published on 7 November 2017 and is subject to be updated from time to time. Please refresh or return to see the latest version.

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