Christmas at Polesden Lacey 2025

Alice's Christmas in Wonderland

Tumble down the rabbit hole into a world of wonder and delight this festive season. Follow the White Rabbit inside the house to see the ground-floor rooms beautifully dressed for Christmas. The decorations are inspired by the story of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and you can expect to see many familiar characters along the way. Enjoy lavish displays based on scenes from the book, interspersed with Christmas decorations and twinkling trees at every turn.

Follow the magic around the grounds

While we don't have Father Christmas visiting us this year, we warmly welcome children and families to enjoy our Christmas trail in the grounds. Join Grizwald the Griffin as he meets the White Rabbit and discovers the delights of Wonderland. Enjoy fun activities, complete your trail sheet and collect a special gift at the end. No need to book in advance – trail sheets cost £5 each and can be purchased at Visitor Reception.

Grizwald's Christmas in Wonderland Family Trail | National Trust

Eat, drink and be merry

Pop by the café for some delicious Christmas favourites. As well as our usual selection of drinks, there will be flavoured hot chocolate to keep you warm after strolling around the grounds, exploring the estate, following the family trail or enjoying the Christmas scenes inside the house.

If you’re feeling peckish, pick up one of the tasty winter warmers on offer for lunch or choose from a range of sweet treats, all ready for you to enjoy while soaking up the festive mood.

Our shop will be fully stocked with artisan gifts, seasonal accessories and Christmas food offerings throughout the festive period. Plenty of opportunities to choose special gifts for friends and family.

National Trust membership is the gift that keeps on giving. Enquire at Visitor Reception about buying membership for yourself or someone else this Christmas, creating future memories throughout the year to remember forever.

A few practicalities

We cordially ask all National Trust members to bring their own, individually named memberships cards to show at Visitor Reception. This will help speed up your entry into the house and garden.

The house opens at 10.30am with last entry at 3pm – the rest of the property remains open until 4pm. Relaxed hours will run on four Thursday mornings (27 November, 4, 11 and 18 December) between 10.30am and 11.30am for anyone who would prefer to explore the house at a quieter pace with no music and fewer people. Ask at Visitor Reception about borrowing ear defenders or hiring a wheelchair. To pre-book one of our mobility scooters, call in advance on 01372 452048.

Portaloo cabins will be available in the grounds during the festive season, as well as the usual toilet facilities (including disabled facilities and baby changing areas) opposite the coffee shop and next to the café.

Parking

We are expecting to be very busy over the festive season. Please leave plenty of time to get to the car park - we are grateful for your patience and understanding while our teams work to park everyone safely. Follow the signs and talk to our staff, who will direct you where to park and answer any questions you may have. Parking is £4 or free for National Trust members – don’t forget to scan your card at the parking machine or give your vehicle details to the Visitor Reception team on arrival.

A little note of thanks

The team at Polesden Lacey wishes you all a wonderful festive season and a magical time exploring Alice’s Christmas in Wonderland. While you have fun and enjoy the festivities here, you are also helping us continue fund projects at Polesden Lacey for future generations to enjoy. Thank you.