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Christmas at Trelissick

Family visitors in the house at Trelissick looking up at a decorated Christmas tree together, Trelissick, Cornwall
Visitors in the house at Trelissick, Cornwall | © National Trust / Steve Hayward

Have a Nadelik Lowen at Trelissick this December with Father Christmas, local choirs and decorations inspired by a Cornish Christmas.

Christmas opening at Trelissick

Trelissick will be open daily during December 2023 (closing at 2pm on Christmas Eve and closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day). The house will be decorated beautifully and inspired by a Cornish Christmas, there'll be performances from local choirs and Father Christmas will visit at weekends and in the build up to Christmas.

You'll be able to find festive gifts in the shop as well as the perfect winter warmers in the barn café and house tearoom. We won’t be open during the evenings this year but you’ll still find plenty to get you in the Christmas spirit.

Father Christmas at Trelissick

Join Father Christmas as he returns to Trelissick this December with a festive Cornish Christmas tale. We have two different Father Christmas events to book this year 'an audience with Father Christmas' and the accessible 'relaxed session with Father Christmas'. This is an accessible session with reduced noise levels and crowds.

Families meeting Father Christmas at Trelissick, Cornwall
Families meeting Father Christmas at Trelissick, Cornwall | © National Trust Images/John Millar

An audience with Father Christmas

2, 3, 9 and 10 December and then daily between 16 and 23 December

Father Christmas will visit the stable yard this December with a special story of a Cornish Christmas at Trelissick. Once the storytelling is complete he’ll hand out a small gift at the end to each child. Storytelling times are at 10.15am, 11am, 11.45am, 12.30pm, 2pm and 2.45pm. From 18 December there will also be storytelling sessions at 3.30pm.

An audience with Father Christmas is always incredibly popular and pre-booking is essential to avoid disappointment. Tickets cost £6 per child and £2 per adult attending, you can find your tickets for this event using the button below.

Please take note that normal admission charges to Trelissick apply, with free admission to National Trust members, and that assistance dogs only are able to attend.

Relaxed sessions with Father Christmas

2, 3, 9, 10, 16 and 17 December 3.30pm

This is an accessible session aimed at providing a more relaxed and calmer Father Christmas experience. With reduced noise levels and crowds, we hope to create a less stressful environment with Father Christmas.

The festive story of a Cornish Christmas at Trelissick will last approximately 20-30 minutes with time at the end to receive a small gift from Father Christmas. A limited number of ear defenders and sensory aids will be available for use in the quiet sessions on the day and an access statement is available from our website.

If you have any additional questions regarding this event, please contact us at trelissick@nationaltrust.org.uk

Pre-booking is essential to avoid disappointment. Tickets cost £6 per child and £2 per adult attending, you can find your tickets for this event using the button below.

Please take note that normal admission charges to Trelissick apply, with free admission to National Trust members, and that assistance dogs only are able to attend.

A RevoLOOtion mobile accessible toilet van will be available near the property office on Sunday 3 December for the Christmas events. Please bring your own sling if you wish to use the hoist – www.revolootion.org.uk

A Christmas wreath with gold flowers, oranges and red berries intertwined in foliage hangs on a door
A Christmas wreath welcomes visitors to Trelissick | © National Trust / Hilary Daniel

Christmas in the Trelissick house

The house at Trelissick will be open daily from 2 December until 31 December, closing at 2pm on Christmas Eve and closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Anna Sawle (Wedding Flowers in Cornwall) will return to create the beautiful displays and arrangements in the house, including the dining table laid for a festive feast in the West Library. She’ll be taking inspiration from Cornish heritage as well as the traditional Cornish tartan and hunting tartan in her displays that will complement the rooms and collection while maintaining a festive Christmas atmosphere.

The house at Trelissick is not your typical country house visit and the ground floor rooms host a modest collection. The south facing rooms are open as a place to sit and take in the view with refreshments from the house tearoom and at Christmas some of the festive treats to enjoy will include mince pies, Christmas cake, Cornish ginger fairings as well as warming soups and hot spiced apple juice.

Eating and shopping this Christmas

There’ll be plenty of chances to indulge in festive treats at Trelissick with Crofters, the house tearoom and a pop-up in the stable yard serving a variety of seasonal goodies. In Crofters you’ll find roast turkey and stuffing rolls and mulled wine. Choose hot, spiced apple juice in the house while you enjoy the views.

Under the tipi in the stable yard you’ll find benches, tabletop games and choirs singing throughout December. Open from 10am-4pm 2, 3, 9, 10, and 16 - 23 December as well as 11am-3pm between 11 - 15 December. The stable yard pop-up will be serving seasonal cakes, bakes, mince pies and hot chocolates to enjoy while you take in the festive atmosphere.

Head to the shop for a wide variety of Christmas gifts including festive food, hampers and sustainable decorations that support communities and use recycled materials.

Christmas craft fair at Trelissick

Between 2 and 5 December, pick up that perfect Christmas gift from the Trelissick craft fair in the barn. There'll be a variety of gifts available, lovingly handmade by National Trust staff and volunteers. The craft fair will be open from 10am-4pm and entry is free however the cost of parking applies, parking is free for National Trust members.

Two wooden reindeer in front of a Christmas tree
Fill your home with festive cheer with a selection of Christmas decorations | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Local choirs and performances in the tipi

Throughout December local choirs will visit the tipi with a repertoire of festive carols to delight, performances will be between 1-2pm. There will also be Cornish dancing with Tros an Treys (11 December), storytelling with Craig Green (18 December) and a performance of the Mousehole Cat from Falmouth Shout (23 December).

  • Saturday 2 December - Straw John
  • Sunday 3 December - Celtic Chords
  • Cantabile have unfortunately had to cancel their performance on 9 December.
  • Sunday 10 December - The Sunday Sirens
  • Monday 11 December - Tros an Treys
  • Tuesday 12 December - The Suitcase Singers
  • Wednesday 13 December - Riverside Singers
  • Thursday 14 December - Washaway Gallery Choir
  • Saturday 16 December - St Mary's Singers
  • Sunday 17 December - Maids of Melody
  • Monday 18 December - The Velvets
  • Tuesday 19 December - Kenwyn Cello
  • Wednesday 20 December - InTune Choir
  • Thursday 21 December - Red River Singers
  • Saturday 23 December - Falmouth Shout perform The Mousehole Cat

Storytelling: Christmas in Cornwall with Craig Green

Monday 18 December, 11.30am and 2.30pm

Join local author Craig Green under the tipi as he tells his story ‘Christmas in Cornwall’ this Christmas at Trelissick.

“It’s Christmas Eve and Cornwall is blanketed by heavy snow. Two little girls are eagerly awaiting Christmas while out to sea their fisherman father needs some very special extra help.”

Craig will be giving two storytelling sessions on Monday 18 December at 11.30am and 2.30pm. The tipi is sheltered from the winter weather but can still get quite chilly so please wrap up warm when attending. There’ll be picnic benches to sit on during the storytelling sessions.

Please take note that normal admission charges to Trelissick apply, with free admission to National Trust members, and that assistance dogs only are able to attend.

Winter stroll around the grounds

No trip to Trelissick is complete without a gentle stroll around the woodland walk to reflect and recharge near the water. Throw on your cosy jumpers and hats, and head to the countryside to enjoy the winter woodland walks, the beaches and the wider estate of Trelissick. You can even bring your dog with you on your winter stroll.

With over 300 acres of diverse countryside, you can take in the maritime views, stroll through panoramic parkland or venture out into secluded oak woodlands. With the estate surrounded on three sides by the River Fal, it commands an impressive position looking down Carrick Roads to Falmouth. Wherever you choose to explore, the culture and wildlife of the river is never far away this Christmas.

The white pyramid entrance at the front of Trelissick, in the autumn, with the orangery at the right of the picture

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