Winter Light Trail, Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury, Bucks, 15 Nov – 5 Jan

Waddesdon Manor is lighting up for Christmas once again, offering more festive cheer than you can shake a tinsel-covered stick at. This year it follows the story of Sleeping Beauty – the evil fairy, the dozing damsel and the dashing prince to the rescue. Wander through the indoor installations and get lost between the trees outside, illuminated by a kaleidoscope of colour. And if that isn’t enough, Waddesdon’s Christmas Fair is also back, along with a bespoke Food Village offering visitors takeaway food and drinks served from cute little chalets, from artisan kebabs to glazed doughnuts.

Christmas at Blenheim, Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxon, 15 Nov – 1 Jan

Blenheim doesn’t do anything by halves, and Christmas is its bread and butter. Let Tinkerbell be your guide – you’ve never seen the state rooms like this before. The woods, the lights, – this ain’t Blenheim’s first rodeo and they’ve got the magic of Christmas, bottled. There’s a meeting with Father Christmas along the way, too, so keep your eyes peeled. Meanwhile, the fountain will be lit up in technicolour to look something like this, and you don’t see that every day. Besides the famous light trail, this year sees the first-ever Great Skate on the stunning Great Court of the palace, a Neverland Afternoon Tea and the usual Christmas Market. In other words, carve out the whole evening.

Marlow Christmas Lights, from 21 Nov

The grand ‘switching on’ of the Marlow Christmas Lights always draws big crowds, and big celebs too – guest ‘switcher onners’ of the last few years have included Mary Berry and local author Robert Thorogood (above). The date is confirmed for 21 Nov this year, so stick that in the diary and keep an eye on Marlow Town Council’s website for celebby updates (which glitzy local will it be this time?) and info on the street stalls jazzing up the evening.

Oxford Christmas Light Festival, 15-17 Nov

The Oxford Christmas Light Festival has been quietly growing brighter since 2009, and this year it takes place over a full three-day weekend across the city. It isn’t one ‘light show’ but a spectacle of varied events. This year’s dazzling attractions are tbc, but for a flavour of what to expect, last year’s fest included trails in Cowley, Rose Hill, Botley and Oxford Castle, as well as ‘Glow Your Own’, a chance for the community to design the festive lights that go up in Blackbird Leys. Follow the events as they’re released here.

Fairytale Farm, Chipping Norton, weekends 23 Nov – 8 Dec, daily 9-24 Dec

Hang onto your Santa hats, Fairytale Farm near Chipping Norton is another spot that takes Christmas extremely seriously. Its festive funs starts when children are handed a ‘magic passport’ to travel through the Christmas eras, with helpful elves on hand to stamp it at every stop. Meet the dancing penguins at the North Pole before heading to Santa’s Grotto for a hangout with the jolly man in the red suit. Then it’s off to Dickensian London for A Christmas Carol, where there’s a gift for every child at Tom’s Toy Shop. They’ll love it, and it could be a bit of escapist fun for you too.

A Nordic Christmas at Hughenden, Hughenden Manor, 25 Nov – 3 Jan

Hughenden Manor’s Christmas celebrations this year are one-of-a-kind: a light show inspired by Norse Mythology. Enter the manor through the arcades decked with twinkling lights designed to look like stars above a Nordic village. Sweep through Odin’s forest (the Library), make merry at the grand yule feast (Drawing Room) and see the northern lights from a glacier (Dining Room). Leftfield, sure, but you’ve never seen Hughenden like this before.

Enchanted Light Trail, Cotswold Farm Park, Cheltenham, Glos, selected dates 22 Nov – 31 Dec

This quirky trail at the Cotswolds farm run by celeb farmer Adam Henson (of Countryfile fame) is one for the animal lovers. You can feed the livestock before they settle down for the night in the glowing Festive Animal Barn, then set out on the illuminated trail through the paddocks. If it’s chilly, warm up by the firepit with a toasted marshmallow (or two) before exploring the woodland gloriously transformed into a light trail that reaches a glittering finale. Prepare to be dazzled.

The Lost Magic of Christmas, Evenley Wood Gardens, Northants, 23 Nov – 24 Dec

Lights, Santa, action. Well, elves. Just over into Northamptonshire, Evenley Wood Garden is a 60-acre private garden carefully curated with a range of rare plants that wouldn’t usually grow in the region. They never miss the chance for a themed event and the surroundings are just perfect for a light trail. Think leafy treeways, forest clearings, and moonlight peeking through the branches. The theme of the festive trail is to search for the ‘lost magic of Christmas’, which, all being well, will be restored by the end of the journey. No spoilers, though.

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