Bucks &amp; Oxon

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">GET IN THE FESTIVE SPIRIT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="740" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/11/Santa-with-little-boy.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-80620" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/11/Santa-with-little-boy.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/11/Santa-with-little-boy-150x111.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/11/Santa-with-little-boy-300x222.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/11/Santa-with-little-boy-676x500.jpg 676w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://missendenabbey-events.giftpro.co.uk/events/brunch-with-santa/" target="_blank">Brunch with Father Christmas</a>&nbsp;is on offer at&nbsp;Missenden Abbey, near Amersham, on 11-12 Dec — which is to say, you can take your kids to meet him, enjoy a photo op, and then tuck into brunch. You can also&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://milletsfarmcentre.com/what-s-on/this-month/1192-santa-s-grotto-at-frosts-garden-centre-2021.html" target="_blank">see Santa at Frosts Garden Centre</a>,&nbsp;near Abingdon,&nbsp;until 24 Dec. Check our full guide here for&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/kids-activities/where-to-meet-santa-buckinghamshire-oxfordshire-christmas-2021/" target="_blank">where else to see the big guy</a>. 



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Rapunzel at Chipping Norton (opens in a new tab)" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/arts-culture/theatre/rapunzel-pantomime-chipping-norton/" target="_blank">Rapunzel at Chipping Norton</a> is one of the many fab pantos on this year. Check out our round-up of <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/arts-culture/panto-guide-bucks-oxon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="13 to see before Christmas (opens in a new tab)">13 to see before Christmas</a>.



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Oxford's Christmas Market (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.oxfordchristmasmarket.co.uk/" target="_blank">Oxford&#8217;s Christmas Market</a> starts on 9 Dec. Love a crafty Christmas? We&#8217;ve rounded up the best of the local festive markets in our <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Bucks &amp; Oxon feature (opens in a new tab)" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/family-days-out/best-christmas-markets-buckinghamshire-oxfordshire/" target="_blank">Bucks &amp; Oxon feature</a>.



At&nbsp;Waddesdon Manor,&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://waddesdon.org.uk/whats-on/christmas/" target="_blank">Christmas</a>&nbsp;lasts&nbsp;until 23 Jan. Expect a stonker of a Christmas light trail, and charming wooden chalets harking fragrant festive food along with local artisan gifts. You can also enjoy&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://waddesdon.org.uk/whats-on/festive-dining-at-the-five-arrows/" target="_blank">Christmas dining</a>&nbsp;at The Five Arrows: roast turkey, herb-crusted hake, plant-based bourguignon — sumptuous stuff indeed.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/10/ghost-fest-oxford-castle-.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-97177" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/10/ghost-fest-oxford-castle-.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/10/ghost-fest-oxford-castle--150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/10/ghost-fest-oxford-castle--300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/10/ghost-fest-oxford-castle--720x480.jpg 720w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Even ghosts celebrate Christmas, as proved by the festivities on at&nbsp;Oxford Castle and Prison&nbsp;throughout the month. Tours will be specially&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.oxfordcastleandprison.co.uk/lantern-led-tours/" target="_blank">led by lantern light</a>, and the shop packed with Medieval-style Christmas gifts.



The award-winning (and Muddy fave) Creation Theatre has a real festive treat for you this month. How does an&nbsp;on-demand&nbsp;production of&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://creationtheatre.co.uk/christmas-carol/" target="_blank">A Christmas Carol</a>&nbsp;and a Hawksmoor at Home luxe steak and chips box sound? It&#8217;s going out without leaving the house &#8211; sounds like a bloody good night in to us! Delivered&nbsp;Thursdays and Fridays in December. 



From&nbsp;7-12 Dec&nbsp;you can admire the glittering lights of&nbsp;Bicester‘s&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.bicester.gov.uk/event/illuminated-christmas-trail/" target="_blank">first ever light trail</a>, around the grounds of Garth House. There will also be festive messages and dancing snowflakes projected onto the house front.



The&nbsp;Cotswold Distillery&nbsp;in Stourton is putting on its&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/events/846069706089772/?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%7D]%7D" target="_blank">Christmas shopping</a>&nbsp;event on&nbsp;9-11 Dec&nbsp;with late night openings until 8pm including tasters, mince pies, gifts and the cafe for hot drinks, cocktails and cheese and charcuterie sharing boards.



Thame’s first&nbsp;Christmas Street Food Market&nbsp;is planned for&nbsp;10 Dec&nbsp;by the Town Hall,&nbsp;10 Dec, 3-8.30pm. Expect pizza, jerk chicken and a pan Asian food van. It’s organised by AY StrEat Meet, which also has some street food vans heading to&nbsp;Haddenham&nbsp;on&nbsp;4 Dec&nbsp;including waffles and hot dogs.



Discover Bucks Museum&nbsp;is putting on a&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.discoverbucksmuseum.org/whats-on/a-georgian-christmas/" target="_blank">Georgian Christmas</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;11 Dec&nbsp;only. Expect St Nick in green, costumed historians, demonstrations, games, trails and family activities. There will also be sweet treats and Georgian style hot chocolate (£8 adult, £5.50 child) 10:30-4pm.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="800" height="532" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/gift-shop-april-19.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-116445" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/gift-shop-april-19.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/gift-shop-april-19-360x239.jpg 360w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/gift-shop-april-19-720x479.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/gift-shop-april-19-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/05/gift-shop-april-19-789x525.jpg 789w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure>



And finally, for beauty buffs –&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/beauty/make-up/christmas-beauty-make-up-essentials/" target="_blank">Next Beauty &amp; Homes store</a>&nbsp;in Milton Keynes (yes,&nbsp;that&nbsp;Next) is hosting a Christmas Shopping Weekend on&nbsp;11 – 12 Dec&nbsp;with 10% off in-store as well as goody bags for the first 100 customers who spend over £45 and discount at the RAWR beauty salon. Now that’s the kind of Christmas shopping we like!



Kids will enjoy&nbsp;Waterperry Gardens’&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.waterperrygardens.co.uk/event/find-santas-reindeer-trail/" target="_blank">Reindeer Trail</a>, running&nbsp;until 23 Dec, which also gives parents a chance to appreciate the horticulture. Give Rudolph a hello from us.



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://bletchleypark.org.uk/" target="_blank">Bletchley Park</a>&nbsp;is putting on some Christmas specials this year including a lost toy trail, festive afternoon tea and grotto, plus there’s a festive drop-in codebreaking workshop&nbsp;18-23 and 28-30 Dec, suitable for children aged 7+, accompanied by an adult.



Between&nbsp;18 Dec – 3 Jan&nbsp;there’s a&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://oumnh.ox.ac.uk/event/festive-favourites-family-trail-0" target="_blank">Festive Favourites Family Trail</a>&nbsp;at the&nbsp;Oxford Natural History Museum, a great way to get festive (and educated!) with the littl’uns.



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/christmas/" target="_blank">Christmas</a>&nbsp;at&nbsp;Blenheim Palace&nbsp;lasts&nbsp;until 2 Jan&nbsp;and involves an after-dark illuminated trail, winter street food, and the story of&nbsp;The Nutcracker&nbsp;re-imagined within the Palace’s rooms. The&nbsp;bustling&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/christmas-market/" target="_blank">Christmas market</a>&nbsp;likewise runs&nbsp;until 19 Dec.



Over at&nbsp;Whipsnade Zoo,&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo/whats-on/christmas-at-whipsnade-zoo" target="_blank">Santa Paws is Coming to Town</a>&nbsp;on weekends&nbsp;until 24 Dec. Learn about reindeer, give “a gift” (some food) to the animals, and take your little ones to meet Father Christmas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE BIG SHOWS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/06/New-Theatre-Oxford.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-72920" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/06/New-Theatre-Oxford.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/06/New-Theatre-Oxford-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/06/New-Theatre-Oxford-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/06/New-Theatre-Oxford-720x480.jpg 720w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



At the&nbsp;New Theatre Oxford, you can have a loverly time with&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/oxops-my-fair-lady/new-theatre-oxford/" target="_blank">My Fair Lady</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;7-11 Dec. Then from&nbsp;13 Dec – 1 Jan, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/school-of-rock/new-theatre-oxford/calendar/2021-12-13" target="_blank">School of Rock</a>&nbsp;is the theatre’s 2021 Christmas show, and a decidedly righteous time it is, too.



Over at the&nbsp;MK Theatre,&nbsp;Britain’s Got Talent‘s favourite dance group Diversity will be doing backflips and climbing beanstalks in their Christmas pantomime&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.miltonkeynes-theatre.co.uk/theatres/milton-keynes-theatre/jack-and-the-beanstalk.php" target="_blank">Jack and The Beanstalk</a>&nbsp;from&nbsp;11 Dec – 8 Jan. See the rest of our&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/arts-culture/panto-guide-bucks-oxon/" target="_blank">top panto picks here</a>.



Another great Christmas show for kids is&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/home-in-time-for-christmas" target="_blank">Home in Time for Christmas</a>&nbsp;at the&nbsp;Oxford Playhouse, a story about a Christmas Eve adventure told with puppets, on&nbsp;9-31 Dec.



Then how cute is this? On&nbsp;11-12 Dec&nbsp;there are charming&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/events/861227331199446/" target="_blank">performances of music from&nbsp;The Snowman</a>&nbsp;(and other Christmas hits) in&nbsp;Wantage, near Abingdon, by the Wantage Brass Brand. Bet you there isn’t a dry eye in the audience by the end.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CHORAL CLASSICS</h2>



After 2020 gave us — roll your eyes if you will — a Christmas without classical musical performances, this year we’re going crazy for choral. To start, don’t miss City of Oxford Choir’s festive concert&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/o-magnum-mysterium" target="_blank">O Magnum Mysterium</a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;11 Dec&nbsp;in the University Church of St Mary the Virgin,&nbsp;Oxford, for a sonorous double choir singing Bach’s Sanctus in D, carols, and more seasonal highlights.



It must be Christmas, because it&#8217;s not often you get the combined talents of such a gifted bunch as the <a href="https://oxfordphil.com/events/128253792-anne-sophie-mutter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Oxford Philharmonic (opens in a new tab)">Oxford Philharmonic</a> and Keble College Choir, conducted by Marios Papadopoulos, and joined by violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, who will perform Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major. It&#8217;s happening at the Sheldonian Theatre on 10 Dec.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CULTURAL BIG HITTERS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/03/8._MK_Gallery._Photo_-_6a-web.width-800.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-113990" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/03/8._MK_Gallery._Photo_-_6a-web.width-800.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/03/8._MK_Gallery._Photo_-_6a-web.width-800-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/03/8._MK_Gallery._Photo_-_6a-web.width-800-720x480.jpeg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/03/8._MK_Gallery._Photo_-_6a-web.width-800-150x100.jpeg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/03/8._MK_Gallery._Photo_-_6a-web.width-800-788x525.jpeg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



From&nbsp;4 Dec – 23 Jan, it’s dance music central at the&nbsp;MK Gallery&nbsp;thanks to its free exhibition&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://mkgallery.org/event/sanctuary-the-unlikely-home-of-british-rave/" target="_blank">Sanctuary: The Unlikely Home of British Rave</a>. Asking how an unsuspecting Milton Keynes warehouse become one of the UK’s largest and most beloved rave venues, this examines the pioneering nightlife history of the city.



If you’ve had your fill of&nbsp;The Ashmolean‘s terrific&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ashmolean.org/tokyo" target="_blank">Tokyo exhibition</a>, don’t neglect their still excellent free offerings: one on Samurai gold in&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ashmolean.org/event/samurai-gold" target="_blank">Tokugawa Japan</a>&nbsp;(until 1 Jan), on&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ashmolean.org/event/dante" target="_blank">Dante as the inventor of celebrity</a>&nbsp;(until 9 Jan), and a quirky exhibit&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ashmolean.org/event/cultured-canines" target="_blank">depicting dogs in the style of Ancient Greek pottery</a>&nbsp;(until March).



There are still tickets available during Dec for Anish Kapoor’s exhibition, Painting at&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.modernartoxford.org.uk/whats-on/anish-kapoor-painting" target="_blank">Modern Art Oxford</a>. On&nbsp;until 13 Feb&nbsp;2022, the exhibition has gained a lot of press for its raw and sometimes gory paintings tackling religion, violence and bodily functions…



More festive fun times



<a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/family-days-out/best-christmas-markets-buckinghamshire-oxfordshire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Christmas markets in Bucks &amp; Oxon</a>



<a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/eat-out/farmshops-delis/christmas-food-from-local-buckinghamshire-oxfordshire-producers/">Fill your Xmas table from these cracking farmshops</a>



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/kids-activities/where-to-meet-santa-buckinghamshire-oxfordshire-christmas-2021/" target="_blank">Where to meet Santa in Bucks &amp; Oxon this Christmas</a>



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/home/christmas-tree-farms-buckinghamshire-oxfordshire/" target="_blank">Fir real? Where to buy your Christmas tree this year</a>



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/best-christmas-light-trails-visit-buckinghamshire-oxfordshire/" target="_blank">18 lovely light trails in Bucks, Oxon, and beyond</a>



<a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/kids-activities/best-local-ice-rinks-buckinghamshire-oxfordshire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Skates on! 13 nearby ice rinks to visit this winter</a>

What’s on this week in Bucks & Oxon

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