Many families might be feeling the pinch ahead of Christmas 2022 as the cost of living continues to rise. This means the cost of Christmas activities, like meeting Santa, might need to be carefully considered to find the best deal.
There are plenty of Christmas activities you can enjoy in Wales, you can read our bumper guide, here and many different places you can meet Santa including Believe at St David's shopping centre, Fonmon Castle, the Principality Stadium and GreenWood Family Park. Some range in price from others, in some cases depending on what else you may get in the experience.
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Here are the Santa and Christmas experiences we found in Wales ranked most to least expensive. You can keep up to date with the latest What's On news by signing up to the newsletter here.
Santa's Tea Party at Celtic Manor, Newport
The luxury hotel Celtic Manor, near Newport, is hosting a Santa's Tea Party on selected dates in November and December. Prices range from £28 to £40 for adults and £18 to £33 for children, depending on which date you go.
Included in the package is festive afternoon tea, individual meeting and picture with Santa, festive activity packs and a gift from Santa. You can find out more here.
Tea with Santa at Fonmon Castle, Vale of Glamorgan
Giving customers access to Festive Lights, Santa Shows, Mrs Claus, The Magician, the owls and all the festive elves you can enjoy tea with Santa at Fonmon Castle. Customers will also have a private meet and greet with Santa and tea with Santa.
Tickets range from £30 to £40 for adults, £20 to £30 for children and £10 for children aged under three. You can book your ticket here.
Family Festive Lunch at Maes Manor, Blackwood
Mae's Manor in Blackwood is hosting a family festive lunch on Wednesday, December 7 and Wednesday, December 8. Guests will be eating a freshly cooked festive roast with all the trimmings in the ballroom.
There will also be party games, and a children's disco and each child will then be invited to meet with the man himself Santa, by his lovely warm log fire. Tickets cost £27.95 for adults and £13.95 for children and you can call 01495220011 to book.
The Ffestiniog Railway
There are two ways to meet Santa at Ffestiniog Railway in north Wales, the first is at the Welsh Highland Railway where Santa Specials will be run between Caernarfon Station to Rhyd Ddu. You will board the train at Caernarfon Station, collect your Christmas hamper, and then enjoy the treats on your train journey which will take you through the stunning Snowdonia National Park.
Santa and his elves will be aboard the train saying hello and handing out gifts during the service which runs on selected dates from Sunday, December 4, to Friday, December 23. Tickets start at £23.50 for adults and children and £4.50 for babies and you can book tickets online, here.
The second way to meet Santa is from Porthmadog Harbour Station, where you will find Santa in his Christmas Carriage Grotto. Santa will be in his grotto on selected dates from Saturday, December 10, to Friday, December 19, and Wednesday, December 23, and tickets start at £4.50.
To meet Santa you will need to pre-book, which you can do online here. You can read more about festive and Santa train rides here.
Santa Specials at Gwili Railway
Meeting Santa is a highlight for many children at Christmas and meeting him on a steam train is even more magical. This steam ride at Gwili Railway in Carmarthenshire includes a meet with Santa, present, drink and snack for children, and mince pie and sherry for adults.
Running every weekend in December tickets start at £9.95 for children aged two and under and £22.50 for children aged three and over and for adults. You can book your tickets here.
Enchanted Forest at GreenWood Family Park
In north Wales, in Y Felinheli you will be able to enjoy wandering through the illuminated forest and meet Santa in his cosy cottage. Tickets cost £18 for adults, £22 for children and £6 for babies aged under 12 months. You can book here.
The Brecon Mountain Railway
This Santa special has been running for 33 years and starts at Pant Station in Merthyr Tydfil where you board a steam train and travel to Santa's grotto in Pontsticill. Here children will receive a present from Santa and adults will be served mulled wine and mince pies - a definite win-win!
The Santa Special train will be running on selected dates from Saturday, November 26, to Thursday, December 15. Tickets are £20.75 per adult, £17.75 per child, and babies under two are free. You can book your tickets to meet Santa here.
Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway
Travelling through mid-Wales and meeting Santa is possible thanks to the Santa Specials at Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway. Boarding the train at Llanfair Caereinion you can stay warm and cosy in the heated carriages and you will then meet Santa during the 50-minute train journey.
Every child will receive a gingerbread man and a juice carton, while adults can enjoy a hot mince pie and a non-alcoholic hot seasonal drink. Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway has not increased its prices since 2021, meaning adult and child tickets are £19.50 and infants under one go free.
This train ride will be running on the first three weekends of December and Monday, December 19. You have to book beforehand, which you can do here.
Tea with Santa at The Plough, Llandeilo
The Plough is a country hotel near Llandeilo and they have invited Santa over for tea, where children and adults get a meal, whilst children also get to meet Santa and have a present. Tickets cost £19 for children, aged under 12, and £14 for adults. You can book here.
Breakfast with Santa at Future Inns, Cardiff
You can enjoy breakfast with Santa at Future Inns in Cardiff Bay. There will be a Welsh brunch, meet and greet with Santa in his grotto and Christmas stories and games.
Tickets cost £19 per person, £9.50 for those under 12 and children aged two and under go free. You can book your tickets here.
Zipmas
At the Llechwedd ZipWorld site is Zipmas where you can visit Santa in his Christmas Grotto which is 500ft underground. The experience comes with a mince pie, hot chocolate and slate bauble decorating. You can book your tickets here. Prices are from £18 - if you want to add on a golf game you'll pay £30.
Rheilfford Gwili Railway
Starting and returning from Bronwydd Arms station, near Carmarthen, you can enjoy a steam train ride alongside Santa. Children under 11 will receive a present from Santa and everyone can pose for a photo with Santa while the train journey lasts around one hour and a half.
You can hop on board the Santa Special train on selected dates from Saturday, December 3, to Christmas Eve. Tickets start are £17 for adults and £4 for children and you book your tickets here.
Brunch with Santa at Llandegfedd Lake
Arriving on his own personal speedboat, you can enjoy brunch with Santa at Llandegfedd Lake, near Newport. After a brunch, children will be invited to the café balcony to witness Santa’s speedy arrival. He will then join them in the café to chat with the children individually and give them all a gift.
Tickets cost £16.95 for children and £12.95 for adults and the brunch is running every weekend from Saturday, December 3 to Sunday, December 18. You can book your tickets here.
Rhyl Miniature Railway
Rhyl Miniature Railway has been running for more than 100 years and this Christmas you can meet Santa on this sweet smaller railway on their Santa Specials. The Santa Specials are running on selected dates from Saturday, December 3, until Christmas Eve.
Tickets are £12 for adults and £4 for children and you can book your tickets here.
Gower Fresh Christmas Trees
At Gower Fresh Christmas Trees there are loads of different scenes to see inside and families are welcome to take as many photos as they want. There is a sleigh you can sit in with your family for a lovely seasonal photograph.
Tickets for Winter Wonderland and Santa's Grotto cost £7.65 for adults and £16.75 for children. A family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) costs £44.95. You can book your tickets here.
The Royal Mint Christmas Experience, Llantrisant
The Royal Mint is hosting its own Christmas experience. At The Royal Mint Christmas Experience, visitors will take a tour of the festive coin factory and all children will meet Santa and have the opportunity to have their photo taken, before leaving with a special gift to take home.
Running from Saturday, November 26 to Saturday, December 24 tickets cost £10 for adults and £15 for children. You can book here.
Christmas experience at Forage Farm, Vale of Glamorgan
Forage Farm will be running its Christmas experience on selected dates in December. There will be a Christmas show with a cheeky Christmas elf and the chance to meet Father Christmas.
Tickets cost £10.50 for adults, £12.50 for children, and £2 for children aged under three. You can book your tickets here.
Santa Experience at Principality Stadium
Santa is coming to the Principality Stadium and for the first time in the stadium’s history, Santa will be taking over the Wales team home changing room for December. After two years the Santa Experience is back at the Principality Stadium and will be running from Friday, December 2 to Christmas Eve.
Tickets are £10 for adults and £12 for those under 16s, which includes a free gift from Santa. Or family tickets are available for £40 for two adults and two children. You can book here.
Mumbles Pier
You can visit Santa himself at Mumbles Pier when the Christmas Grotto has been opened since Saturday, November 19. There are loads of festive events on for the family at Mumbles Pier this year.
You can have breakfast or a tea party with Santa and his elves, make gingerbread houses with Mrs Claus, visit Santa's workshop and enjoy a festive afternoon tea with the family.
Some events in December have already sold out so book in advance to avoid missing out on these festive events on the pier. A visit to Santa's Grotto costs £12.99 for children and £4 for adults. You can add a festive afternoon tea for £5.95 per child and £12.99 per adult. Book your tickets here.
Santa's Toy Mine at Rhondda Heritage Park
Santa and his amazing Toy Mine are returning to A Welsh Coal Mining Experience at Rhondda Heritage Park for 2022. As well as a magical tour filled with Christmas surprises, the event will also include themed activities such as writing a letter to Santa, which will take place in small log huts scattered throughout the site.
Tickets will cost £11 per person or £3 for babies aged 18 months and under. You can book your tickets here.
Zoar's Ark Gift and Garden Centre, Neath
You can visit Santa in his Grotto at Zoar's Ark Gift and Garden Centre in Neath this Christmas. Each visit costs £10 per child and includes a gift (maximum of four children per visit). Call 01639642180 or click here to book.
IKEA Cardiff
Noah’s Ark Charity’s award-winning Santa’s Grotto at IKEA Cardiff is back! No need to book, just come along and enjoy the magic and meet Santa in his cosy log cabin.
Running from Saturday, November 26 to Friday, December 23, your £10 entry fee will go directly to making sure that children at the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales receive the best possible care this Christmas.
Bodafon Farm, Llandudno
Santa Claus is back at Bodafon farm in Llandudno, with Mrs Claus and the elves. £10 per child will include a visit to Santa's Grotto, a present, lots of games, activities, arts and crafts, glitter tattoos, decorating cookies with Mrs Claus and a ride on the tractor. Click here to book.
Believe Christmas grotto, Cardiff
Believe, the enchanted Christmas experience is returning to St David’s shopping centre in Cardiff for 2022. The Christmas grotto launched at St David’s Cardiff for the first time in 2021 and, due to popular demand, is set to make a return this year.
Believe will open daily from Friday, November 25, right up until Christmas Eve and invites guests into a mystical cavern to meet McJingles, one of Santa’s most trusted elves, along with Norbert, his magical reindeer friend. After hearing Norbert’s story, the children will take part in a festive craft activity decorating their own bag of magical reindeer food to take home with them.
Families will then be invited into Santa’s grotto where little ones will meet Santa before receiving a gift, as well as having the opportunity to capture the memorable moment on camera. Tickets for Believe will go on sale at 10am on Friday, September 9.
Tickets cost £6 for children and £13 for adults and you can book your tickets on the St David's shopping centre website.
Santa's Grotto, Cardiff
Visit Santa once again this Christmas in his cosy log cabin located on Queen Street, Cardiff City Centre and there is no need to pre-book. This is a great value-for-money Santa experience at only £8.50 per child - this includes a gift and up to two free accompanying adults.
Each family will have a chance to have photos taken inside and an option to purchase them at the end of the visit. Prices start at £7, with a great selection of frames to choose from.
National Botanic Garden's Grotto, Carmarthenshire
Visit Santa in his grotto (£6 per child - accompanying adults free), post your letters to Santa, meet the owls who deliver the letters to Santa, meet Fudge the giant owl and play Christmas games, watch the Christmas Flying Shows at the Botanic Garden and British Bird of Prey Centre. You can book your tickets here.
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