I am obsessed with Sussex Christmas Family Events so I put together a list of the ones around.
I am always searching out events and activities that are fun and seasonal. I have a 3.5 year old and just turned 6 year old and we spend lots of time with new experiences, especially at Christmas, free and a few paid ones too. Ending with the absolutely wonderful Burning the Clocks lantern parade and fireworks on the winter solstice, 21st December and the Santa swim on Christmas day, both in Brighton. (Links are the red titles)
Wakehurst Glow Wild – this is the most famous one, and so popular. It is spectacular, we stayed for 4 hours, in the cold and drizzle, our (then) 2.5 and 5 year olds were entranced – we booked again for this year. Trulsy special. Running 27th November 2025 to 3rd January 2026.
Under 4s are free.
Leonardslee Gardens Light Trail – A beautiful trail around the gardens (one section has a steep hill so may be tricky with a buggy). Running 28th November-30th December (11th December is a quiet night for SEND) 4:15-8:30pm. Under 2s free (but £1.25 booking fee applies).
Bedgebury Pinetum Christmas Light trail – a gorgeous lit up walk through the woods. Running 21st November-31st December 2025.
Under 3s are free (and yes, more Kent but worth a visit!)
Tulleys Christmas Lights You stroll through a forest of twinkling lights, immersive live shows, a ferris wheel, bars, live music, so much food, marshmallow roasting.
Open 28th November 2025 – 3rd January 2026. 4pm-10pm. Under 2s FREE.
Thornbush Crescent, Portslade, BN41 2GW – This little cul de sac makes such an effort every year decorating for charity, 20 x houses and green in the middle.
6th December – 2nd January. Every day 5-8pm. Park on Bush Farm Drive and walk up please.
Donations to a food bank – please also bring tinned food, dried food, toiletries, personal hygiene items, cleaning items, pet food, gifts for children – leave outside no 37
(photo from 2022, they’ve gone even bigger for 2024)
Saxifrage Way, Worthing – This is amazing, it took a break in 2024 but has announced it’s coming back in 2025! It is someones private house and wow they go all out, there’s music, a snow machine, a sleigh to sit in.
DATES TBC but usually most of December. Please do not drive into the close but there’s free parking on Titnore Way and a 2 min walk.
Donations very welcome for the Air Ambulance service so do bring cash (they may also take card TBC) Not to be missed.
(photo from 2023)
South Downs Light Railway Christmas Santa train – our boys love this every year, rain or shine. It’s a lovely little steam train with covered carriages that drives past the North Pole station where Santa waves and greets the children on the platform. £5 a ticket.
Running every weekend in December, they sell out fast but will always keep a few tickets on the day, you’d need to wait to get them and unlikely more than a couple at time.
Bonus is that Pulborough Garden Centre, that the train is next to, has a little soft play attached to the cafe and is always Christmassy.
Meet Santa – Drusillas – 22nd November-23rd December 2025
Watch little eyes twinkle with wonder as they experience the glistening magic of Christmas at Drusillas! Come and meet Santa snuggled in his cosy cottage, join in with jolly singing reindeer, stroll through twinkling decorations, and marvel at the spectacular 24ft Christmas tree.
Normal admission fee to Drusillas applies at 20% off if booked at same time – meeting Santa is an additional cost £19 per person (1:1 meeting and gift)
Santa’s Grotto – Knockhatch – 6th-23rd December 2025
Knockhatch is a bit of a gem! It’s hard to explain why it’s so good but ours loved it and would love to go back, although we’ve not been in the winter. We were there from opening to close and could have stayed several hours longer.
Normal admission fee applies – For Santa all kids pay £8.95 (adults don’t need a ticket) and includes a gift. Tickets sold at the entrance/in Froggies soft play.
Royal Pavilion at Christmas – 29th November-24th December (weekends and last few weekdays)
Meet Father Christmas – Enjoy a private 5 minute audience with Father Christmas for your family, with a professional photo taken (available to purchase seperately) and a gift for every child. Ticket also includes entry to the Royal Pavilion and a festive family trail. £19 per child, £5 per adult.
Storytime with Santa – Gather around Father Christmas as he reads a funny, interactive and enchanting children’s story, custom written and illustrated for this event. Afterwards an opportunity to take photos with Father Christmas, allowing all families to capture the moment, alongside a small take home for every child. A group activity lasting 45 minutes. £10 per child, £8 per adult
The Elf on the Shelf Trail, Sheffield Park Garden – 29th November 2025-11th January 2026 – Discover twelve beautifully hand-painted elf sculptures around the garden as you take in the glorious wintry scenes and delight in festive games and activities for all the family. Warm up with a hot chocolate and mince pie at our festive food stalls and make magical Christmas memories.
The Pony who Dreamt of Being a Reindeer Trail, Borde Hill – 29th November – 21st December 10am-3:30pm – This Winter, children aged 3-8 years old can ignite their imaginations while exploring the garden on a magical story trail about Bella the little pony who longed to be part of the reindeer sleigh team.
Entrance fee applies – members go free on the trail, £4.50 per child otherwise. It includes a prize.
Fairytale Christmas at Nymans at Nymans – 22nd November 2025 – 4th January 2026 – 10-4
In the garden, a Christmas family adventure trail awaits, leading you through classic fairytales. Find Aladdin’s cave of treasures, play a game with Red Riding Hood’s basket of treats and take a seat in Cinderella’s carriage. Created by Tin Shed scenery, the makers of last year’s magical Narnia-inspired garden trail.
Brighton Santa Bus – DATES TBC – a double decker bus covered in lights that drives slowly around various residential areas in Brighton playing loud Christmas music while Santa and his elves wave from the top deck. Our kids love it! You can track them live to see where they are but they generally appear between 5:30-6:30pm. Each area has a different night and you can see which date on the website. They have collection buckets to raise money for charity so bring some coins but FREE to watch.
Brighton Ice Skating – October 25th 2025 – January 4th 2026.
In front of the Royal Pavilion, I don’t think you can get a better backdrop for ice skating! They have a beginners rink too and the kids under 1.2m can use push along penguins (£6 extra). Off peak tickets are 10am-5pm. There’s also a rinkside bar and viewing platform to watch it if you don’t want to skate, we often go and watch it instead – Christmas music, colour changing lights and after every session the rink truck that smooths the ice!
Tulleys Christmas Experience – Tulleys is amazing for events (they do various events all year including a halloween experience too). This is an all out American Christmas extravaganza. Various live shows, make reindeer food, bake cookies, ice skating, fairground rides and ticket includes a sleigh ride to storytime with Santa, then you meet him and get a sleigh back to make your own teddy as a gift.
Open weekends from 22nd November-21st December, plus 22-24th December weekdays as well. 9am-6pm. (£150 for family of 4 in November to £215 in December!)
Bluebell Railway Santa’s Steamlights – The lovely steam train is covered in lights and Santa greets every child on arrival. It runs from Sheffield Park, stops at Horsted Keys station for 30 minutes so you can take photos, then back to Sheffield Park.
Open 22nd November-28th December at 4:45pm or 7:45pm. Kids and adults £35 (under 3s £5) or you can book a compartment for 6-8 people for around £210-250 which works out cheaper per person. Dates sell out really fast.
Bluebell Railway Santa Specials – A steam train ride, Harris fun fair (rides included for the 1 hour stop), every child meets Santa
Weekends – 29/30th November-24th December – 10am/11:05am or 1pm/2:05pm. Compartments £210-250, Adults/kids £35, under 3s £10.
Brighton Santa Dash! Saturday 6th December at Hove Lawns opposite Adelaide Crescent. Running to Hove Lagoon and back again. £20 to enter, FREE to watch.
10:20am kids 400m dash
10:30am Adult santa dash
Goddenwick Farm/Sussex Trees nr Lindfield – a lovely Christmas tree farm that goes all out at Christmas! There’s a trail through the woods, Santa’s grotto (book ahead), real reindeer, plus Christmas tree (cut already or cut your own), red routemaster bus, and a new play barn (£5 cost) with large hay bale fort, slide, ball pit and mini ride on tractors.
Open every day. FREE to visit, Santa/trees/food/play barn is extra.
Christmas Tractor Run! – Sunday 7th December 2025
Chailey Young Farmers gets together and drives 100 Christmassy decorated tractors, cars and trucks from the South of England Showground from 10:30am and back again. You can watch it leave the showground or in one of the villages along the route. Our boys loved every second of it, including Santa on top of a tractor and various other decorations. FREE
Burning the Clocks – Same Sky Events – Saturday 21st December (always the same date every year, Winter Solstice)
A beautiful lantern parade with music and dancing through the streets of Brighton, starting at Jubilee Library around 6/6:30pm and heading through the streets and ending on Madeira Drive for a fireworks display approx 8pm. it is FREE to watch but you can buy a lantern pack for £40 which includes 2 lantern kits to make yourself and 4 wristbands that get you onto Madeira Drive to watch the fireworks from a less busy place.
Same Sky also run the lovely Children’s Parade every May.
Christmas Day Santa Swim! – Crazy people running into the freezing cold water near Brighton Pier around 11am with Santa Hats on, while Santas paddleboard nearby for safety. Honestly insane but a Brighton tradition and worth a watch! The council are eager to point out this is not advised or professionally organised.
2025 TBC – these events ran in 2024 but yet to be confirmed for 2025 – will update when they do
Rotary Club Santa Sleigh – DATES TBC – Santa drives around different streets, an area per night so do check the website for which area he may be coming to! FREE to watch, donations welcome as it’s for charity
Hove Beach Huts decorate for Christmas! – Saturday 14th December 4-8pm. TBC 2025
The Book Nook Hove – TBC 2025
One Garden Winter Storytelling – TBC 2025
St Matthias Church, Fiveways TBC 2025 –
our favourites are the toddler carols at 10:30am and the Christmas Eve nativity – they have a live donkey and an engaging nativity. Our kids loved it.
They also have a weekday morning play cafe in term time which is a lovely way to meet other parents. 9:30-12. It’s free and they sell nice food and drinks too.
St Peters Church – TBC 2025 – Family Carols and Christingle – a very large church with a family feel. Come along in your best nativity dress for the family carols and join in with the fun.
15th December, 9:30am and 11:30am
Blakers Park Carols – TBC date 2025 – this is my local but lots of the other parks do carols too like Queens Park. It is such a sweet event with fairylights strung through the trees around the clock tower, a little band, free mince pies and mulled wine at the lovely Cleveland pub opposite, everyone singing a little out of tune and out of time with the band. It’s one of our favourite events of the year. FREE but coins for donation buckets. You can print the songbook from the website or there will be some available on the night.
6pm – Friday 20th December