Frosty mornings watching the mist glide over the Broads, winter-kissed strolls around the coastline, watching white-capped waves as you go, and pretty towns and villages bedecked in all their seasonal best… Christmas in Norfolk is a truly magical time of year.
As December approaches, the county fills with festive fanfare, from Christmas markets lit up by twinkling lights to winter wonderlands boasting ice rinks, glowing Ferris wheels, and mulled wine aplenty. Norfolk’s historic estates are quick to join the fun too, putting on marvellous light shows and festive Santa’s grottos that are sure to put a smile on your face.
Ready to celebrate the festive season in style? Here’s everything you need to know about Christmas in Norfolk…
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Christmas markets
Christmas events
Christmas lights
Christmas and Boxing Day swims
Christmas food
Christmas walks
Christmas markets
Whether you’ve got a list as long as your leg or you’re simply looking to browse while your freshly wrapped gifts sit at home waiting to be opened, nothing says Christmas more than a turn around one of Norfolk’s festive Christmas markets. Think stalls laden with handcrafted gifts, steaming mugs of mulled cider, and a merriness in the air you just don’t get at any other time of year.
Sandringham Estate
Friday the 14th to Sunday the 16th of November
One of Norfolk’s most incredible historic houses, Sandringham Estate pulls out all the stops at Christmas, ensuring the annual Christmas Craft, Food and Gift Fair is abuzz with festive frivolity and mouthwatering feasts. Over 250 stalls fill the estate, each promising a variety of handcrafted knick-knacks, stocking fillers, and ‘oh, go on thens’. Food stalls stir up the senses with a lip-smacking selection of local and national delights, while chefs cook up a demonstrative storm in the Country Kitchen. Dogs on leads are welcome at this fabulous Norfolk Christmas market, ensuring everyone can enjoy a festive day out - the grounds are perfect for a wintry walk!
Fakenham
Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th of December
If you’re looking for a beautiful handmade gift to delight this Christmas, the annual Norfolk Artisan Fair - festive edition - is the place to go. Over 100 stalls fill Fakenham Racecourse, from artisanal coffee makers and glittering jewellery to gorgeous homeware and artworks. Spend your time taste-testing seasonal spirits, or fill your festive tote with stocking fillers and gifts galore. There will be a number of local food vendors to keep you fuelled during your shopping, while Fakenham’s welcoming pubs offer the perfect place to gather around a fire and rummage through your haul.
Wells-next-the-Sea
Saturday the 22nd to Sunday the 23rd of November
It’s not often the date of a Christmas event is dictated by the tides, but with Santa arriving by boat to Wells-next-the-Sea’s annual festival, it’s a must! The exciting arrival of Santa is just one of the many reasons people flock to the Wells Christmas Tide Festival every year. The Christmas lights switch on coincides with the event, bathing the coastal town in a twinkling glow, while the annual Christmas market spreads over the weekend, inviting you to shop till you drop… Into a cosy pub! Street entertainers ensure no moment goes uncelebrated, and the Christmas tree festival promises fun fir all. And not forgetting the fabulous fireworks display that lights up the marshes on the Saturday evening.
Holkham Hall
Friday the 12th to Sunday the 14th of December
Christmas at Holkham Hall is always a merry affair, with the historic house pulling out all the festive stops. Held in the Lady Elizabeth Wing, the annual Christmas Market once again boasts three days of seasonal shopping backed by the magical setting of Holkham Hall and some toe-tapping live music. Inside, over 60 stalls invite you to browse till your heart’s content, while a string of chalets turns the exterior into a winter wonderland full of steaming mulled wine and toothsome treats.
Christmas events
If you’re looking for something festive to do in Norfolk this Christmas, the county’s varied and oh-ho-ho-so-fun round-up of seasonal events is sure to have everyone in your party entertained, whether you love some yuletide crafts or a spectacular show of theatrics!
Winter Wonderland Norwich
Friday the 14th of November to Sunday the 4th of January 2026
Bringing all the vibrancy and holly-jolly revelry you expect from Norfolk’s biggest Christmas event, Winter Wonderland Norwich is a merry medley of entertainment the whole family will love. Fairground rides invite younguns (and the young at heart) to enjoy the frivolity of bumper cars and rollercoasters, while an ice rink promises oodles of fun skating around. Enjoy a spot of shopping at the Mistletoe Lane Christmas Market, stop by the Alpine lodge for a pick-me-up, or head to the brand new observation wheel for unmatched views across the glittering park. Santa will be sitting in his grotto, so make sure to stop by if you have yet to send him your Christmas wish list.
The North Norfolk Pole Experience
Saturday the 29th of November to Tuesday the 23rd of December
Forget the North Pole, it’s the North Norfolk Pole we’re visiting this Christmas. Located at Pensthorpe, the UK’s only permanent biosonification garden, this family-friendly experience is packed with festive fun. The 90-minute-long, interactive event invites children to meet Santa and his elves, before travelling through a real-life elf village where you can learn to be an honorary elf! There are lots of Christmas crafts to get involved with, from reindeer food to decorations, plus little ones will get a gift from Santa’s toy shop - but only if they’re on the nice list. And don’t forget to explore the gardens and bird enclosures while you’re there, as the whole park is packed with fascinating things to see and do.
Crafting
Whether you’re an experienced beekeeper or you just want to make something pretty, Sunnyfields Bees near Beccles is the perfect place to get crafty this Christmas. Alongside their usual offering of bee experiences and workshops, a host of festive-themed crafting events invite you to try your hand at all sorts of things, from beeswax gifts to beautiful natural wreaths and decorations. Each workshop comes with tasty treats, from mince pies to perfectly spiced apple drinks, creating the perfect atmosphere to unleash your inner creative.
Theatre
When it comes to seasonal entertainment in Norfolk, you simply can’t beat Thursford’s Christmas Spectacular. The biggest Christmas show of its kind in Europe, this theatrical extravaganza is a true celebration of everything Crimbo, with a cast of 130 bringing their festive best to the stage. Forget twelve drummers drumming, you can look forward to a medley of singers, dancers, musicians, and gymnasts to take to the stage during the show, with a feather-strewn finale that’s sure to drop a jaw or two. We heartily recommend you book your tickets online to avoid missing out on this spirited spectacular.
Christmas lights
Is it even Christmas without streets bedecked in twinkling finery? We think not, and luckily Norfolk agrees, as you’ll find plenty of Christmas light displays peppered around the county, from sprawling gardens to coastal towns dressed to the nines.
Luminate Winter Light Trail
Friday the 14th of November to Wednesday the 24th of December
Sandringham Estate’s sprawling parkland is always worth a visit, with a series of walks making it perfect for families and dogs looking for a relaxed stroll. In the lead-up to Christmas, however, you’ll want to wait till the sun sets and the magical Luminate Winter Light Trail turns the grounds into an enchanting experience for all. The mile-long trail is pure magic, with music adding to the experience as you stroll through thousands of shimmering lights, mulled wine in hand.
Norfolk Lights Express
Friday the 14th of November to Saturday the 3rd of January 2026
If you thought Christmas lights had to be stationary, you’ve clearly never been to Norfolk at Christmas. Every year, the North Norfolk Railway turns one of its steam trains into an incredible festive display that tours the countryside. Book a ticket to ride in an illuminated carriage from Sheringham to Holt, passing ten incredible displays as you go, or visit one of the lookout points to see a whirl of colours and lights dart through the night. Celebrating the railway’s 50th anniversary, it’s sure to be one of the biggest and best years yet!
Christmas Day and Boxing Day swims
Christmas is full of traditions, whether you like to leave a mince pie out for Santa, open presents by the fire, or enjoy a bowl of prunes with breakfast (Just us?). But in Norfolk, there’s one festive tradition that stands above the rest… The annual Hunstanton Christmas Day Swim. Oh yes, kicking off the big day with a bracing plunge into the North Sea, surrounded by hundreds of fellow daredevils. The swim kicks off at 11am at Hunstanton’s central promenade, with swimmers able to register online before or on the day. Whether you don a swimming costume, a wetsuit, or a costume (there are prizes for the best dressed), this event always boasts a riotous atmosphere and offers the perfect way to work up an appetite for your Christmas lunch.
On Boxing Day, Cromer hosts another beloved festive swim, with hundreds of costume-clad swimmers entering the water at Cromer Pier. A fun run (9.30am) precedes the swim (10.30am), giving you the chance to warm up before you cool off!
Christmas food
Whether you’re looking to stock the cupboards with homemade mince pies, local truffles, and maybe a bottle or two of your favourite tipple, or you want to ditch the dishes in favour of a lavish meal out, Norfolk’s foodies scene has you covered this Christmas.
Eating at home from home
When it comes to Christmas in Norfolk, food is at the heart of the celebrations, with lots of welcoming farm shops on hand to ensure your festive break is laden with delicious treats. Drove Orchards Farm Shop has been plying patrons with just such delights for decades, from homegrown apples and pears to freshly baked breads and seasonal veg. For the main show, stop by Arthur Howell Butchers for a Christmas hamper full of locally-reared meats, or book yourself a big ol’ turkey - and some pigs in blankets, of course. If you prefer sea bass over turkey for your Christmas dinner, Gurneys Fish Shop is the place to go. Stocked with locally-sourced fish and shellfish, this family-run shop should be the first port of call for any who love a hearty plate of Norfolk mussels and oysters.
Eating out at Christmas
Whether you’re looking for a festive afternoon tea to get you in the seasonal spirit or a slap-up lunch you can enjoy on the day, Norfolk’s restaurants put on quite the show at Christmas. At the White Horse in Holme-next-the-Sea, Christmas Day is celebrated in style, with a traditional three-course lunch proving once and for all why Santa travels by sleigh. Wash it all down with a glass of sparkling English wine from Nyetimber, as you peruse the nibbles that cover the table. In Norwich, the fabulous Dunston Hall Hotel adds a Yuletide twist to its famous afternoon teas, with a selection of seasonal sandwiches followed by tier upon tier of desserts, from chocolate mousse Christmas pudding to warm fruit scones topped with whipped cinnamon cream.
Christmas walks
Nothing beats shaking off the festive haze with a refreshing stroll along one of Norfolk’s winding walkways and trails. Reaching 83 miles, Norfolk’s coast path is always a firm favourite for a Christmas Day stomp. Hunstanton, with its iconic cliffs and golden beaches, promises plenty of places to clear the cobwebs, while the short walk to Blakeney Point from Cley Beach invites you to enjoy a spot of seal-watching from afar.
In land, the Norfolk Broads offer a series of waterside wanders to enjoy, with nature reserves peppered throughout the mist-shrouded landscapes for an extra dose of wild. The Weaver’s Way is a famous, 61-mile trail that leads you through the wetlands, uncovering historic landmarks and viewpoints as you go.
Excited to spend Christmas in Norfolk? Explore our beautiful holiday cottages and start planning your next merry escape.
