IF you’re looking for somewhere special to escape the crowds this Christmas and celebrate festive traditions, look no further than the National Trust.

Its historic houses in and around Hampshire are filled with hand-crafted decorations, twinkling lights and fresh winter greenery. Gardens and countryside are transformed into beautiful winter landscapes waiting to be explored.

While Hinton Ampner is bringing favourite fairytales such as Cinderella and Rapunzel to life, colour-rich scenes at Mottisfont feature vibrant decorations with a quirky and contemporary twist.

Uppark’s Victorian owner, Lady Featherstonhaugh, and her servants invite you to a country house Christmas party, above and below stairs. While The Vyne invites children to follow a festive trail to see if Father Christmas has made it on to the mansion’s huge roof, where visitors can experience the view from a magnificent rooftop walkway.

There are baking demonstrations and carol singing, craft workshops and guided winter walks, festive outdoor activity trails to take children on fun adventures through the gardens, while downloadable walks will take visitors further afield, through frosty winter landscapes of meadows, fields, and ancient woodland.

All the properties have shops filled with gifts big and small, from children’s stocking fillers to beautiful objects inspired by the National Trust’s historic collections. In the cafes, there will be seasonal treats, many made using locally produced ingredients.

Every festive visit supports the National Trust’s conservation work at its houses and gardens, as well as its countryside and coastal areas.

Some of the Christmas highlights are:

Hinton Ampner

(Bramdean, near Alresford)

Brothers Grimm fairytale Christmas, December 2-23, plus children’s Advent calendar trail (closed December 24-25)

This Christmas, the ground floor show rooms of this beautiful country house are transformed into scenes from classic fairytales such as Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Little Red Riding Hood. The show was inspired by Hinton’s former owner, Ralph Dutton, who would invite the village children up to the house at Christmas for festive storytelling and puppet shows. Alongside the sparkle you’ll discover magnificent floral displays created by Hinton’s volunteer florists, and Hinton’s famous miniature mice, in fairytale fancy dress costumes. An outdoor family trail has 25 fairytale secrets to discover, hidden behind Advent calendar boxes (£2 per trail).

Blow away the post-Christmas cobwebs and enjoy a classic English landscape, on a guided winter walk, led by head gardener John Wood at 3pm on December 27 or January 1. The cost is £10. To book, call 0344 2491895.

Plus four self-guided walks - downloadable from the website or pick up details when you arrive.

For more details, call 01962 793515 or visit ationaltrust.org.uk/hinton-ampner.

 

Uppark House

(South Harting, near Petersfield)

Victorian Country House Christmas Party, December 2-31 (closed December 24-25)

Lady Fetherstonhaugh has just hosted one of her famous country house parties – a lavish feast to celebrate the festive season. Come ‘below stairs’ and you’ll discover how servants of a country house like Uppark celebrated Christmas in the Victorian era. If you sneak up to the ground floor you’ll see the excesses enjoyed by the family in the dining room. Meet some of the ‘servants’ too – intricately detailed paper mannequins designed and created by artist Denise Watson of Delicarta.  At weekends there’ll be real servants on hand to greet you.

Plus new family trail takes children on an adventure indoors and out, into the world of Victorian festive foods and traditions. There’s a table to lay, napkins to fold and puddings to stir, plus more fun around the gardens – keep an eye out for Uppark’s pesky mice. Simple activities for little ones and a harder puzzle for older children (£2 per child).

For more details, call 01730 825415 or visit nationaltrust.org.uk/uppark.

 

Mottisfont Abbey

(Near Romsey)

All the Colours of Christmas, November 25 to January 2, 10am-4pm (closed December 24-25)

Inspired by vibrant displays in the gallery, Mottisfont is celebrating Christmas with colour and sparkle. Each show room is beautifully dressed with its own colour theme and festive scene, featuring decorations with a traditional and contemporary twist. You’ll find statement Christmas trees, piles of presents and dramatic flower arrangements.

Outside, artist installations emphasise the natural winter colours found around the gardens and wider estate. Families can discover these on our outdoors activity trail, full of things to create and do. Adults can find out more about the artworks and artists via a new guide.

For more details, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/mottisfont or call 01794 340757.

The Vyne

(Near Basingstoke)

Father Christmas and Friends family trail plus rooftop walkway (December 1 to January 2) £1 per trail, walkway open 10am-3pm, last entry 2.30pm. (Closed December 24-25)

Follow the trail around the property to find his festive helpers, then ascend the exciting rooftop walkway to see if Father Christmas has made a safe landing.

In this penultimate month before the magnificent rooftop walkway is removed on January 31, visitors will have opportunities to watch the final pieces of this £5.4m jigsaw being slotted into place to make this former Tudor ‘powerhouse’ watertight well into the future.

Inside the house there will be the fascinating story of King Henry VIII’s visit to The Vyne with Anne Boleyn in 1535. The Vyne’s eerily beautiful chapel ‘soundscape’ will transports you back to a 16th Century Mass as Henry would have heard it, while elsewhere you’ll find animated tapestries depicting Tudor courtly life. Other show rooms reveal how Victorian owner Wiggett Chute saved The Vyne from dereliction.

For more details, call 01256 883858 or visit nationaltrust.org.uk/the-vyne.

Winchester City Mill

Christmas at Winchester City Mill (December 16-24) 10am-5pm

At Christmas, this cosy working watermill is beautifully decorated with a sparkling tree and pretty window displays. A themed family trail challenges children to hunt for baubles hidden around the mill to discover favourite Christmas traditions.

There’s nothing more festive than the aroma of warm spices and baking. Enjoy Christmas pudding tasting on December 10; from December 10-16 volunteer bakers will demonstrate the making of delicious seasonal treats using the mill’s freshly ground flour. Take away some recipe cards and have a go yourself at home.

There’s an extra festive treat on December 16 when Alder Valley Brass play classic Christmas carols in the courtyard.

For more details, call 01962 870057 or visit nationaltrust.org.uk/winchester-city-mill.