What's better than spending a bitter winter's day in December with your friends or family, eating festive food, drinking hot chocolate and listening to Christmas music? Nothing. This is why the Hampton Court Festive Fayre is a wonderful family day out. I had the pleasure of spending last Sunday there and was delighted to be surrounded by so many cheerful, artisan stalls selling an array of items, from antique jewellery to handmade decorations and sweet treats. There were over 100 independent artisan producers, making choosing a gift for that one hard-to-buy-for family member significantly easier! What made the stalls even better, was the infinite number of tasty samples being handed out as they were so good that we instantly were drawn to the stalls for longer. Also, as it was the first Sunday of Advent, their beautiful and historic ‘Chapel Royal’ was holding frequent carol services to mark the beginning of Advent. I got the chance to speak to Iris Burstow to ask about her experience of this great event, “This was an amazing start to the festive season and it really got me into the Christmas spirit! I am definitely coming again!” When the sky darkened, numerous lights shone on the palace walls and added to the magical atmosphere. I have never seen anything like it before! It was such a popular event last weekend, that they are holding it again this weekend, 8-10th December, from 10:00-18:00 and what’s more admission to the Fayre is included in the normal entry price, so whilst you can enjoy the delights of the Fayre, you can also wander around the 16th century palace & 60 acre gardens. Hampton Court’s Fayre supports small businesses and is a great addition to the community. Plus, they have a 1,040 square metre ice rink that I am yet to visit, but would definitely be another amazing way to spend a festive evening leading up to Christmas.
