I'm really excited for Christmas this year, mainly because Joshua is much more aware of what is going on so when I was invited to Beaulieu's very first Christmas at Beaulieu event I couldn't resist. My parents and I took Joshua for an evening full of warmed mince pies and hot chocolate and the most magical illuminated Christmas trail around the grounds of Beaulieu and left brimming over with festive joy.
The illuminated trail is taking place from now until 24th December on selected evenings so be sure to book your tickets to guarantee your slot.
Christmas at Beaulieu sees the medieval abbey grounds and Palace transformed into a festive wonderland, perfect for families and all to celebrate Christmas this year. As you enter Beaulieu, wander past the vintage carousel and fair ground rides to the Tunnel of Light, a canopy with over 100,00 twinkling lights.
This is just the beginning of an incredibly beautiful and interactive experience.
Soon you'll come to the abbey ruins where you'll find the Scented Fire Garden lit with splashes of red and green, fire displays, Christmas tree installations and a special surprise at the end if you're quick enough to catch him!
As you continue round from Beaulieu's vintage bus, you'll come to more lights including colourful Christmas trees, an Alice in Wonderland light installation and a Wishing Tree where you can add a message or wish to the tree with complimentary tags provided to the side of the tree.
There's also a fire pit where you can toast marshmallows which come in flavours such as Christmas Pudding, Gingerbread and Hot Chocolate, all of which were vegan.
Along with the lights, some of the installations have a dose of Christmas classics to join you on your journey. The ancestral Montagu home of Palace House is lit with beams of light which dance along to music. The light dance at Palace House was Joshua's favourite, he was completely transfixed and we ended up there for quite some time while we enjoyed luxury hot chocolates topped with cream and a chocolate flake.
The much anticipated Icicle Walk is made up of shining shards of light and help lead you through to the Meadow of Light, my favourite part of the trail.
It was awash with thousands upon thousands of fibre optic lights each swaying in time from colour to colour.
Just don't forget to look up as you may spot something you won't expect.
The trail finishes with a burst of colour and song from the Singing Trees that tower high in the sky, giving an extra helping of Christmas cheer in time for the most magical time of year.
The fun doesn't end there thanks to plenty of Christmas market cabins selling hot drinks, gingerbread, crepes and bratwurst to help you finish your evening with something warm and allow you to soak up even more of the atmosphere. We spent some time here with a hot chocolate and a gingerbread while Joshua waddled around the lights looking completely mesmerized was the perfect way to end the evening.
We made sure we headed to the gift shop to buy Joshua a reindeer too.
Christmas at Beaulieu is completely magical and a really lovely way to immerse yourself in to every Christmas with family and friends. I would love to go again and I hope this is the first year of many.
You can book your tickets now via the website - www.beaulieu.co.uk and make sure you pick up one of those oh so delicious gingerbreads too.
Complimentary tickets - see disclaimer.