FIND FESTIVE BREAKS CLOSE TO HOME

COTSWOLDS

Don’t miss the enchanting Christmas trail at Westonbirt National Arboretum for a woodland world of mesmerising installations. Local food carts will be selling seasonal fare, plus there are specialist SEN sessions for those with additional needs (tickets from £12/19 children/ adults; forestryengland.uk). Stay at the nearby Wild Thyme and Honey hotel for true Cotswold charm: think board games by a roaring fire and festive film screenings in the secret garden room (from £140; wildthymeandhoney. co.uk).

HAMPSHIRE

Team spa treatments, rustic markets and crafted cocktails (for you) at Four Seasons Hampshire (from £530; fourseasons.com), with a trip to the enchanted My Little Unicorn centre, where a winter wonderland includes the chance to meet Christmas ponies and a sleigh ride to see fairies, gnomes and elves (tickets from £55; mylittleunicorn.co.uk).

BIRMINGHAM

Chocolate and Christmas are natural bedfellows, so this is the ideal time to head for Cadbury World, where there’s even a Santa stage show (tickets from £18.99; cadburyworld.co.uk). Stay at the city’s Grand Hotel (from £239; thegrandhotelbirming ham.co.uk), and you’ll also be close to Frankfurt Christmas Market – the largest authentic Christmas market outside Germany and Austria – as well as Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker at the Hippodrome and outdoor Ice Skate Birmingham in Centenary Square.

HERTFORDSHIRE At Willows Farm, you’ll find the usual play areas and rides, as well as a (genuinely exceptional) Santa meet and greet plus biscuit decorating, a reindeer trail, ice-skating and bear building (tickets from £24; willowsactivity farm.com). Stay at the nearby Sopwell House, where weary parents can recover in the award-winning spa (from £215; sopwellhouse.co.uk).

LONDON

There’s nothing quite like the capital at Christmas. Do it in style at Claridge’s, where your suite comes with a Champagne welcome and your own Christmas tree. The man in red will be roaming the corridors, so don’t forget to leave him a mince pie (from £1,100; claridges.co.uk). You’ll also be steps away from Hyde Park Winter Wonderland’s skating, shows and rides (tickets from £5; hydepark winterwonderland.com), and the magical world of Wishmas (tickets £22; wishmas.co.uk).

NORTH YORKSHIRE

Grab the matching family onesies and head to Leeming Bar station at Wensleydale Railway for the annual Polar Express ride, pulled by a real steam engine (tickets from £31.95; yorkshiredalest hepolarexpressride.com). Expect a totally immersive theatrical experience on board, with all the characters you and the kids will know and love from the classic festive film. Make a weekend of it and stay at the nearby Swinton Park Hotel, a Grade II-listed castle set in 200 acres of parkland. Here Christmas activities include wreathmaking, candlelit carols and yuletide trails (from £300; swintonestate.com).