Father Christmas at Chiswick House from 28 Nov, £20 a child, £5 an adult; Gunnersbury's Victorian Father Christmas 5 to 13 Dec, £19 with a craft workshop.
Two grottos within easy reach of Chiswick have published their dates and prices for Christmas 2026. Father Christmas is at Chiswick House from Saturday 28 November to Christmas Eve, £20 a child and £5 an adult. Gunnersbury Park Museum’s Victorian Father Christmas runs from 5 to 13 December, £19 a child with adults free, and the ticket includes a traditional craft workshop.
Both were read from the organisers’ own pages on 18 October 2026.
The quick answer
Earliest and closest to W4: Chiswick House, from 28 November, inside the house, £20 a child, £5 an adult, about 30 minutes, a present for every child. Cheapest for a family: Gunnersbury, 5 to 13 December, £19 a child, adults free, a wooden toy and a craft session included. Both say places are limited, so book now rather than in December.
| Chiswick House | Gunnersbury Park Museum | |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | Various dates, 28 Nov to 24 Dec | Between 5 and 13 Dec, 10.30am to 4.30pm |
| Child | £20 | £19 |
| Adult | £5 | Free |
| Gift | A present for every child | A traditional wooden toy |
| Also included | A story and a family photo | A Make and Take craft session |
| Group size | Shared with other families, small groups | Up to four children a slot |
Chiswick House, from 28 November
Chiswick House and Gardens runs its own Magical Grotto inside the house this year, on dates from Saturday 28 November to Thursday 24 December.
- What happens: families are welcomed into the grotto for a festive story from Father Christmas and his elf, a family photo, and a present for every child. Sessions last about 30 minutes and are shared with other families.
- Ages: the house says it suits children aged 2 to 10, and younger ones are welcome.
- Tickets: £20 a child and £5 an adult. Every child needs a ticket. Babies do not, unless you want them to get a present.
- Limits: up to four children and two adults on one booking; more than four children means a second booking.
- Changes: tickets are non-refundable, but you can reschedule before your visit if there is space.
Last year the grotto was part of a ticketed event run by Underbelly, at £20 or £25 a child depending on the date. The house’s own Christmas programme also has markets, two Christmas shows and workshops; our Chiswick House at Christmas page sets them out.
Gunnersbury Park Museum, 5 to 13 December
Gunnersbury’s Father Christmas is a Victorian Father Christmas in traditional green robes, who sees families in his study in the museum’s historic kitchens.
- When: between Saturday 5 and Sunday 13 December, 10.30am to 4.30pm. The museum’s page gives the range but not which days within it, so check the booking calendar.
- Tickets: £19 a child; adults are free, though the museum asks you to limit the number of adults because the grotto is small. The first child’s ticket secures the slot; extra children, up to four in all, pay £19 each on the day, by card only.
- Gift: every child gets a traditional wooden toy. Tell the museum the children’s names, ages and interests when you book, so Father Christmas can tailor his greeting.
- Craft session included: the grotto ticket also gets you into A Very Merry Make and Take, where children make orange pomanders and beeswax candles. Sessions are at 10.30am, 12pm, 1.30pm and 3pm, 45 minutes each; on its own it costs £5 a child, ages 4 and up, adults free.
- Refunds: up to a week before.
If no “first child” ticket is left in a timeslot, the museum says that slot is sold out.
What we have not found
- Osterley Park: the National Trust’s Osterley events listing has no Christmas event on it yet.
- The Christmas lights switch-on: Father Christmas switched on Chiswick’s lights in 2025, but the residents who run it have not set a 2026 date. Our switch-on page will carry it.
We will add any other grotto in or near W4 when its organiser publishes it.
Getting there and parking
- Chiswick House, Burlington Lane, W4 2RP. The car park is run by Hounslow Council and is off the westbound A4; Chiswick station is about a 10-minute walk.
- Gunnersbury Park Museum, Popes Lane, W5 4NH. The park is open daily from 7am until dusk.
For the controlled parking zones and what the bays cost, see our parking page; for closures in force, the roadworks and travel page. For everything else on in the next six weeks, see what’s on in Chiswick, and for December’s markets our Christmas markets page.
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