5 things to do in Hampshire this weekend (December 2/3)

Father Christmas is touring some of Hampshire's attractions, while illuminations are in full swing and there's a lantern parade to be enjoyed. 

Here's our pick of five of the best festive fun things to do this weekend. 

At Exbury...

Exbury Gardens will be getting a merry festive makeover at its festive event this weekend.

A traditional Christmas Fair with crafts, gifts, music, carol singing, and festive food and drink will be on offer on Saturday and Sunday, as well as next weekend.

A festive family trail through Exbury’s renowned woodland gardens will be included in admission to the Hampshire visitor favourite, and festive donkey rides will also be available for youngsters.

A Festive Express steam train ride will be running too with live music, decorations and elves leading jolly carol singing as passengers steam along.

At Sir Harold Hillier Gardens...

Sir Harold Hiller Gardens is once again opening its gates after dark to share the stunning transformation of its 180-acre arboretum site near Romsey by the award winning, Hampshire-based Light Up Trails, which enjoys its first weekend this weekend. 

World famous sound and light artists The Projection Studio have used the artworks from budding artists at local schools to create an intermission piece for their new work House of Dreams that draws on favourite fairy tales in a sound and light animation on Jermyn's House.

Tapping into sight, sound, smell and feelings, Light Up Sir Harold Hillier Gardens At Christmas is a full sensory experience laden with stories that enable visitors to have fun discovering the history and mythology of the pine Christmas tree, sharing their thoughts in lights, exploring notions of infinity, and thinking about the part we can all play in creating a more sustainable world.

It runs until Sunday December 31. 

At Paultons Park...

See Peppa Pig World decorated for Christmas and Santa's Christmas Wish Show in full swing on selected dates from this weekend. 

The all singing, all dancing show will guest star the man himself, Father Christmas, alongside Santa's Storytime, the Marvellous Musical Christmas Tree and illuminations galore. 

Meet Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Reindeer and Billy and Belinda Elves. 

Make your visit extra special and add the Santa's Grotto experience with a gift from Santa and personal photograph with the man himself! 

In Totton...

Angels and fairies of the forest are the themes of the magical 2023 Totton Lantern Parade, with bands, stalls and fun for all the family

Creative lantern-making workshops have been taking place in schools and community centres since September bringing the Totton & Eling communities together.

The parade, held on Sunday, will set off from the War Memorial car park on Salisbury Road at 5pm and make its way down Commercial Road and walk around the Asda roundabout where DJs from Testwood Baptist Church will lead carols before culminating in a Christmas lights switch on at 5.30pm.

Amazing three metre-high lanterns and individual lanterns will be part of the procession.

At Mottisfont...

Christmas at Mottisfont is underway 

Enter the house to find richly-decorated trees, piles of beautifully-wrapped presents and extravagant floral arrangements created by Mother Christmas herself.

Find Father Christmas’s study piled high with letters, and tiptoe past children asleep in decorated bedrooms.

Follow festive dreams to board the ‘Christmas Express’ into the North Pole, arriving just in time to join the glittering, snow-white polar bear’s ball. Experience the wonder of the northern lights over a towering tree sparkling with baubles.

A family activity trail invites you to become an honorary elf for the day, helping to deliver Christmas wishes.

Christmas at Mottisfont runs until January 7.