Santa at The Schoolroom
Santa will be making his way down the chimney at Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall in Stratford-upon-Avon to greet families for a special Christmas experience on dates throughout December.
Santa and his elves will be taking over the whole of the 600 year old building, filling it full of Christmas magic, and they will be joined by some jolly Christmas characters to encounter along the way, before the chance to meet Santa himself. A festive quiz, story-telling, puzzles, music, Christmas crafts and games combine to make this an unforgettable excursion for all the family. The setting is also part of the enchantment; the timbered building with all its Tudor charm will be adorned in festive finery with beautifully decorated Christmas trees, garlands and Santa’s sleigh creating the perfect backdrop for family photos.
Lindsey Armstrong, General Manager of Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall, says, “Santa and his teams of elves have planned a delightful experience that’s the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit. There are lots of traditional elements to enjoy, like the chance to meet Santa, and also some surprising twists along the way!”
In the Guildhall there is a festive quiz, riddles from fun-loving Puck and a Christmas story from Thursday the Elf. In the Georgian classroom you can make your own wrapping paper and have a go at some ‘take home’ Christmas craft activities. Then in the Schoolroom you will have a complete riot in a game show that will see families pit their wits and skills together against Mr Charles Dickens. Finally in the School Master’s Chamber Santa will be waiting to meet you for a chat and photographs before he invites you to place a Christmas wish on his Magic Wish Tree.
The creative team behind Santa at the Schoolroom are story creators extraordinaire Tell Tale Presents theatre company. Taresh Solanki one of the co-founders of Tell Tale Presents says, “Santa at the Schoolroom is a Santa experience with a difference. Not only is it hosted in a magical Tudor building but the whole experience is run by elves with families in mind. Our activities, stories and games are specially created to bring the whole family together – even the teenagers have been known to have fun!”
Santa at the Schoolroom took place for the first time in 2021 and thrilled visitors. “Thank you for our amazing time at your Christmas experience. Charles Dickens and Elf Thursday were so much fun and the challenges and quiz were brilliant” said one visitor in 2021. “What a lovely way to get you into the Christmas spirit. It was great to be able to see the interaction between three generations of our family and those around us. The kids obviously loved meeting Santa and the older and the younger ones loved the stories and the live guitar playing and songs. Just a wonderful show in a wonderful setting” said another.
Santa at the Schoolroom dates for 2022 are Saturday 3 December, Sunday 4 December, Saturday 10 December, Sunday 11 December, then daily from Saturday 17 December to Christmas Eve. Tickets are £12.50 for adults, £8.50 for under 16s, under 2s go free and can be booked at ShakespearesSchoolroom.org. The whole experience lasts between one hour and one hour and 20 minutes, with sessions taking place between 11am and 4pm. Carefully allocated timeslots mean that there will be little or no queuing and everyone participating will receive a small token gift from Santa. The Schoolroom Shop will also be open and full of gift ideas for Shakespeare lovers and others, including stocking fillers, books and much more.
