If you love Christmas, you’ve landed in the right spot.
As the festive season approaches, Cumbria will soon transform into a beautiful winter wonderland filled with twinkling Christmas lights, cosy Christmas markets and hosts of fun Christmas activities to get you excited in the lead-up to Christmas. This period is always an exciting time filled with anticipation and joy, and the festive atmosphere spreads a warm fuzzy feeling that is just contagious.
This year, why not usher in the holiday season in with a crafty Christmas workshop or unique Christmas experience right here in Cumbria. With so many talented craftspeople in and around the county of Cumbria, Christmas craft workshops are a great way to welcome in the holiday season, learn a new skill and create beautiful keepsakes you can cherish yourself or give as a gift.
From crafty activities like bauble blowing and wreath making to festive gin and whiskey tasting, we’ve put together a list of some fun festive activities for friends, family or work Christmas parties to ease you into the holiday spirit. These fun activities for Christmas are designed to get everyone involved, laughing and bonding while fully embracing the holiday spirit.
Don’t be a Grinch, read on for our favourite ideas for Christmas activities in Cumbria!
Feel the heat of the furnace and experience the joy of shaping your own unique Christmas bauble decorations under expert guidance. Local Cumbrian business Cumbria Crystal is a producer of exceptional, handmade crystal tableware, offering a variety of hands-on glassblowing experiences including their festive ‘Blow Your Own Bauble’ experience.
During this fun Christmas activity, you will work one-to-one with a glassblower who will support you through every step of the creation of your own crystal bauble. You will select the mixed colours you wish to use, and with the assistance of the tutor, melt them into the glass on a blowing iron. You will shape the glass using a wooden block before blowing down the iron to create your bauble.
Metal hand-tools called jacks are then used to shape the glass and prepare it for separation from the blowing iron. Once separated your tutor will apply a hook, formed from liquid glass, and once cooled it can be taken home to be displayed on your Christmas tree or gifted to someone special.
Get in the festive spirit by making your own Christmas cards, Christmas decorations and Christmas gifts with a huge variety of crafts from paper, wood and calligraphy to glass, metal and felt. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or a beginner looking to learn a new skills, there are plenty of Christmas craft workshops available in Cumbria.
Made In Cumbria member Farfield Mill in Sedbergh is a cooperative organisation for the benefit of the wider community. As an organisation, they exist to honour and preserve Farfield Mill’s textile heritage, engaging the public and fostering in them an appreciation of weaving and other traditional art and craft. Their workshops events calendar is already filling up with plenty of festive activities including Christmas hook a rug workshops, bauble decorating workshops, winter water colour workshops, fibre art workshops and more. Check out their site for more information.
Next on our list of ideas for Christmas activities, wreath making is a popular Christmas craft that allows you to express your creativity and bring the spirit of the season right to your home.
Wreath making involves using natural materials such as evergreen branches, pinecones, berries and festive ribbons to create circular wreaths which can be hung on walls or doors at home during the festive period. One of the great things about wreath making is that it’s a versatile craft that can be adapted to suit different styles. From traditional evergreen wreaths to modern and minimalist designs, there’s a technique and style for everyone.
There are plenty of businesses in Cumbria offering wreath making workshops including The Floralistas in Kendal and Wild Ivy in Penrith to name a couple, but there are plenty of other independent businesses offering wreath making workshops dotted about the county. So, wherever you’re based, you’re never far from a festive wreath making class this Christmas.
Candle making is another popular Christmas activity that allows you to create beautiful, personalised gifts and decorations. This activity is perfect for days out at Christmas with family and friends as you foster creativity, learn new skills and embrace the festive spirit.
The process of this hands-on craft is not only fun but incredibly rewarding as you get to see your creations come to life. It involves melting wax, adding your favourite scents and pouring it into moulds or jars to form unique, handmade candles. You can experiment with different colours and fragrances, making candles that will enhance any home’s festive atmosphere.
Located in the beautiful village of Far Sawrey near Windermere, Pure Lakes is a quality Lake District skincare brand that offers you the unique opportunity to explore the world of candle making using only the finest natural ingredients. This carefully curated masterclass is a fully immersive experience, allowing you to create your very own products that make perfect gifts for loved ones.
Cumbria is home to a huge array of independent distilleries, breweries and micro-breweries. While distillery and brewery tours are a great idea, why not mix things up and try a make-your-own spirit workshop.
Local Cumbrian business Shed 1 Distillery are offering make-your-own distilled spirit experiences in the lead up to Christmas. During this fun Christmas activity for adults, you’ll be welcomed with a G&T and given a tour of the distillery. You’ll learn about the process of gin making and the different botanicals and their properties before getting to try your hand at making your own distilled spirit.
In small groups you will be guided through the whole process from choosing your botanicals and blending your signature recipe to adding it to your mini-still where the alchemy will begin. While you watch and taste your spirit as it distils, you’ll be treated to sweet treats, tea, coffee and tipple. Then when completed, you’ll receive a personalised label for your spirit and delicious souvenir to take home with you.
Whether you’re an experienced crafter or a complete novice, there’s something to entertain everyone in this picturesque part of the world this Christmas. All these Christmas workshops and festive activities offer a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday season while embracing Cumbria’s creative heritage and supporting local Cumbrian businesses and artisans.
Still looking for things to do over Christmas in Cumbria and the Lake District? We at Made In Cumbria showcase all the local producers, makers and artists in Cumbria and the Lake District. Explore traditional Cumbrian gifts, mouth-watering food and drink, all natural health products, talented artists, award-winning designers, a plethora of things to do in Cumbria, and support the many businesses that our region boasts.
Cumbria Chamber of Commerce
3rd Floor
Broadacre House
16-20 Lowther Street
Carlisle
CA3 8DA
0845 226 00 40
©Cumbria Chamber of Commerce 2023 | By: We Are Digital
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