Newcastle invites you to step into the magic this Christmas with Moosenwirt Christmas Village
AD
After a cosy morning of cinnamon rolls and Lego, we zipped into Newcastle over the weekend to check out the Christmas market, complete with amazing new offerings by Moosenwirt – a Christmas Village in Old Eldon Square and lush new dining experiences in the centre of the Christmas market
𝕆𝕝𝕕 𝔼𝕝𝕕𝕠𝕟 𝕊𝕢𝕦𝕒𝕣𝕖 ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕞𝕒𝕤 𝕍𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕒𝕘𝕖
🌲First stop, the Christmas village in Old Eldon square. Including elements of a traditional Christmas market, Moosenwirt have pitched this miniature version perfectly for littles.
𝕄𝕒𝕘𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝 𝕄𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕤
🌲A gorgeous carousel
🌲Traditional Christmas market food stalls. The food stalls and sweets were all ridiculously tempting, including giant cookies, candy canes, and a macaroni cheese stall which might appeal to some pickier eaters
🌲The entire square is beautifully lit and decorated, complete with a sparkling Christmas tree.
🌲Marshmallow roasting. We didn’t get to try this but it seems to have been a hit, particularly later into the evening when the temperatures dropped.
🌲A festive live show. Anna and Elsa had every little member of the audience dancing and singing their hearts out.
𝕊𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕒 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤
With advance booking you can take part in the jolly and utterly charming Santa stories, where Santa reads you a local tale before inviting each child to fill in their application for ‘the Nice List’ and take a photograph with Santa. This is traditionally decorated and utterly gorgeous. Santa was cheekier than I expected – half storyteller, half stand up comic. I doubt most of the audience heard the tale he was weaving of Santa’s journey through the northeast since they were too busy laughing at his crowd work.
𝔼𝕝𝕗 𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕠𝕝
Just across the square our boys mastered Elven Christmas magic amidst a dazzling display of tinsel at Elf School. They sang songs, got crafty with ornaments and paper cutters, filled out their paperwork to discover their inner elf, and had an individual moment of magic (not to mention an excellent photo op!) with the head elves.
Both Elf School and Santa Stories award lovely certificates to each child, presented at the end of the activity.
Things to note:
🌲Even in mid-November the booked events (Santa Stories and Elf School) were fully booked on the day, so be sure to prebook to avoid disappointment.
🌲 The live show is £3 per person, pay at the gate.
🌲Elf school takes place in a small space but they keep the numbers small.
🌲The elves and everyone working the event deserve a special shout out. They were full of so much cheer and went out of their way to make everyone feel special.
🌲Prices for the live show and the booked events felt excellent value for the experience (Santa Stories £8.50 children, £2 for adults, plus booking fees; Elf School £7 for an adult and child, £5 for additional child)
🌲Don’t forget to check out the Fenwick’s window while you’re in the area!
In all we filled three festive hours, then headed over to the main Christmas market.
𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℕ𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕙 ℙ𝕠𝕝𝕖
Newcastle’s Christmas market really is a magical experience for all ages, particularly with all the latest additions. In addition to market stalls you can find a pop-up Alpine bar in the city centre in a giant yurt (hand crafted in Hexham), with music, fire pits, and festive drinks.
If you’re looking for the truly exceptional, Moosenwirt have also set up the lush and glittery ‘The North Pole’ on the plinth of Grey’s Monument, overlooking the Christmas market. We were lucky enough to sample this experience and it will be a core memory for our family.
𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥
Private igloos to rent for a truly unique Christmas experience
Toasty warmth with festive music playing
Festive drinks menu
The igloos are not specifically designed for children, and don’t have any games (my eldest did ask!) but my 3- and 6-year-old were utterly enthralled by the magic of it. Shout out to the staff who made them feel welcomed and invited to what otherwise might have felt like a more adult experience. They described this as ‘Santa’s magical hotel’.
The experience feels at once exclusive and glamorous and relaxed and festive. Gazing down at the lights and crowds while sipping on drinks, we left with gorgeous photos and contented smiles.
Top tips:
🌲The North Pole Igloos are advertised to seat 12, but particularly if you are going with mainly adults, I would say 8 would be most comfortable.
🌲 Access is through stairs only. You can carry a buggy up the stairs and tuck it into a corner but worth noting if accessibility is a concern.
🌲 At premium prices I imagine this as a perfect setting for a special event – from a festive family gathering to a girly evening.
🌲 Food is limited to platters with yummy nibbles, but you can pick food up in the market and bring it in with you.
🌲 Going after dark adds to the magic of the experience – the views are so lovely.
So grab your cosiest jumper or your sparkly winter dress and get ready for the pure magic of a Newcastle Christmas. We were utterly enchanted. With special events for the littles, laughter, fabulous food, the warmth of a fire and the glitter of twinkling lights, festive music and glamorous igloos for that truly special event, Newcastle is well worth adding to your list this Christmas season.
For more details and booking: https://www.moosenwirt.co.uk
Comments