Waddesdon Manor at Christmas 2016

A world of magical materials

Our theme this year is inspired by our extraordinary Collection, some of which features rare and exotic materials and some humbler elements from earth and sea, made wonderful by the skilled craftsmen who made them.

From the gleam of silver and gold to the sparkle of glass and the rich tones of wood and textiles and the mysterious surface of mother-of-pearl, each room and tree celebrates materials and their stories.
There is a crowd of Jolly Gingerbread Men hidden through the house for children to seek out. Pick up a copy of the trail in the house, and don’t forget to visit the giant gingerbread model of Waddesdon in the Coach House at the Stables, made by master bakers and icers, the Biscuiteers.

This Christmas we’ll be bathing the outside of the house in a light and sound show every 15 minutes from dusk.

From dusk each day during the festive season the outside of the house will be bathed in light while the ‘Lafite’ candlestick sculptures by Joana Vasconcelos will be lit from within.

The light and sound show animates the façade of the house with rainbow colours. Created by Woodroffe Bassett Design, the four-minute performance runs every 15 minutes.