Waking up to relentless rain on a Saturday morning is often a parent's nightmare, threatening to derail carefully laid plans for entertaining a small child. Fortunately, our weekend itinerary was immune to the dismal weather, as we were destined for the all-indoor festive wonder of Jingle Ville at Lower Drayton Farm in Penkridge.
This farm has long been a cherished spot for our family outings, and its Christmas offering promised a dry and delightful escape. Our scheduled slot for the main event wasn't until 1.15pm, but we arrived around 11am to maximise the fun. This gave us ample time to enjoy the massive soft play area, grab a satisfying lunch at The Honey Pot café—where the chilli-topped jacket potato comes highly recommended—and visit some of the farm's adorable furry residents.
The Journey to Christmas Magic
When the clock struck 1.15pm, a cheerful elf ushered us onto a vintage double-decker bus to begin our adventure. The vehicle was filled with tinsel, but the ride was surprisingly and memorably bumpy. After a short journey, we disembarked and were guided into a welcoming room to meet the lovely Mrs Claus.
We settled in to watch a short film about a grumpy elf, after which the children were thrilled to literally slide into Christmas on a wooden sledge. While everyone enjoyed this part, there was a brief wait in a somewhat confined space. This was followed by another short queue for the main event: a meeting with the big man himself.
Meeting Santa and Festive Activities
Santa was every bit the jolly fellow you would hope for. After the children whispered their present requests, each family stepped forward for an official photo, available for purchase as an extra. With the main meeting complete, we explored the rest of the attractions, which are cleverly spaced out across a vast barn.
The self-guided format was a major plus, allowing visitors to tackle activities at their own pace and in any order, which prevented any single area from becoming too crowded. Following my son's eager request, we headed straight to the toy-making station. Here, children can assemble their own stuffed toy from a well-stocked selection including dinosaurs, unicorns, and farm animals. My son chose a snowman, and helpful elves guided us through the stuffing process and adding the final touches.
These cuddly toys are a bonus gift, as children also get to select a main present from Santa's workshop. The choice is impressive, ranging from Transformer-style action figures and games to crafts, monster trucks, and dolls, ensuring every child finds something they genuinely desire.
Refreshments and Final Fun
After spending a good ten minutes deliberating over the perfect gift, we decided it was time for a break. We collected our included hot chocolate and milkshakes and sat down to write a letter to Santa—just in case he forgot the requests made moments earlier. We then posted our letters in the dedicated post box.
Our next stop was the spectacular snow globe-themed bouncing castle, complete with inflatable Christmas trees to hide behind and soft snowballs to throw. It was a visual treat, and the children, including my son, absolutely adored bouncing around inside. Before departing, we made sure to prepare a bag of reindeer food and picked up a carrot for Rudolph, though our good intentions faltered—the carrot ended up in our Sunday lunch the next day, as we doubted it would remain appetising for the reindeer until Christmas Eve!
By the time we returned to the car, we were all filled with festive cheer, and my son had an absolute ball. We were fortunate to attend as guests before the official opening. For a family of three, the standard cost would be £89, with adult tickets at £22 each and child spaces priced at £45.
While this is undeniably a premium experience, it is more affordable than many similar Santa visits we researched. The value for money is evident as you can easily make a full day of it. You can further reduce costs by bringing your own lunch and using your phone to take pictures with Santa instead of purchasing the professional photo.
The Jingle Ville experience runs on selected dates from November 29 right up to Christmas Eve. All visitors to Jingle Ville also receive access to the farm's PLAY@ area between 10am and 4pm (extending to 5pm on weekends and school holidays) on the day of their visit.
